Education

SONORAN TRAILS MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT RECEIVES GRANT FROM CHALLENGED ATHLETES FOUNDATION IN SAN DIEGO

Lera Doederlein, an eighth grade years. She elected to have the amputation student at Sonoran Trails Middle surgery. School, has received a $2,000 grant to go toward a new, custom-made hockey Lera wears No. 50 and is a forward on the sled from Challenged Athletes Foundation Phoenix Coyotes Sled Hockey Team. “I in San Diego. This charity provides oppor- like to be out in front,” she said, “I’m a tunities and support to people with physical playmaker.” One of her dreams is to play challenges. in the Paralympics in the future. The sled In June, Lera had bilateral knee disarticula- al equipment, will help in many ways. Her tion surgery to address a congenital condi- father, David, said, “It’s the one place she tion called arthrogryposis. At the urging feels she can move freely. It has helped her of one of her prosthetists, she tried sled in her own ability to grow into and cope hockey for the first time. She fell in love with this new phase of her life.” with the game and was borrowing a sled that was too big for her. “I’ve always been While appearing on the NHL Network seginto sports and, after the surgery, I thought ment to talk about Hockey Is For Everyone I would try sled hockey out. It was great,” (celebrated through February), she was Lera said. “My Teammates are really en- presented with a check and a new, custom couraging and I love that part of it.” made hockey sled. “You’re even more of Lera was adopted from Russia as a baby said NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes. after she was placed into an orphanage. and the grant, for the purchase of additiona superstar than I thought you would be,” She has been able to walk with the aid In a videotaped message, Lera was invited of braces, but did not believe that would to an Arizona Coyotes game by defenseprovide her with the level of mobility man Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who is her she craved as she entered her teenage favorite player.

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