Turnstone Center, has introduced a Paralympic Training Site Advisory Board, following their designation as a U.S. Paralympic training site in 2018. This advisory board has been announced with the mission of lending guidance to Turnstone in order to fully utilize their training site designation and maximize their potential as a newly recognized training site.

In June 2018, Turnstone received the official designation as one of 14 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Sites. Turnstone’s facilities, staff and resources provide an elite athlete training environment for current and aspiring Paralympic athletes, with a specialty in the sport of goalball, as well as developmental opportunities for athletes in other Paralympic sports.

The mission of the advisory board is to create marketing and revenue initiatives which support the development and growth of Turnstone’s Paralympic Training Site in Fort Wayne, IN, in partnership with Turnstone staff.

Mike Mushett, Turnstone CEO, shared that this advisory board will help to provide a foundation of excellence for athletes, competitions and efforts underway at the new Paralympic training site.

“The advisory board members’ counsel, advice, and engagement with our new training site will be key in building a firm support base to promote elite athlete training opportunities, Paralympic pipeline competitions, and further develop our relationship with the United States Olympic Committee,” says Mushett.

The benefits from the work of Turnstone staff and the Paralympic Training Site advisory board are already evident as Turnstone and the United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) host the 2019 International Blind Sports Federation (IBSA) Goalball and Judo International Qualifier this summer in Fort Wayne. This event is one of the final opportunities for elite athletes to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics in the sports of goalball and blind judo.

Advisory Board Chair, Tom Trent, recognizes the role that the board will play in efforts such as the event this summer.

“I have been privileged to experience Turnstone’s growth over recent years,” says Trent. “As the Board Chair for this newly implemented advisory board, I look forward to helping Turnstone and Fort Wayne fully utilize their resources to continue pursuing the important work of empowering people with disabilities through this new channel of opportunities.”

Members of the advisory board are located around the country with one member even located in Singapore. These board members include:

• Amanda Dennis, U.S. Goalball Paralympian, of Peach Tree City, GA

• Bob Gailey, University of Miami, of Miami, FL

• David Leininger, Wells Fargo VP, of Fort Wayne, IN

• Davyd Jones, Edward Jones, of Fort Wayne, IN

• Debbie Parrott, Highmark TechSystems President, of Fort Wayne, IN

• Jane DeHaven, Summit City Chevrolet Owner/President, of Fort Wayne, IN

• Jeff Butler, U.S. Rugby Paralympian, of Austin, TX

• John Register, Motivational Speaker, of Colorado Springs, CO

• Kevin Dwire, Ottenweller Company, of Fort Wayne, IN

• Mike Mushett, Turnstone CEO, of Fort Wayne, IN

• Mike Nutter, Tin Caps President, of Fort Wayne, IN

• Mike Tatoian, Dover Speedway President, of Dover, DE

• Ron Plassman, Philanthropist, of Fort Wayne, IN

• Shawn Brown, Prosthetist and U.S. Track Paralympian, of Fort Wayne, IN

• Tim Bawmann, Mad Ants President, of Fort Wayne, IN

• Tim Haffner, Faegre Baker Daniels Attorney, of Fort Wayne, IN

• Tom Trent, Rothberg, Logan & Warsco Attorney, of Fort Wayne, IN

• Tommy Schoegler, Parkview Sports Medicine Director, of Fort Wayne, IN

• Troy Engle, Singapore Ministry of Sport, of Singapore

The Paralympic Training Site Advisory Board will meet three times a year in March, June and October. Members will convene for their next meeting on Thursday, June 13 and have also been invited to Turnstone’s annual Board of Directors’ Gala.

For more information about the members of this board, visit https://turnstone.org/about/board-staff/ptsab/.

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ABOUT TURNSTONE: Founded in 1943, Turnstone’s mission is to empower people with disabilities to achieve their highest potential by providing one of the most comprehensive offerings of services and programs to people with disabilities and their families under one roof in the United States. Thanks to generous support and compassionate staff, Turnstone’s legacy of advocacy and innovation continues to contribute to a world that accepts and values people based on their abilities. Turnstone’s scope of impact has evolved to include being a member of United States Olympic family as one of the United States Olympic Committee’s designated Training Sites and home to USA Goalball through a partnership with the United States Association of Blind Athletes. www.turnstone.org | Twitter: @TurnstoneCenter | Facebook: Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities | Instagram: @TurnstoneCenter