IN THIS EDITION:

Are you good with small children? Consider volunteering in the ASF playroom

"He can't. He shouldn't. He won't be able to ski." But he does.

ASF staff and volunteer training - it happens at all levels

New to skiing or snowboarding? Check out our Getting Ready books

Get out of the office and onto the slopes. Ski or ride in the Paul R. Carey Ski-A-Thon and raise money for ASF

SAVE THE DATE
The Windham Fine Arts Gallery presents an evening of fine wine, cuisine and art December 29, 2010

Save February 5, 2011 for ASF's Annual Gala and Auction

"He can't. He shouldn't. He won't be able to ski." But he does.

My name is Penny Besso and my son's name is Scotty. He is 30 years old and severely mentally challenged. He is also a skier thanks to the adaptive ski program offered by the Adaptive Sports Foundation.

Not being a skier myself, when Scotty is out skiing I wait for him in the magnificent Adaptive Sports Center. It provides a warm cozy environment, although not as warm as the feeling I get when I see Scotty skiing towards the lift with a big smile on his face. Here I can share my son's experience with other parents that have their own children in the program. What a joy it is for us to see our children gain self esteem and enjoy a sport that family members can do together. The fact that family members can share this experience is in, and of itself, miraculous. Seeing Scotty ski is a high point of my husband Vic's ski season. I can assure you that the Adaptive Sports Center is filled with a lot of smiling faces from family and friends.

When you are the parent of a special child you hear a lot of "He can't. He shouldn't. He won't." The ASF ski program at Windham has none of that language in its vocabulary and this proactive philosophy has made dreams come true for Vic and me.

It takes really special people to donate their time to help individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities. This is how I characterize ASF volunteers: infinitely patient, optimistic, upbeat and engaging. ASF volunteers treat pupils with respect and applaud them for accompishments that others might not see. ASF volunteers take precious time away from their own families to enrich their lives with an extended family. And on top of all that, volunteers have to be athletic. Its almost seems to much too ask. Yet, year after year, ASF volunteers return to teach a population that would have been destined to be the audience.

Scotty is our only child. We used to feel cheated, believing that Scotty would not be able to participate in the fun things that normal people do. The ASF program has given Vic and Scotty father/son moments that most people take for granted. My husband still gets choked up when he's skiing down the mountain with his son: Scotty in his sit-ski and Vic by his side. It doesn't get any better than that. Because of ASF, Scotty is no longer standing on the sidelines. He is the skier and we are the spectators. The feeling you get when you watch your son, who everyone said would never ski, ski down a mountain to cheering crowds is indescribable.

"Our son Scotty starts shaking and laughing as soon as we mention the word skiing," said Vic. "Imagine the joy he feels when he gets into the sit-ski, gets on the lift with the music blasting, and hears his father shouting words of encouragement besides him. Most importantly he has the support, guidance and encouragement of ASF volunteers. Thank you all so very much, from the bottom of my heart, for making this such a beautiful life experience fo our son."

ASF staff and volunteer training
- It happens at all levels
By Bob Speck, ASF Training Coordinator

Each season we begin the process of welcoming back our experienced volunteer instructors, recruiting and training new volunteers, and presenting educational programs for our staff that help keep us on the forefront of adaptive sports teaching techniques. As discussed in the previous newsletter, we have spent some time this year celebrating the many individual talents of our staff of volunteers and the valued culture that this collective set of STRENGTHs create here at ASF. Our mission and our STRENGTH values guide us in the training programs that we participate in and present to our volunteers.

Over 150 volunteers gathered on November 6th for fall training.

Training of our staff is on-going all year long. The staff at ASF has attended specialty conferences and workshops on autism, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, ski area management, social media, business planning and marketing, adaptive and trauma-sensitive yoga, nutrition and personal training, adventure-based counseling, leadership in disabled sports, and snowsports education. We have been busy applying what we've learned on a variety of fronts and at a variety of levels:

· We presented half-day programs on November 6 and 13 to all of our returning staff on autism and understanding students on the autism spectrum better. The program featured a panel discussion on autism. The panel consisted of experts in autism education, health and fitness, as well as parents of children with autism spectrum disorders who have been students at ASF. Thanks to the ASF parents and volunteers who made this presentation possible. Our success with teaching students with autism has led to an increasing population of students in our programs.
· We've produced informational booklets for the benefit of students with autism for their families and other interested ski school programs. We've used these booklets and associated presentations in the training of our volunteers this season, and have made some of these resources available online.
· We've begun a social media campaign to expand our supporter base and the exposure of the work we do here at ASF. We've included our staff, our volunteers, our board and our family of ASF supporters in the development of this campaign.

Simulating snowboarding sensations on a dolly.

