THE HISTORY OF OUR CLUB
In 2005, our club celebrated the 20th anniversary since the official start of sport for disabled people in Lithuania.
Draugyste (Friendship) sports club for the disabled from all over the Republic of Lithuania officially started on December 26, 1985.
In 1992, when the Lithuanian Federation of Sports for the Disabled people was formed, we became the Vilnius city club, uniting those inhabitants of Vilnius who have various physical disabilities: people in wheelchairs, people who have suffered amputation and people with cerebral paralysis.
Our members include people who are not capable to move on their own, as well as engage in physical or intellectual work, and others. We are united by a desire to be together and integrate into society as fully as possible.
At the moment, the club has 201 members going in for various sports: basketball in wheelchairs, table-tennis, orientation sports, draughts, chess, track and field athletics, billiards, and boccia. The club also has its own internet centre: an alliance called Langas į ateitį (A Window to the Future). Also, the club works as a centre for community gatherings and day employment.
The members of our club have high achievements in city championships, Republic championships, international championships, competitions and races. Our basketball in wheelchairs team is the only one of that kind in Vilnius.
Perhaps for many people sports are not necessary, but for most of the disabled it certainly is an important means to maintain and improve their health. For many disabled, sports is the only thing they are capable of doing to spend their time, even though they need help from volunteers to engage in it.
