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| June 2011 |  |
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ASF Launches Warriors in Motion Join us for ASF Paralympic Sports Club Day A Big Thank You to United Parcel Service Congratulations to ASF's 2010-2011 Exam Participants ASF Race Team member Staci Mannella has dazzling season Spotlight on ASF summer intern Rae Kennedy
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ASF Launches Warriors in Motion By Bob Speck In partnership with the Wounded Warrior Project, ASF has designed a comprehensive health and wellness program to support our wounded troops. The program includes a series of experiential workshops and events that are intended to both introduce new participants to the world of adaptive outdoor sports and to provide returning participants the opportunity to enhance their skills and interests. The goal is to provide wounded warriors with experiences that improve their health and wellness over the long process of healing. These events will expose them to healthy life skills and opportunities that they can explore on an ongoing basis in their local communities. The Warriors in Motion program also includes the signature events that we’ve done at ASF in the past, the winter learn to ski and ride weekend in January, the summer lake event in July/August, and the women’s weekend in June. These events are primarily intended to attract new participants into ASF and WWP outdoor sports, though we also welcome back previous participants.
New to ASF this year are workshops in Applied Coaching and Teaching (ACT); Sports, Outdoor Activity and Recreation (SOAR); and Instructor Training Courses (ITC). The ACT workshops focus on learning how to coach others in an outdoor setting, with particular focus on how to coach and mentor fellow warriors and people with disabilities. The SOAR programs focus on learning technical skills in outdoor sports, especially in adaptive outdoor sports. The ITC program is intended to train participants who are interested in volunteering to teach others here at ASF or in the ASF winter or summer signature events for wounded warriors.
The concept is that warriors who have experienced the benefits of healthy living through outdoor sports and recreation will continue to explore these activities and lifestyle changes in their civilian lives, and perhaps even learn to share these benefits with others in a coaching role. Each workshop includes basic information on nutrition, fitness, mind-body connections, as well as adventure-learning activities to enhance group interaction, relationship building, and the overall being-in-nature experience. To date, we’ve conducted courses entitled, “Introduction to Outdoor Education,” “Introduction to Kayaking and Canoeing,” and “Psychological Basis of Outdoor Activity.” We’ll also have workshops on adaptive biking, career opportunities, strength training for personal wellness, and sports nutrition and kinesiology. ASF was one of a few adaptive sports programs nationwide to receive funding from the Wounded Warrior Project to develop and conduct regional health and wellness programs such as our Warriors in Motion. We are excited to be a part of a health and wellness program that provides comprehensive and ongoing support for our wounded troops, and introduces them to the various benefits of a healthy outdoor lifestyle. Click here to visit the ASF Blog and comment on this story.
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By Bob Speck ASF hosted the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) for our fourth Project Odyssey in May. This group included about a dozen male warriors from across the country, Vet Center therapists, and WWP staff. Project Odyssey is a program for warriors recovering from traumatic brain injuries and combat stress. It includes week-long outdoor activity, group interaction and sharing, and the support of various staff and volunteers.
During these Project Odysseys, we are often reminded of our ASF mission to provide life-changing experiences. We often witness real life-changing experiences at these events as these warriors explore new activities, bond with those around them, and form new perspectives that may help them in their civilian lives. The life-changing experiences of Project Odysseys are often also felt by family members after the events as the warriors return to home in a better frame-of-mind. One of the May Project Odyssey participants from Washington recently wrote, “My wife and kids would like to thank you for taking good care of me when I was with you in New York. I did learn a lot from you and it gave me meaning to keep going forward and not give up. I did enjoy and will not forget all the memorable moments and knowing that there are people out there who care about me. I'm struggling but will keep going forward instead of staying in place, because I think my family needs me to be there for them. I can't find better words to explain how to thank you and appreciate what you do for us.Thank you and God bless you all and bless America."
With this group in May, we went biking, fly-fishing, and horseback riding. Thanks to our volunteers and to those organizations providing support: Windham Mountain Outfitters, the Orvis Shop at Hunter and Trout Unlimited, Bailiwick Ranch, Brandywine Restaurant, the Platte Cove Community, Windham Mountain, and Mike Tarbell from the Iroquois Museum in Cobleskill, NY. We are grateful to be a part of WWP’s Project Odyssey program. Our next Project Odyssey event is this August; it is WWP’s first Odyssey for warriors and their caregiving family members. Click here to visit the ASF Blog and comment on this story.
