Wheelchair Users to Vie for Medals, Prizes in New Run the Greenway Roll 5K
“It’s like working through the suck, and getting to the end and feeling the burn, and knowing that hey, I did it,” he said. “And also being number one. That’s a nice thing.”
This year, for the first time, Ringenberg might take home a gold medal for his accomplishment.
“If we had more people, there might be someone out there who can beat me,” Ringenberg said. “Might be.”
Run the Greenway marks a big day each year for the Ability Fitness Center team. It’s a return to form for M.J. Weier, who before a spinal injury was a competitive cyclist.
“One of the reasons I like competition and this particular event is that it gives me something to train for,” she said. “Rather than just going and doing it just to get exercise, it gives me a reason to do it, it gives me a goal to try and improve my time.”
And although it’s measured in kilometers, it sometimes marks a milestone, such as for Lindsay Roberts. In the first Run, Walk or Roll the Greenway two years ago, she rolled the whole way in her wheelchair. Last year, she stood up and walked across the finish line to applause.
“My goal for this year is to walk more than just the finish line,” she said. “Assisted—I still use a cane—but one day, I’m going to be able to drop it and just walk it, no problem.”
“We’re thrilled to partner with The Arc of Loudoun to make Run The Greenway race accessible for individuals with disabilities,” Dulles Greenway Public & Customer Relations Manager Terry Hoffman said. “Our annual race is inclusive for all Northern Virginia athletes, and we look forward to providing a welcoming and accessible venue for all our participates to display their skills.”
The new category is thanks in part to a new partner in the race: Potomac River Races, the race management company that added a wheelchair category to its timekeeping.
“We’re excited to work on Run the Greenway,” Potomac River Races Director of Operations Terri Marlin said. “It’s a race in our backyard. We’re really happy to be part of this and to help raise money for all the local community organizations that means so much to so many people.”
Each year, Run the Greenway helps raise funds for local nonprofit organizations. Last year, the race drew around 2,000 runners and raised nearly $270,000 for local nonprofits.
“Since we partnered to create Run, Walk or Roll the Greenway two years ago, the race has been more than just a fundraiser for our clients, staff and families,” The Arc of Loudoun CEO Lisa Kimball said. “It brings out that same indomitable spirit that our staff and clients bring to work and school every day. That’s part of building a lifetime of opportunities and a just, equitable world for people with disabilities.”
Registration is open now for Run the Greenway’s 5K, 5K Roll, 10K, and Kids Fun Run races, along with virtual options to donate or create your own fundraising site without running. For more information, visit dullesgreenway.com/run-the-greenway. To register, visit thearcofloudoun.org/greenway.
Photo: Anthony Ringenberg from the Ability Fitness Center at The Arc of Loudoun team is the first wheelchair user across the finish line at Run the Greenway in 2023. (Swim Bike Run Photo)
THE ARC OF LOUDOUN ENCOURAGES THE COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE AWARENESS AND ACCEPTANCE OF THOSE WITH AUTISM THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF APRIL
Leesburg, Virginia, December 4, 2018 – The Arc of Loudoun, a Loudoun based non-profit organization, is returning to its 50+ year old brand identity. While its logo, colors, and font are all-new, the organization will now be referred to exclusively as The Arc of Loudoun, rather than The Arc of Loudoun at Paxton Campus or Paxton Campus.
Leesburg, VA – The Arc of Loudoun is pleased to announce the grand opening of the Aurora Behavior Clinic (ABC) in its new location in the Stone Barns on The Arc’s campus in historic Leesburg. ABC, which provides individualized therapeutic options for children with autism and other related disabilities, will celebrate its grand opening on Wednesday, November 14th at 5:00pm with a ribbon cutting, followed by an open house and light refreshments.
The clinic has a specialized curriculum focused on verbal behavior and increasing social interactions using ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy, a type of therapy that uses positive reinforcement to increase wanted behaviors and decrease challenging behaviors. The clinic’s specialized team of therapists work on clients’ social skills, communication skills, and appropriate behavior. Lisa Kimball, Chief Executive Officer of The Arc of Loudoun states, “There is nothing else like Aurora Behavior Clinic in Loudoun County. What makes the clinic so extraordinary is that it is a one-stop-shop. The clinic has a highly-trained team of diagnosticians, Board Certified Behavior Analysts, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and ABA Therapists all at one place.”
LEESBURG, Virginia – August 28, 2018 – Shocktober’s Paxton Manor will open its ninth season this year with a new theme, packages, and attractions. Paxton Manor is a 150-year old mansion located in Leesburg, Virginia, that has been transformed into a professional haunted house that raises funds for The Arc of Loudoun, a nonprofit providing services to people with disabilities and their families. Shocktober is a major production that raised over $400,000 for The Arc of Loudoun in 2017 (about 50% of The Arc’s fundraising revenue), and had more than 12,000 attendees last year.
Leesburg, Virginia- July 9, 2015- The Board of Directors and staff of The Arc of Loudoun on the PAXTON CAMPUS are thrilled to announce the appointment of Melissa Heifetz as the Director of Advocacy for the ALLY “A Life Like Yours” Advocacy Center.
Leesburg, Virginia – July 27, 2015 – On August 2, Paxton Campus’ Open Door Learning Center will celebrate its fifth anniversary.
August 4, 2015 – The work of writer Jennifer Alves of Hamilton, Virginia, has been published in the current issue of Kaleidoscope: Exploring the Experience of Disability through Literature and the Fine Arts. Her personal essay, “Hiking the Appalachian Trail,” appears in issue number 71 of the magazine. Her work was selected from among more than 350 submissions considered for publication.