Web Exclusive: Pittsburgh athletes reach out to people with disabilities

‘ ‘ Pitt pitcher Nate Reed was all smiles when he faced his next athletic opponent. ‘ Reed,… ‘ ‘ Pitt pitcher Nate Reed was all smiles when he faced his next athletic opponent. ‘ Reed, along with the entire Pitt men’s baseball team, attended a charity luncheon for the disabled at Beth Shalom Men’s Club, in Squirrel Hill, yesterday. ‘ ‘It makes people’s day, and you can tell by their smiles,’ said Reed before rolling up his sleeves to arm-wrestle Wendell Roberts, a man living with a disability.’ Reed, who has a cousin living with a development disability, attended the event as part of the baseball team’s annual community service event. ‘ ‘Attending events like this, you make sure you are thankful of the abilities you do have,’ said Reed, who has participated in several community events in his athletic career. ‘ A tradition for more than 50 years, the luncheon – which was is modeled after Tikun Olam, the Hebrew word for healing – was originally created so the congregation’s children could meet local athletes. Twelve years ago, the synagogue transformed the luncheon into a charity event for people living with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, blindness and autism. ‘ Nine organizations, which provide support to individuals living with developmental disabilities, attended the program with their clients. This year, there were more than 240 participants. ‘ One of the goals of the event was to make people living with disabilities feel more connected to the mainstream community, said Chris Harris, an employee for the non-profit Mainstay Life Services. ‘ ‘Some people move to the side when they see disabled people,’ said Harris. ‘The more events we take them to, [the more] people will see them as the same.’ Harris. ‘ Event attendees received free food, transportation, sports cards, autographs and photographs. Pitt athletics has been assisting with the event longer than any of the organizers can remember. ‘ ‘We have a long history with Pitt,’ said Jeff Rosenthal, a co-chair of the luncheon. ‘[Pitt athletics] is one of the first places we call, even before the Steelers,’ added Rosenthal, whose son, Jonah, is the baseball team’s manager. ‘ Event attendees sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to a 3-year-old member of the congregation and staged arm-wrestling matches with professional wrestlers. This year’s emcee, WTAE news anchor Andrew Stockey, said he believes that making people living with development disabilities feel independent is key to trumping the prejudices that they may face. ‘If they feel like they can control their lives, it gives them a sense of independence,’ he said. ‘ Other noted guests included professional wrestlers, members of Carlow’s basketball team, members of the Pittsburgh Passion women’s basketball team and Daniel Sepulveda, a punter for the Pittsburgh Steelers. ‘ ‘I think it’s important for anyone to make people feel like they aren’t forgotten,’ said Trumane Rogers, linebacker for the Pittsburgh Passion.