Students teaming up for ‘Wheel, Walk, Run’

Kirtland Schools Athletic Director Al Russ and approximately 30 high school students will come to the Lake County Board of Developmental Disabilities/Deepwood’s Broadmoor School on May 18 to take part in the annual “Wheel, Walk, Run” event.

This event pairs Kirtland students with Broadmoor students to wheel, walk or run a half-mile (two laps around the Broadmoor School) in celebration of fitness and fellowship, according to a news release. The public is invited to cheer on the participants at the 10 a.m. event.

“It’s great to see Kirtland students interacting and supporting Broadmoor students, especially in an activity centered around teamwork and encouragement of individuals with developmental disabilities,” Broadmoor School Age Supervisor Mary Elshaw said in the release. “Activities such as this help us increase awareness that being disabled doesn’t mean you are ‘less,’ just different.”

Kirtland students and teachers run the stop watches, man the water stations, and cheer for Broadmoor students throughout the event. Certificates are awarded at the end of the half-mile with official times.

All attendees have the opportunity to purchase a commemorative T-shirt with a unique design created by Jessica Reichard, a member of our community who has been designing the T-shirts for the past five years. To round out the morning, the Broadmoor Family Network provides snacks and ChickFil-A provides a complimentary lunch.

“We always look forward to this event,” Russ said in the release. “My students draw from the experience and gain a greater appreciation for what they have and where they are in life. Some students have gone on to work with individuals with special needs.”

Broadmoor School is located at 8090 Broadmoor Road in Mentor. It is the educational facility for the Lake County Board of Developmental Disabilities/Deepwood and provides four programs for students with developmental disabilities from birth through the age 22.