ARLINGTON, VA — Learning to skate is rarely easy, but for children with disabilities, getting on the ice can be even more difficult. Charlie Lindgren and Nic Dowd want to change that.
On Monday, Dowd’s Crowd and the recently-announced Lindy’s Lineup teamed up with DC-area charity So Kids SOAR to host an adaptive skate at MedStar Capitals Iceplex. More than 50 children participated. They received accessibility aids such as noise-cancelling headphones and ice sleds to give them more confidence out on the ice.
So Kids SOAR, founded in 1989, offers a variety of free adaptive activities for disabled young people in the DC area with the aim of empowering them to “strive, own, achieve, and realize their potential.” Several of the groups’ volunteers helped out at the event, including by pushing the sleds of those unable to skate upright.
Both Lindgren and Dowd are connected to the cause through their families’ charitable foundations. Dowd’s Crowd has allowed children with sensory issues to attend Caps games through both free tickets and sensory kits to help with the bright and noisy environment of an arena. Lindy’s Lineup focuses on providing children with access to adaptive sports. Lindgren spoke on the motivations that led him and his wife decided to establish the program.
“We had a lot of fun last year in DC, we met so many good people, and with the platform we have, we want to make a positive impact on our community,” he said.
TJ Oshie, Rasmus Sandin, Hendrix Lapierre, Beck Malenstyn, and Nicolas Aube-Kubel also joined in the fun, helping participants skate, talking to families, or even playing goalie while kids took shots on net.
“It’s awesome to see the push bars and the sleds,” Malenstyn told RMNB. “It’s an awesome opportunity for people to come out here and enjoy what we get to do all the time.”
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