Branlyn Neighbourhood Association came out on top as the winners of the 28th annual Wheelchair Basketball Tournament on Saturday, February 7, 2026.
Held each year in support of Brantwood Community Services (BCS) and Participation Support Services (PSS), the event is put on in partnership with the Brantford Lions Club and this year’s winning team.
The annual event is designed to not only raise funds and awareness for the two organizations, but to also give people the chance to experience what it means to use a wheelchair. This year, 11 teams participated in the tournament, raising a grand total of $7,800 altogether, the proceeds of which will be shared equally between the two organizations.
“This is a fundraiser we put on with Participation Support Services, and it’s a day where we get to just come together to build awareness and raise some funds,” said Kristy Berardi, BCS’s Executive Assistant and Community Relations Coordinator. “There’s a lot of energy here today, it’s such a great vibe and everyone’s enjoying a little friendly competition.”
Andrew Fyfe, a Resident Care Supervisor at PSS, said it was nice to see everyone having fun.
“It’s just so laid back and everyone is sharing a lot of laughs,” he said. “There’s a lot of good games going on today so it’s been really fun.”
Fyfe went on to say that the funds PSS receives from the event will go towards “van operations, building maintenance and other projects to enrich the lives of the clients we serve.”
After being surpassed in 2025 by the St. George Lions Club, long-time top fundraisers “Another Round” reclaimed their title this year, raising $1,300 for the organizations.
The team, made up of a group of family and friends, have been playing in the tournament since before 2011.
“We’re not 100 per cent sure but we’ve been doing this since around 2008 or 2009,” said Leeanne Vreugdenhil. “Our name actually came about because a lot of us were bartenders when we first started, so it was a pun on playing wheelchair basketball and bartending.”
The team captain said she and the team come back year after year because of the camaraderie.
“It’s all the same faces of people who want to help the community, you know? It’s about raising money for a good cause and having fun while doing it,” said Vreugdenhil. “I mean, there’s a lot of events for different charities, but when do you get to play a game and still raise money?”
When asked what she thought of this year’s competition, she said it was a good day.
“It was a lot of fun, all of our games were close and everybody was just laughing the whole time, which is what you want to see,” said Vreugdenhil.
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
