In This Issue

  

Thank you Joyce Van Lines for an in-kind donation of $5,000.

Season Kick-Off Newsletter

Dear Ignite Family,

Welcome to our season kick-off

Move-in day at Eldora

newsletter. I know that I'm certainly excited to say that it's all good news. As you may know, we're back at our home at Eldora. We moved in last weekend and volunteers and staff have been busy setting up for the 2014 season. (Check out pics below.)

I'd like to address, briefly, the challenges we've faced over the past few months: Yes, they've been filled with uncertainty, and yes, we've had to examine our mission with respect to securing our future. This is true not only for us, but also for Eldora Mountain Resort. We've all been tested as to what our values are and where we want to end up. Happily, regardless of the bumps along the way, we've all decided that providing 'snowsport opportunities for people with disabilities' is what we all want to do and now we're ready to get back to what we do best.  

On behalf of the Ignite Board of Directors, staff, and me, we'd all like to say to all of you we appreciated the input we received and the great patience you have shown.

Our teaching days are filling up fast. If you're a volunteer and haven't filled out your 2014 days, please do so. If you're a student or caregiver, please put in your schedule. We want to be able to serve everyone who wants to enjoy snowsports this winter.

Let's get out there and enjoy the snow at Eldora!

-Finn

Student Lessons Begin on Friday, January 3

Registration is open and slots are filling up fast!  If you are a returning student, please log in to the website and get your schedule in. 

If you are new to Ignite and would like to learn more about lessons, visit our students page on the website or contact our schedulers at [email protected] or 303-506-6738 or 303-506-0927. 

We're happy to answer any questions you may have!

 On-Snow Clinics Begin December 14

Practicing with outriggers

Thanks to Michelle Willix for providing
our first volunteer training clinic of the season on post traumatic stress disorder on December 2.

If you are a returning volunteer, be sure to log in to the website to sign up for your two required training clinics, which will begin on December 14. We encourage you to cross-train this year, so check out clinics in different disciplines. Fill out your teaching days too while you're there so we can schedule the season!

Volunteer Timothy Jones
 Received PSIA Certification

Last season, Ignite fielded a record-breaking team of instructors who studied, trained for and earned their certifications from the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) and American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI).  
 

Snowshoe Routes Colorado's Front Range
$24.95, By Alan Apt, Second Edition (CMC Press)
Includes 85 trails for snowshoeing or back-country skiing, and beautiful color photos and maps.

Afoot and Afield in Denver, Boulder
and Colorado's Front Range
$19.95, by Alan Apt, (Wilderness Press)
Includes 170 hiking trails, and is a nicely designed book and maps.

To purchase a book, contact Alan Apt at [email protected].  He'll bring a book up to World Headquarters for you to pick up.

Ignite is unique in that, unlike many other adaptive programs, we own all of our own equipment.  By having our equipment in house, we can efficiently fit students and rapidly re-configure the setup throughout the day if adjustments are needed. 

Adaptive equipment provides different levels of assistance to various types of skiers and riders:

Equipment for Standup Students

We have alpine skis (76 pairs), Nordic skis (44), snowboards (30), and snowshoes (15), for use by standup skiers/riders.  These students may be visually impaired (VI), have autism, cancer or other cognitive and developmental impairments, just to name a few. Other adaptive equipment can be used with standup students such as tip clamps (keeps tips of skis together), tethers, VI vests, bamboo poles and hula hoops.

Equipment for 3 Track, 4 Track, Slider & Rider Bar Students

Student skis with alpine slider while tethered to an instructor.

This equipment category assists those with balance and strength issues which may be due to, but not limited to, an amputation, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, or stroke.

Standup outriggers, modified ski poles with short skis on the end, can be used to assist a student with a leg amputation. This is 3 Track skiing as the skier uses one full size ski and two handheld outriggers. Outriggers also assist those with balance/strength concerns for alpine skiing (4 Track) and snowboarding.

The slider, also knows as ski legs, and the rider bar, used in snowboarding, provide maximum support for those students with more extreme needs for balance and strength concerns.

Equipment for Sit-down Skiers

This category includes bi and mono skis which are used for those who are unable to stand to slide on the snow.

