ASF and Windham Update - after Hurricane Irene

The Adaptive Sports Center came through Hurricane Irene and the floods that followed relatively unscathed. All of the ASF employees and their homes are safe.

Below are updates from Windham Mountain:

- Windham Mountain suffered significant flooding to the base lodge including the 3500 club, ski shop, rental shop, ski patrol, pro room and administration offices and Children's Learning Center. In addition, A lift, the pump house and parking lots suffered damage.

-However, thanks to the efforts of their mountain operations crew over the holiday weekend, Windham Mountain has emerged able to successfully overcome the rain events forecasted for the coming week. While clean up and repairs are ongoing, many of the areas damaged by the floodwaters are beginning to resemble what they looked like before the storm. Culverts and stream beds have been cleaned, and measures have been taken to divert any new water around the base lodge. Going forward our focus will be to repair any erosion damage sustained on the mountain and to look forward to the coming 2011-2012 season, which will begin on Thanksgiving Day, weather permitting.

- In adddition it is Windham Mountain's goal to have the main areas of the resort restored in time for their Homecoming celebration on Columbus Day weekend.

- Town of Windham suffered significant damage and many of the businesses were under water.  Clean up is underway.  However, National Guard are still in town and they are requesting that only full-time residents enter town. 

- You can log onto WRIP 97.9 for local up-to-date information. Stay tuned to the ASF Facebook page and Windham Mountain’s Facebook page for updates.

Update: Warriors in Motion

By Bob Speck
Managing Director - Programs and Staff Development

In the midst of the devastation of Hurricane Irene here in the Northeast and the resulting day-to-day struggles many of our friends and loved ones face as a result of the storm, it is comforting to know that we are associated with an organization that has a mission to help people heal and change their lives as they deal with their day-to-day challenges of life with disabilities and chronic illnesses.

When everything around us gets uprooted, when our environment unleashes its fury and disrupts the safety of our homes, when one event changes our total perspective and priorities in life - we get a small glimpse into the eyes of those who suffer from the traumas of life, of war, and of catastrophic events.

It is with this perspective in mind that I write this article about our Warriors in Motion program, an ASF program supported by the Wounded Warrior Project. We are so proud to have created a series of workshops and events that continues to help warriors heal as they participate in fun, healthy, and educational outdoor activities in the supportive culture of ASF.

It is so gratifying to see our ASF community grow as new program participants, the warriors themselves, become instrumental parts of new events and workshops, becoming mentors and ASF volunteers themselves.

For me, this program highlights the essence of what we do at ASF- when life feels like a storm has swept you away, you can take comfort knowing that in the understanding and supportive environment of the ASF family, along with healthy outdoor group activity, you can heal, you can adapt, you can go on, you can share, you can smile again… and you can help others.

We gave the kayaks a team building exercise at the Burden Lake Extravaganza - getting from one side of the lake to the other

Applied Coaching and Teaching (ACT) and Sports, Outdoor Activity and Recreation (SOAR) Workshops -
During the summer, we conducted a series of ACT programs on learning how to become an outdoor educator. Using adventure-based counseling and experiential learning formats, we learned about coaching outdoor sports, the psychological benefits of outdoor education, and opportunities for outdoor educators. We concluded the summer ACT series with an instructor training course, focusing on what it takes to become an ASF summer volunteer.

The SOAR workshops take place in September. We have courses planned in Kinesiology and Sports Nutrition; Introduction to Cycling; and Strength Training for Personal Wellness. The first two workshops are being planned during the same week, thus becoming like one big ASF event, and concludes with a 15-mile group road ride. Because of Hurricane Irene, this week-long SOAR event will take place in Vermont.

For each workshop, we blend outdoor experiences, reflective learning, yoga and meditation, and group team-building activities.

Summer Burden Lake Extravaganza -
ASF welcomed wounded warrior families and individuals to its annual Burden Lake Extravaganza. We had beautiful weather and a weekend full of water sports, land games, camaderie and yoga. Thanks to all of our volunteers and participants for making it such an enjoyable time for all. Thanks to our ACT participants who worked both behind-the-scenes and in front-line jobs to make the event run smoothly and heart-felt.

Paralympic Sports Club Windham hosts Paralympic Experience Day

On Friday, August 5th, the Adaptive Sports Foundation in partnership with the US Paralympics hosted a Paralympic Experience Day at Sunny Hill Resort in Greenville, NY. U.S. Paralympic cycling team member Sam Kavanagh was on hand to share his success story and offer his expertise on adaptive cycling.

Paralympic cycling team member Sam Kavanagh inspires participants at Paralympic Experience Day

he event was free and open to the public. ASF volunteers and staff demonstrated use of adaptive bicycles and how to adapt kayaks and canoes to accommodate individuals with special needs. Attendees tried out the equipment and discussed adaptive sport opportunities in the area.

Guests of Sunny Hill resort and nearby towns attended the Paralympic Day. Plans to make next year's event more comprehensive with expanded outreach are underway.

ASF Wish List

Anyone interested in donating any of the items below, please contact us at asfwindham@mhcable.com.

New Macbook Pro, new ibook, adaptive bikes, Staples gift cards, 15 passenger van, copy paper, file folders, pens, a multi disk cd burner - able to burn multiple cds at a time, toilet paper, bottled water, paper towels.

Newsletter articles are compiled by Jo Kirsch, ASF Marketing and Development Director, and copyedited by Bob Speck, ASF Managing Director - Programs and Staff Development, and Kim Seevers, ASF Operations Director. We invite articles by ASF volunteers, participants and staff. Please submit articles to jkirsch@mhcable.com for consideration in future newsletters.