What an amazing weekend we just had! The resort's massive snowmaking plus some fresh flakes falling from the sky put the entire mountain back under a blanket of white. And in addition to our regular lessons, we also hosted the 5th Annual Adventure Amputee Camp!
The camp, according to the group's mission, serves to "encourage children with amputations or limb differences to stretch their potential and imagination, and explore all that is possible."
That, of course, is right up our alley. Our motto is, "All we see is possibility." And someone who fully embraces that WAS mission is instructor Kelly Roseberry. Not only was she in charge of the camp, she has also helped dozens of Wounded Warriors get back their lives after battlefield amputations. And she even made the news! So glam ...
She says what is true for Wounded Warriors is also true for teenagers. They just want to belong, be with folks who understand, and of course participate as fully as possible in adventures.
Unfortunately for us, a lucky guy convinced Kelly to get hitched, and then -- to our dismay -- they moved to Maine. But she made the looooong trip down for the camp, and she promises to return to Wintergreen as often as she can. And, by the way, thanks to Charlottesville's NBC29 for spending time with us!
One of the million things I love about WAS is that, when we have young skiers or snowboarders come to learn from us, we can almost always include someone close to their own age on the lesson. We have the most amazing and dedicated corps of teenage junior instructors anywhere on the East Coast, maybe in the whole country. I know it sounds like bragging, but it's not bragging if it's true!
Not only did our amazing battalion of teens help with lessons, haul rental equipment, clear snow from our steps and ramp, some of them split off to learn for themselves how to ski with outriggers, balancing on just one leg.
I know it sounds like the Winter Adventure Amputee Camp would be enough to keep us busy -- and it sure was -- but we also squeezed in some of our regularly scheduled lessons on that amazing fresh dose of powder.
That's Janie above in the supersonic bi-ski ripping up the sweet layer of fresh snow. She's a frequent student, and we're always so excited to get her back! And speaking of frequent students, it's time for the ...
was student spotlight!
That's Noah on the left, surrounded by his instructors. And believe it or not, that's also Noah on the right, with WAS founder Michael Zuckerman! Noah started with us at 7 years old, and he's been a regular WAS student for 14 years! Michael has retired, but Noah is still with us!
He came to WAS with challenges affecting his hearing and balance. Doctors told Noah's family he'd never walk. But we turned him into a skier! According to his dad, "This allows us to all be together as a family. Our goal is for him to be making his own choices, and turning where he wants to turn. Independence has been our goal and this program helps us get there."
And maybe a little too well, reports instructor Haley Bates. She tells the Totally Awesome Newsletter that when she tried to convince Noah it was time to pack it in, he just kept skiing. We love all our students, but that kind of attitude makes all we do super gratifying.
Of course, handling both the Winter Adventure Amputee Camp and regular lessons required a lot of ... wait for it ... flexibility. And that's where our amazing "WAS Scheduling Fairy" comes in.
When you call "The Hut" for a lesson, or when you fill out an online form, you're crossing paths with Caroline. Here's her column for the week:
Caroline's Corner
"Running at Full Steam!
Our first January weekend was a busy one with volunteers rolling in for their last chance to train and 20 lessons going out. All this, despite the slopes being in a pitiful patchy condition.
The resort’s powerful snowmaking needed only a few days of cold temperatures the following week to get the slopes back to beautiful broad boulevards of snow covered terrain. Just in time as we had a full house with the Winter Adventure Camp for children with amputations.
We hosted 6 campers for 4 days of relentless fun: daily skiing, tubing, swimming and whatever other activities their counselors dreamed up. Kelly Roseberry and Krista Eskay, both former WAS instructors, managed to put it all together from afar: Kelly from her home in Maine with Krista collaborating from her home base in Pennsylvania. The campers came from all different locations as well. Despite a weekend snowstorm, the instructors, counselors and students all converged at the WAS hut in joyous chaos. But order emerged and we had 25 lessons go out over the course of the weekend.
Next up: Martin Luther King weekend and 27 lessons on the books for Saturday and Sunday!"
Final thoughts
Before I sign off for this edition, I wanted to share something we at WAS call a "heartfelt moment." It came from Facebook, where a mom wrote about seeing our instructors on the slopes, and what it means when you spot folks decked out in purple jackets, like the one on the left:
Yesterday I took my son to a snowboarding lesson at Wintergreen. Our elementary school negotiated a fantastic deal as part of a club which finally made this an affordable endeavor. As I stood straining to see my son in the white of the day, a mother next to me was doing the same. One of her kids was in the same club as my son while the other was in an adaptive ski class (both conveniently happening at the same time). Her son, who has autism, had 3 adults in purple jackets helping him (she said, "you know it's adaptive instructors if they are wearing purple jackets").
I stood there watching in amazement feeling REALLY guilty since my 8 year old daughter who has Down syndrome was waiting in the lodge. Her son, also 8, had one adult in front of him and one behind him with a contraption that controlled his speed. I said, "I'M SOLD"!!! My daughter would LOVE to learn to ski, but I couldn't visualize how they would do it until I was literally watching them do it. I'm thrilled to announce she is now signed up for the next 3 club days and she's thrilled.
I also want to add that it's not as expensive as I thought it would be. It costs $60 for a 2.5 hour class/equipment and lift pass. The mom also told me that when her son arrived they had all of his equipment ready for him (no standing in long lines). He went to a nice little hut that's quiet and non-hectic. They sat him down in a chair and began helping him put his boots on. She was very impressed with the entire process and was smiling from ear to ear as she filmed her son learning how to ski for the first time saying "I'm so proud of him."
Well, speaking for WAS, we so much appreciate these kind words. We're volunteers and don't get paid, but happy kids and big smiles are the currency that's most valuable to us. Can't wait to work with your daughter!