Program that helps people with disabilities enjoy winter sports needs more volunteers

MENDON, Vt. (WCAX) – Starting out on the slopes on skis or a snowboard can be a challenge but a program through Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports helps those with disabilities enjoy the winter snow. And as the program expands, so, too, does their need for volunteers.

Across the slopes of the Green Mountain State, you’ll see various volunteers in their signature green jackets helping those with disabilities enjoy winter sports.

“It is a way that we can give back the love of sledding on snow, being outside having fun and making sure that everyone can have that same opportunity no matter how varied it might look,” said Katie Ahern, an Upper Valley resident who volunteers with Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports.

Ahern is one of hundreds of active volunteers with Vermont Adaptive. For her and veteran volunteers like Tom Halcorn, it’s back to the bunny hill to relearn the basics.

“A lot of what it is that we learn to teach people we’ve already learned as far as skiers, snowboarders whatever that may be, but by retraining people and having them come and come together we can exchange ideas we can go over things in particular that are important to that individual ability,” said Halcorn, a senior program coordinator at Vermont Adaptive.

An adaptive skier herself, Ahern says it helps to create a comfortable environment for participants.

“I think there’s a level of camaraderie and understanding, sometimes there’s a little level of nervousness because can you, can you do this? And that’s part of that level of all of us feeling comfortable with what we’re doing, too, so it’s making a good match,” she said.

The organization hosts more than 5,000 outings every year, breaking records in 2023 with 5,300 total activities.

In the shadow of that historic year, officials say their need for volunteers is ever-growing.

“Every time we have another family join us, we have another community member and that means we need two or three more people to work with that community member, and it doesn’t matter what your background is or how much time you have,” Halcorn said.

They hope with more hands on the slopes this winter, their horizons can expand, inspiring people with disabilities to give winter sports a try.

“It’s really understanding and spreading the word that anybody can do this and you should do it because this is what you do with family and friends all the time, especially in the winter,” said Kim Jackson, the director of communications at Vermont Adaptive.

Vermont Adaptive says they’re always looking for more volunteers. The first step is to start the process online, and then move out to the slopes.

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