· We started in September recruiting volunteers at local colleges and began our multi-day hiring clinics in mid-October. In addition to basic program overview information and training on various disabilities and adaptive equipment, we conducted numerous experiential learning exercises to begin the training process of learning how to teach and communicate. The last two days of the hiring clinic will take place on snow, hopefully, so that our new staff of 50+ volunteers is ready to assist our more experienced instructors before we open 7-days-per-week at the Christmas holiday. Hopefully, our hiring and training programs inspire continued learning and value to each participant. We are certainly proud of all of our young instructors and their enthusiasm, their desire to teach, and their valuable service to our students.
· The ASF instructor training program continues throughout the season for new staff and experienced staff alike. We provide hands-on training for all types of adaptive skiing and snowboarding equipment. We provide training for instructors taking leadership and training roles, as well as training for inexperienced instructors. We provide training for instructors seeking certification in ski, snowboard and adaptive instruction. The more trained volunteers we have, the more students we can accept into our programs. Because we have students with many disabilities and at many skill levels, including competitive athletes, training is a vital part of our successful adaptive program.

Of course, ASF is a year-round operation serving the needs of our disabled students during the winter, summer and fall. As we've expanded our talents in the areas of kayaking and canoeing, trauma-sensitive yoga, and strength-based adventure programs, we've been able to enhance our summer programs and the services we can provide to our Warriors in Motion and Wounded Warrior Project programs. We are happy to welcome more Support Our Troop events in 2011.

We are very thankful to our many winter volunteers who choose to share their expertise with other instructors through winter snowsports training and teamwork, as well as those who also choose to help us expand our special warrior events and summer programs. We believe that our STRENGTH-based value system that inspires the cooperative spirit of helping one another out amongst our staff and family of volunteers is both an important part of our vision here at ASF, as well as the foundation of our training program. Training happens at all levels.

New to skiing or snowboarding?
Check out our Getting Ready Books

The Adaptive Sports Foundation recently published four easy to read, fun books that introduce skiing and snowboarding to new skiers and riders.

What to Wear When You SKI at Windham Mountain introduces the new skier to ski appropriate clothing. Getting Ready to SKI at Windham Mountain provides information on what to expect when you arrive at the Adaptive Sports Center as well as exercises to practice before a skier's first day on the slopes.

What to Wear When You SNOWBOARD at Windham Mountain covers how to dress properly for snowboarding. Getting Ready to SNOWBOARD at Windham Mountain previews a snowboarders arrival to the ASF and shows exercises that the snowboarder can practice before their first day in Windham.

These books are filled with information helpful to any and all new skiers and snowboarders. You can read them interactively on our website. In addition, you may request hard copies of the books by email or phone: 518.734.5070.

Get out of the office and onto the slopes.
Ski or ride in the Paul R. Carey Ski-A-Thon
and raise money for ASF

ASF Board member and Ski A Thon Chr, Kevin O'Connor makes the Ski-A-Thon a family affair. Joined by his daughter Caitlin and son Matthew, Kevin receives a Paul R. Carey Ski A Thon award.

Join us at Windham Mountain on Friday January 7, 2011. The Paul R. Carey Ski-A-Thon is a fun way to support the Adaptive Sports Foundation. It is a fabulous family event and can fulfill community service hours. Participants ski and ride for free.

Paul R. Carey was a volunteer instructor at the Adaptive Sports Foundation in the early 90s. He was the son of former Governor Hugh Carey of New York and lost his battle to cancer in 2001.

Join us on Janary 7th and feel the burn, as you earn those turns. Skiers and snowboarders solicit a dollar amount per run and then have fun skiing and riding all over Windham Mountain, making as many runs as possible.

For more information and to register for the Paul R. Carey Ski-A-Thon
click here.

SAVE THE DATE - The Windham Fine Arts Gallery presents an evening of fine wine, cuisine and art December 29, 2010

Yellow Farmhouse, is an oil on canvas painting by James Coe. James will have a solo show up at Windham Fine Arts Gallery during the auction.

The evening includes a wine tasting conducted by representatives from Hudson Wine Merchants, who specialize in hand-selected wines from many regions around the world, concentrating on the best boutique wines. Their in house cellar features wines from France and America, from the 1960s to the present. In light of last year's positive response, there will also be a port tasting and artisinal cheese selection.

Along with the wine tasting, Claudia and Stephane Desgaches from one of Windham's finest restaurants, Bistro Brie and Bordeaux, will serve a sampling of heavy h'ors d'ouerves.

A live auction will feature bottles of fine wine and artworks by WFA artists.

The evening runs from 6:00 - 8:00 pm at
The Windham Fine Arts Gallery, 5380 Main Street, Windham

To purchase your tickets in advance click here.

Please RSVP by December 15, 2010

All proceeds will benefit the Adaptive Sports Foundation
at Windham Mountain.

Save February 5, 2011 for ASF's Annual Gala and Auction

The Club at Windham Mountain provides a warm, elegant setting for ASF's Annual Gala and Auction.

We are looking for items for our Silent Auction 2011. We take items large or small, conservative or outrageous, lavish or affordable. In the past, we have auctioned opportunities such as introducing a celebrity at a live concert in NY, seats to Broadway shows, golf at beautiful country clubs, and many more. If you have access to an item, tickets to an event or anything else that people might be interested in bidding on, we'd love to hear from you! For more information on how to donate click here.