IN THIS EDITION:

Still time to
'chip in' and support disabled sports at the 5th annual adaptive sports foundation's golf tournament

Bobby McMullen, avid mountain bike rider and winter Paralympian, promotes adaptive sports at the World Cup mountain bike finals at Windham Mountain

ASF's Caitie Sarubbi celebrates the 20th anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disability Act at the White House

25 veterans with disabilities and their families enjoy watersports at Burden Lake in July

ASF welcomes new Board Members Charles McGuffog and Vince Passione

Volunteer gains first hand insight as role changes from instructor topParticipant

Thinking about skiing or snowboarding yet?

Setting fittness training goals for winter

ASF Wish List

ASF's Caitie Sarubbi celebrates the 20th anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disability Act at the White House

By Caitie Sarubbi

Paralympic athletes Bonnie St. John and Caitie Sarubbi at the White House.

July 26, 2010 celebrated a great day in American history. It was the 20th anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disability Act. This act was a great step forward for the American disabled community. The ADA encompasses many topics including regulations that buildings have to follow to be accessible, and outlaws discrimination against persons with disabilities. I was fortunate enough to be invited down to the White House for this momentous occasion.

It was a sunny, hot day in Washington D.C. when some of the most influential people in the disabled community entered the White House gates on 15th and Hamilton. After meeting some great people, and reconnecting with people I already knew, it was time to take our seats. The celebration was a fast moving 60 minutes, full of great speakers and entertainers. Legendary singer Patti LaBelle graced the crowd with her amazing voice. Finally, President Obama took the stage to address this important event. He spoke of his father-in-law who suffered from Multiple Sclerosis, and he even threw in a “yes we can". But most importantly, he talked about what he and his administration are committed to doing for the disabled community to further their rights and aid them in living the American Dream. The President even signed a bill stating that the federal government and the White House would be a model employer of people with disabilities right on that very stage.

It was such an honor for me to attend this extraordinary event and I am so grateful for the opportunity.

25 veterans with disabilities and their families enjoy watersports at Burden Lake in July

Who is having more fun, father or daughter?

Beautiful summer weather made for an amazing weekend of waterksiing, wakeboarding, tubing, kayaking and canoeing at the Adaptive Sports Foundation's Burden Lake Water Sports Festival.

ASF teamed up with the Wounded Warrior Project and DSUSA to host this annual event. 70 volunteers and the Burden Lake community worked together with ASF staff members to provide recreation for veterans with disabilites and their familes. All volunteers attended a day of training prior to the event to familiarize themselves with the adaptive equipment used to help injured troops learn to ski.

Feeling safe allows this veteran to try something new.

This year we also had a climbing wall, courtesy of the U.S. Army, yoga, and Q.T.Pie - the clown to entertain the children. This weekend provides an opportunity for families to relax and participate in sports on a beautiful lake in upstate New York.

ASF welcomes new board members Charlie McGuffog and Vince Passione

Charlie McGuffog

In July we added two new members to the ASF Board of Trustees. Charlie McGuffog was a successful trader on the floor of the New York Mercantile Exchange for over twenty years. He traded futures contracts for crude oil, heating oil, unleaded gas and natural gas. During his time on the trading floor, he served as a market maker, providing liquidity to the market. Additionally, he managed and traded his own position, establishing himself as a prominent floor trader.

Moving off the floor, Charlie, along with partner Michael Brown, formed Merc Partners, a successful proprietary trading company. Charlie is also a partner in the Windham Mountain Partners Group. Charlie's two children, Jake and Kelly, have been volunteers with ASF for the past two years.

Vince Passione

Vince Passione is currently the Chief Executive Officer & Founder of Fynanz Inc., a technology firm that provides credit unions and banks with a turnkey technology platform that enables them to quickly enter the private student lending business. Vince was the former COO of DealerTrack, where he focused on the company’s main product: a credit portal that connects car dealers to financing sources. DealerTrack had a successful public offering in 2005 and today processes over 35% of all auto finance loan applications in the U.S. Previously, Vince was president of Ameritrade’s Institutional Client Division. He is the former CEO of OnMoney.com, an online personal financial management website. Vince also held senior level positions at Citigroup that included CTO of the U.S.Consumer Bank and COO of Citi Financial Interactive. He began his career at IBM and has a BS in Computer Science from Polytechnic University.

Vince has been volunteering for the ASF as a snowboard instructor since 2003. He was instrumental in developing the ASF's Ride 2 Live Project which teaches snowboarding to children with autism. His daughter Maura became a volunteer snowboard instructor last year.

Volunteer gains first hand insight as role changes from instructor to participant
By Todd Sahner

For many years, I taught skiing and snowboarding at the Adaptive Sports Foundation as a volunteer instructor. I skied or snowboarded everywhere on Windham Mountain with ease. I gave the first snowboard lesson to many of our students on the racing team.

Life changed for me a few years ago when I developed a neurological condition that cost me the use of my legs. In 2008, I could no longer snowboard or ski. In fact, I could barely walk.

Todd Sahner heading out on his mono-ski.

