Recently, Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities has started to see a slight uptick in volunteers for its events, though the organization still has seen a downward trend over the past several years. With 10 different events slated for the next three months at Turnstone, development project manager Lauren Widenhofer remains hopeful that people from in and around Fort Wayne can help the organization meet its needs.
“I feel like since the pandemic, it has been a struggle to get as many volunteers as it has in the past,” Widenhofer said. “We lost a lot of our core volunteers. We used to get big corporate groups coming in, and we’re starting to see that trend pick back up again.”
Those needs will commence in earnest, as Turnstone will serve as host for the 2024 National Wheelchair Basketball Association’s national championships in the women’s and military divisions. The event started Friday and will run through Sunday, with scorekeeping volunteers needed for each day of the tournament.
With events held through the week during the day and night, as well as a number of weekends upcoming, Widenhofer explained that Turnstone has options available for anyone seeking the chance to give back. Anyone interested in more information on upcoming volunteer opportunities available or registering to volunteer can do so at turnstone.org/give/volunteer.
For instance, Turnstone will play host to the MK Battery Conference Cup Series Power Soccer Nationals from June 13 through 16, followed the next week by the Turnstone Endeavor Games on June 21 through 23.
The Power Soccer Nationals will bring in hundreds of competitors from across the United States, while the Endeavor Games – hosted by Turnstone in conjunction with the University of Central Oklahoma – will feature competitions and clinics in 10 adaptive sports, taking place at Turnstone as well as Indiana Tech’s Warrior Park Track & Field Complex on Tillman Road, the NACS Natatorium on the campus of Carroll High School and The X Count on Merchandise Drive in Fort Wayne.
“You name the adaptive sport, and we are probably running it that weekend,” Widenhofer said. “Kids as young as 5 can sign up, and there’s a veteran’s division. It’s truly all ages, and it’s really fun.”
Those local partnerships will extend to the All Abilities Camp, which will take place in July in partnership with the World Baseball Academy and the YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne. Volunteers are needed to help run the camp, which provides a fully inclusive opportunity to compete in sports and recreational activities for children ages 8 to 18, with and without disabilities.
“Every program we’ve ever offered was just out of need,” Widenhofer said. “One of our clients had the need, so someone else had the foresight to start the program. We just kept adapting and evolving, and it became what it is now.”
Widenhofer noted as well that Turnstone’s volunteer needs present a great option for high school- and college-aged students in need of fulfilling requirements. Students from Bishop Dwenger and Concordia regularly volunteer at various events Turnstone runs, with additional availability remaining for other students to help out.
“Snider’s football team and North Side’s basketball team, they’re amazing,” Widenhofer said. “We had an adaptive basketball program this winter, and (North Side’s basketball team) came out every Wednesday night. Snider’s football team, they help us clean up after every single event that we have, so it’s 60 high school boys picking up all the carpet tiles, tables and chairs. We’re super grateful for them.”