The bi ski is a sit down piece of equipment with 2 skis attached to the seat.  We have 3 different bi ski models to accommodate students' needs, with a total of 8 adult and 2 juniors.  The bi skier typically is an individual with a higher level of spinal cord injury, severe lack of core strength, balance issues and could include things such as traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis or muscular dystrophy. Generally the bi ski is tethered to an instructor, but those with hand held outriggers can become independent

The mono ski is a sit down piece of equipment similar to the bi ski but has only one ski attached under the seat.  We have several brands and styles to suit the students' needs with a total of 7 in our fleet.  The mono skier generally has a lower level spinal cord injury, good core strength and balance.  Mono skiers will use hand held outriggers and may be tethered to an instructor before becoming independent.

 

Wide open World Headquarters

Sit ski and equipment racks coming together!

Boots galore in the equipment trailer.

Boots and skis settling back in.

Thanks everyone who came out to help move in! (Not all seen here)

On a Friday morning last January, Dawson, a slender man with a tanned face displaying his love for the outdoors, met with Keith Speckman, to strategize for the day's snowboarding lessons. Speckman, who stepped in as lead snowboard instructor after Martin's accident, expressed concern about getting new instructors up to speed, but Dawson, smile lines radiating from his eyes, gave a thumbs up.  "It's all good," he said in his soft voice.  

Dawson spent the morning mentoring two new instructors as they gave a visually impaired student her first snowboard lesson.  From the start, his style was to quietly observe, occasionally raising his hand to get the instructors' attention when he had a suggestion. When they headed out to the beginner terrain, Dawson wheeled his chair easily over the hard-packed snow.  He popped a wheelie when he hit powder.

Dawson has been popping wheelies to get through tough places since he was a toddler.

When Dawson was 16 months old cancer wrapped itself around his heart.  The doctors cut it out, but couldn't get it all.  Dawson got extensive radiation and a ten percent chance of survival.

Dawson credits that near-death experience for his easy-going personality.  ' "People always say that will change you," he said.  "Mine changed when I was a little guy.  I take what's given to me and I try and do what I think is best with it."

On a November day, in 2011, Dawson was skiing at Arapahoe Basin taking some runs before giving lessons. Looking downhill and seeing nobody, he thought, "Sweet, I can really lay into some turns."  He carved one, got some speed up, made two more. On the last, his body position off just a little, his pole dragged, and his back popped.  Feeling light-headed and nauseous, he went inside to stretch, his back throbbing and toes tingling. 

Dawson took his usual place in the front of the lineup for lesson assignments.  But he slumped over his ski poles and said to his boss, "My back doesn't feel too good.  I don't think I can work today."

He laid down on a bench in the locker room and fell asleep.  When he woke he couldn't move his legs.

 He researched therapies for spinal cord injuries.  He did exercises in his hospital bed and laps around the hospital wing in a wheelchair.

The doctors found an exploded artery in Dawson's spine.  The diagnosis was spinal cord infarction.  According to www.healthline.com, in very rare cases back injury or exercise can put pressure on the spine so that the core of the spinal disc protrudes into a spinal artery, blocking blood flow to the spine.  The resulting injury to spinal cord nerve fibers causes paralysis.  It is not uncommon for that sudden paralysis to lead to depression.

Speckman joined other Ignite friends visiting Martin at St. Anthony's Hospital.  They ate pizza, told stories, and laughed for two hours.

Dawson tried convincing his doctor to let him out so he could start mono-skiing, saying, "Hey, I've got this release form.  If you want to sign it that would be great." 

Ignite's technical director John Humbrecht took Dawson, in his hospital gown and wheelchair, for walks around Denver.  Humbrecht said,   "Martin had the most incredibly positive attitude I've ever met in anyone who was just suddenly disabled."

Dawson spent four weeks at Craig Rehabilitation Hospital where, he said, "they teach you that every challenge is just a problem to be solved."  

Now he's back, teaching clinics and lessons, from his wheelchair or mono-ski.  Speckman said, "We couldn't have handled all the new [snowboard] instructors without Martin."  

When there is a shortage of snowboard instructors, Martin gives a lesson with ski instructor Dylan Monahan assisting.  The student has a visual impairment, but can follow Monahan skiing ahead.  Dawson watches and each time the student stops, he suggests one thing to fix - lean this way, try using your front leg more on your turns.  The student and Dawson connect with the snow and each other.

According to mono-ski instructor Mark Drake, Dawson is an intuitive instructor, bringing empathy for his students to each lesson.

But it is Martin's attitude toward his injury that most inspires, said Drake.  Spitting in the eye of his disability, he hasn't let his injury define him. 

It's all good.