The Harbor Ridge Middle School gym was filled with sounds of laughter, clanking and dribbling on Friday night as community members tried their hand at wheelchair basketball — many for the first time.

Paralympian and Gig Harbor native Megan Blunk deftly maneuvered between the clumsy turns of the newcomers and called out helpful hints and showed techniques. The demonstration of wheelchair basketball was part of a send-off event for Blunk, who is embarking to Rio to represent the United States in the 2016 Paralympics as part of the National Wheelchair Basketball Team.

The 26-year-old Blunk used the event to thank the community for all its support, share her story, and help the crowd understand more about the sport and how it’s played. The Paralympic Wheelchair Basketball games will start Sept. 8 and continue through Sept. 17.