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Join us for ASF Paralympic Sports Club Day
When: Friday, August 5th Registration is free and open all day. Adaptive cycling and kayaking demonstrations will happen throughout the day, and attendees may participate and try out the adaptive equipment. Click here to visit the ASF Blog and comment on this story.
A Big Thank You to United Parcel Service We are pleased to announce that the ASF recently received a $25,000 grant from the United Parcel Service. ASF Operations Director Kim Seevers worked closely with ASF volunteer Ken Liebler (UPS employee) to receive the grant. It was a 10 month process with three complete rewrites of the proposal but the hard work paid off. ASF Executive Director Cherisse Young and Kim Seevers attended Ken's retirement party at UPS in New Jersey this past May, where they were presented with a $25,000 check. Ken is now responsible for generating $50K for the ASF in the past four years. GO BROWN!
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Congratulations to ASF's 2010-2011 Certification Exam Participants Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new. - Og Mandino ASF encourages our staff and volunteers to participate in Professional Instructors of America (PSIA) and American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI) education and certification events. We are proud to announce the 2010-2011 PSIA-AASI exam results for the following ASF staff and volunteers. We acknowledge their hard work and dedication to teaching. Congratulations!
Bob Speck: AASI Level 1 Click here to visit the ASF Blog and comment on this story.
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ASF Race Team member Staci Mannella has dazzling season ASF Race Team member Staci Mannella spent the 2010-2011 season training and competing in local, regional, and national adaptive races. Staci, a 15-year-old skier, was born with a rare eye disease called achromatopsia. She began skiing at the Adaptive Sports Foundation at the age of four and joined the race team when she was 11.
This past winter, Staci and her guide, ASF Operations Director Kim Seevers, competed in the North American Cup Series. At Copper Mountain, CO, she won silver medals in the junior giant slalom and Women's Open Visually Impaired (VI) slalom; and at Park City, UT , Staci won gold in the Women's Open Visually Impaired giant slalom and Women's Open Visually Impaired slalom. In March, Staci and Kim competed in the US Adaptive Alpine National Championships in Alyeska, Alaska where Staci raced in her first speed events. Staci won gold in the Junior Women's Downhill and Junior Women's Slalom and took second place in the Junior Women's giant slalom. Staci, along with ASF racer and paralympian Caitie Sarubbi, was recently named to the US Adaptive Ski Team and is training with the team at tT. Hood this month. Click here to visit the ASF Blog and comment on this story.
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Spotlight on ASF summer intern Rae Kennedy By Rachael Kennedy
A local from the Catskill mountains and raised on most winter and water sports, I felt it was a fitting career to become a Physical Educator. I earned my A.A.S for Massage Therapy, and shortly thereafter, I earned my B.S. in Science of Education for P.E. at SUNY Cortland. I graduated from Slippery Rock University's Masters program in Adapted Physical Activity early this summer. I am part of the third graduating class of this program, and SRU is the only University to offer this major and program. Many people have branched out from our masters' program into politics, financial institutions and fitness programing. The purpose of my internship is to prepare me for a leadership position through gaining higher quality skills in management and administration in my field. The Adaptive Sports Foundation's staff is really quite helpful with the numerous requirements of the internship position, and have been great teachers to help me progress in my leadership abilities. Since I started here, I have been able to help develop program activities for the Wounded Warriors, and coordinate the Paralympic Awareness Day. These have further developed my marketing skills as well as made me more knowledgeable of the various affiliations and groups that have associated with ASF to help improve the lives of people with disabilities.
I am always fascinated to learn the modification tricks that various staff members at ASF have used in different sports that help accommodate any person. I love coming to the ASF everyday: if you love your job you can hardly consider it work! Click here to visit the ASF Blog and comment on this story.
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Newsletter articles are compiled by Jo Kirsch, ASF Special Projects and Event Coordinator, and copyedited by ASF Training Coordinator Bob Speck and ASF Operations Director Kim Seevers. We invite articles by ASF volunteers, participants and staff. Please submit articles to jkirsch@mhcable.com for consideration in future newsletters.
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