Many of you know that Meghan and I are heavily involved with this amazing group that brings outdoor activities to those whom may need adaptive equipment or instruction.  As an Organization, our mission is to enable EVERYONE to share in the same activities we all love to do. Skiing is one of them, and the focus of our Winter Sports Challenge, but we also are ADAPTIVE Kayak/ SUP instructors, Mountain Bikers, Cyclist, Water Skiers, & Climbers, doing these activities year round and sharing these experiences is a true life changing opportunity for Us and the People we interact with.  Many of these people we are now good freinds with, which is a Bonus of the whole program...!

Getting the word out that ASC exists is just as important as recruiting participants, recruiting volunteers and raising funds.  It DOES make a difference and enables people from all walks of life, all ages, all types of disabilities to just focus on their ABILITY and experience the enjoyment many of us take for granted. Whether a physical or cognitive disability, we all know someone who could benefit from what ASC does. We have had participants from a 93 year old lady in hospice whom wanted to ski one last time….to a 4 year old girl that is now shredding up in a monoski, and everyone in between. The benefits go beyond the individual accomplishment…and the enthusiasm that is expressed at every outing cannot be articulated in words. Many of our Instructors/Volunteers came to be a part of the organization as a participant, and are now giving back to others. Truly amazing!

Adaptive equipment can be the same equipment we use, or can be highly engineered sit ski or mountain bike… so having the right equipment is one of the keys to success, everyone is different. Sometime what works well for one person just does not work for the next. With adaptations (Foam and Duct tape many times lol) we are able to make adjustments and allow them to be successful. Instruction is just as important as having the right equipment, and our model of training our volunteers to be the trainers, adapting to achieve success is key.

Meghan and I attended the WSC about 8 years back and we have been involved ever since. Many of us are fortunate to attend training at DSUSA Ski-spec in Breckenridge or other clinics such as the Adaptive Mountain Bike Instructors Course at the National Ability Center in Park Cit,y Utah, where we are able to be educated and then bring this knowledge back and share it. Without Volunteers ASC would not exist, it’s truly amazing community, and the lifelong friendships we have made is a pure extra!. So if you are interested please reach out to me, or sign up to come and participate or volunteer. The Winter Sports Challenge is where we bring our two programs together from the local hills and everyone has a great time. We also have a Veterans Focused Event Jan 30^th The Cleveland VA typically has a bus they charter and bring a bunch of truly amazing people down for this event.

Lastly If you would like to sign up, and be a part you can click the following link. If you are so inclined to donate, the link will get you to there as well. I thank you in advance and please share the message and mission of ASC> ! Thank You

Be part of helping veterans, children, and adults with disabilities focus on their Abilities through sports, outdoor, and therapeutic recreation. There is something transformational when the wheelchair is left behind for an adaptive sit ski - giving the athlete the ability to feel the swoosh. We are on a mission to fuel the human spirit - sports is the tool we use. By getting people out doing again, we are getting them on the road to freedom. This helps with all aspects of life - employment, happiness, self-esteem, socialization, and overall health and well-being.

 

We all know life can change in an instant. The unexpected happens - an accident that causes a spinal cord injury; cancer or diabetes that causes an amputation; war that causes an injury; birth defect that causes a malformation; neurological condition that causes immobility; stroke that causes partial paralysis; infection that causes vision impairment; substance abuse, dementia, brain injury, trauma, and any number of other conditions that cause cognitive and physical disabilities.

 

Boundless Hope on the Slopes is our social fundraising campaign - all funds go to support veterans, children and adults with disabilities participate in not only skiing, but kayaking, cycling, mountain biking, and sailing. It costs $400 to support one participant and we have over 1500 visits. We have grown 82% over the past two years and serve and partner with 12 School Systems; 5 hospitals and rehabilitation facilities, 12 veteran organizations, and 37 community and nonprofit organizations. Please help us reach our goal of $30,000 by donating and sharing!

 

"People with disabilities often put roadblocks up for themselves when they believe have they reached a point of no more improvement. Our experience with ASC has been so transforming in that we never felt like volunteers we worked with ever had those views of us and were always looking for ways to grow our skill and come alongside us to achieve things we didn’t think were possible." -ASC Participant and Family