So, I became an indoor volunteer, doing what I could to remain active in the program and stay in contact with friends, fellow volunteers, and students. My fellow instructors and students, especially Michael Mistretta, Kevin Cohane, John Swartwood and Mary Bozzone, gave me wonderful advice on how to cope with my new disability, which made life a lot easier. I learned how to use crutches and a wheelchair, which was something I never thought I would have to deal with on a personal level.

Last winter, I took the plunge and tried mono-skiing. With assistance and encouragement from Adam DeMuth, my daughter Dani, and many other instructors, I was finally able to get back on the snow. The experience was exciting and enlightening! Being on the other side, a student and not instructor, brought home two things I never understood before: first, how hard it is for our students to do what we ask them to do; and second, how dedicated and competent our instructors are.

Adam coaching Todd on balancing the mono-ski.

I wish I could say I was an instant superstar, but the fact is, I did a lot of falling, and Adam and Dani did a lot of picking up. I knew what I was supposed to do, but I wasn't always able to do it. And, it is amazing how steep White Way, a Windham Mountain beginner trail, looks when you are going down in a mono-ski and not upright on a snowboard. After a few days and many runs, I was able to master Willpower, another Windham Mountain beginner trail, and get up and down White Way with ease.

My instructors displayed infinite patience, not only teaching me how to ski, but encouraging me after each frustrating fall. This year my goal is to improve enough so that I can return to teaching. If I can accomplish that, I know I will be better than I ever was before, because now I have seen life from the other side.

Thinking about skiing or snowboarding yet?

Learning to ride on a sunny winter day!

Perhaps you are still playing golf, riding your bike or enjoying your garden. Yet, if you are like us, cooler nights and leaves changing to autumn hues of red and gold trigger pleasant thoughts of skiing or snowboarding. "Hmmmm….how long will it be until the mountain opens? What do I have to do to get ready?"

Have you considered becoming a volunteer instructor at the Adaptive Sports Foundation? There are many students with disabilities who would love to share your passion for snowsports with you!

At the Adaptive Sports Foundation we rely on hundreds of volunteers to teach our students with disabilities. Every day of our winter operation, we have a waiting list of students that want to go skiing or riding and we cannot accommodate them because we don't have enough instructors available.

If you, or someone you know, would like to have some amazingly rewarding experiences while sharing something you love with others, then come to one of our hiring clinics this fall to find out if this is something you want to do. You need to be a solid intermediate skier/rider and be good at working with people. We will teach you the rest. If you would prefer to volunteer in other capacities, we have indoor opportunities as well. To learn more about what it takes to be a volunteer with the Adaptive Sports Foundation, click here or call us at 518-734-5070 if you have questions.

Setting fittness training goals for winter
By Bob Speck, ASF Training Coordinator

Last month, I asked the question, "Are You Getting Enough Exercise?" For me, the end of summer represents a change in my exercise goals. Since my role here at ASF is to help our volunteers be better prepared for the winter season, I thought I'd share one more pre-season fitness article.

Ski season is on its way. Summer is more about biking, kayaking, running,
and Frisbee on the beach. Skiing involves being powerful, explosive, and
having the stamina to ski long bump runs. Summer is about being cool
(temperature-wise!). Winter is about being warm. Summer sports and winter
sports all involve agility, balance, flexibility and cardiovascular health,
but on September 1, my focus changes. I set new goals. I look forward to the
change of exercise goals that comes with the change of seasons; it keeps
things interesting and fun!

What are your fitness training goals? Last month, I listed three components of good overall health: cardiovascular, muscular strength and flexibility.
Within each component, I listed standards of exercise using the FITT
framework (Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type). Just like a ski or
snowboard turn, if I want to change my goals and results, I change the
frequency, intensity and timing of what I do. For me, with ski season
approaching, I want to increase power and strength (while maintaining
cardiovascular health and flexibility) so that I am in peak ski season
condition when ski season arrives. I also increase exercises that are
functional in nature for movements associated with skiing and snowboarding.
And, I do more balance and flexibility work as I get older; I want to avoid
injury. Because my goals for the summer were more about body composition
(being lean and light) and being agile, my goals now are about building
strength and gaining some weight back.

But my goals might not be your goals. Your priority might be losing weight
or improving body composition. Your priority might be improving
cardiovascular health. Your goals may be related to an injury or a specific
weakness. Choose your own goals and make a plan. Do what works for you.
Listen to your body. Talk to your doc or trainer. Make your goals SMART:
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound! (Yeah, another
acronym for you!). Break your training plan down into cycles. The big cycle
is getting ready for winter each year. Smaller cycles, like each month or
weekly variations, keep it interesting, focused and fun. Change is good.
Functional change to help you improve your skiing or snowboarding is better!
Be healthy. Be ready for winter.

Still time to 'Chip in' and support disabled sports at the 5th Annual Adaptive Sports Foundation's Golf Tournament

Pelham Country Club's Devereux Emmet designed course.

We invite you to join us at the ASF Golf Tournament on September 20, 2010 at the Pelham Country Club. Join us for lunch, 18 challenging holes on Pelham Country Club's Devereux Emmet designed course, and an evening with fine food and cocktails and the chance to win fabulous prizes in a silent auction and raffles. For more information and registration information, click here.

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

15 passenger van, enclosed trailer, new laptop computer; computer speakers, copy paper; new high volume fax machine, file folders, pens, flip video camera, 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 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.