Press Release

NON-PROFIT CEO INVITED TO SUPERBOWL PARTY BY VICE CHAIRMAN OF JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
STRIDE Adaptive Sports’ Founder Mary Ellen Whitney to attend party at Fort Belvoir

(Rensselaer, NY)  STRIDE Adaptive Sports CEO and founder Mary Ellen Whitney will be among the nation’s most elite military guests on Sunday at the new USO Warrior Care Center at Fort Belvoir outside Washington, D.C. to attend a special Super Bowl tailgate party for Wounded Warriors and high-ranking military advisors. She is invited by the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral James Winnefeld, the nation’s second highest ranking military official.  Whitney’s invitation stems from her long-time commitment to serving Wounded Warriors through STRIDE Adaptive Sports, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1985 that works with youth with special needs, and veterans permanently injured in combat.  Whitney, a civilian, is invited in honor of her innovative efforts to improve the lives of military members through sport programs which involve youth with similar disabilities.


Dress code for the event is to wear your favorite team jersey. Whitney will wear an autographed Justin Tuck #91 NY Giants jersey, her favorite team, donated by the NY Giants Foundation. After the event the jersey will be donated to auction in support of Wounded Warriors. 

Since 1985, STRIDE Adaptive Sports has provided over 8,000 adaptive sport and recreation lessons to individuals with special needs including disabled service men and women (Wounded Warriors) who have sustained permanent injuries in combat;  at no cost to our participants. STRIDE has over 350 skilled volunteer sport instructors, serves over 1,300 families; and offers programs in sixteen different sports in 25 locations. STRIDE is an affiliate member of Disabled Sports USA, and a US Paralympics Sport Club.  STRIDE is recognized as one of the leading adaptive sport programs in the Northeastern United States.
For more information about this event, or to schedule an interview, call (518) 598-1279 or info@stride.org