BUFFALO, NY-- It’s a big weekend for Spirited Athletes Bold At Heart.
Just ask Sheila O’Brien.
She’s been Executive Director at SABAH for the past 12 years, and she’s seen her fair share of stories.
“Each year, I think I’ve seen all the incredible stories, and still today there’s one where I just go ‘Wow,’” O’Brien said Friday morning, as five SABAH athletes skated across the Bud Bakewell Ice Rink. “They amaze you each year. It’s why I’ve got the best job in the world.”
SABAH’s annual “Celebration on Ice” event takes place at the KeyBank Center on Saturday, March 24th. The ice show highlights more than 670 individuals challenged by disability.
This year’s theme: SABAH’s Big Adventure, with 21 different groups and hundreds of athletes and volunteers, performing to the theme of different countries from around the world.
“I think a lot of our volunteers come in and they have no idea that it’s going to affect them as much as it does,” O’Brien said. “Our volunteers get as much out of this as our athletes do.
Notable among the athletes is Kristen Melohusky, a SABAH athlete who will be performing in her 25th ice show on Saturday.
But the strength she’s gained from the program has also allowed her to come back beyond the role of athlete, and help guide others as an instructor.
“It’s so rewarding to come back as an instructor and give back what SABAH has given me,” said Melohusky.
Tickets for reserved seating cost $12 and are available through the SABAH office and the KeyBank Center Box Office.