Ignite Adaptive Sports Logo
Ignite Adaptive Sports at Eldora Mountain Resort
Providing safe, fun and affordable snowsports opportunities to people with disabilities since 1975.
In This Issue
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THANK YOU DONORS
Thank you to all who  
have contributed to  
Ignite Adaptive Sports. 

We can not do this 
without you!
In addition to those listed below, we would like to thank Eldora Mountain Resort for their generous support in the form of lift tickets, space for our facilities and numerous other services.

Thank you to the lift operators, ski patrol, ski school and Eldora management for welcoming our students and keeping everyone safe and happy on the moutain.
Below are those who contributed from January 1 - December 31, 2013.  Be sure to notify us of any errors or omissions.
SNOW ANGELS
$4,950 and above

Estate of Jean Albert
Judith Cogen
Eldora Mountain Resort
Virginia Hill Foundation
Joyce Van Lines
Levin Family Foundation
Wolf Family Foundation
DOUBLE BLACK DIAMOND
$2,500 to $4,949

Clif Family Foundation
Micromotion
Finn Murphy
BLACK DIAMOND
$950 to $2,499

Boulder Neurosurgical Associates
Kathy Coyne
David Levin
Susan Levin
Dick & Linda Livingston
Edward Thieme
Alpine Dentistry
BLUE SQUARE
$250 to $949

Alan Apt
Fiona Caruthers
Dr. Michael Feiler
Andrew & Audry Franklin
Paula Galloway
Christy and Geoff Hoyl
Keith Jimmerson
Chuck Breuch and Mary Kaiser
Margarita Lenk
Microsoft
Adam Ross
Rebecca Seuberling
Michael Stein
Caroline Zug
GREEN CIRCLE
Up to $249

Leslie Annand
Camille & Shap Ashley
Peter & Suzanne Birkeland
Hal, Sherry & Annie Bruff
John Caldwell
Joe & Chris Cannon
Donna Chapel
Jonathan & Sandy Citron
Patricia Cohen
Community First Foundation
The Dawson Family
Donald Deane
Gail P. Eddy
Deborah Edgecomb
Bonnie & Bob Edwards
Catherine Garland
Gilad Gordon & Cathy Cohn
John & Linda Hanson
Gail Hart
Art Heimbach
Izze Beverage Company
John Kenny
Lagunitas Brewing Company
Roberta Lane
Gary Lessans
Ernie & Susan MacQuiddy
Lance Masoner
James McCarthy
Eva Morrell
Madeline L. Murphy
Sean Bob Murphy
Julie Naster & Rob Frey
Phil Nugent &
NCG Strategic Marketing
Jason Pavlovic
Susan Perney
Stacie Ranniger
The Richardsons
Susan Rona
Terri Rosenbaum
Philip Sellers
Patty Sharp
William E. & Linda Shotts
Adam Sirkus
Jennifer Ann Shaw Smith
Lawrence Speizman
The Stoutenberg Family
Pamela Surratt
Patricia Million & Edward
Weaver
Amy & David Weiss
Jim Williams
Jean and Paul Wittig
Joanna Wittig
United Way, Mile High
Anonymous (Four donations)
From a Parent
Susan and Nick Roussos smiling before a lesson.
Nick enjoying the snow on a bi-ski .
"With genuinely noble aspirations, the Ignite program is absolutely enhancing the lives of its fortunate participants, making what once may have seemed impossible, possible. Thank you, Ignite. Thank you, Eldora."

-Susan Roussos 
Mother of sit-skier Nick who lives with cerebral palsy
Watch the Paralympic Games March 7-16

NBC, NBC Sports Network and Teamusa.org will be airing an unprecedented 52 hours of the Paralympic Games from Sochi beginning with the opening ceremony on March 7. 

See the full schedule here.  All events will be live streamed through teamusa.org.   Go athletes! Go USA!
Ignite in the News
 
Hitting the Slopes with the Disabled Community
Boulder Lifestyle Magazine, January 2014
Special thanks to Ignite volunteers Dell Bleekman, for writing this article, and Mike Ahlbrand, for taking the pictures!

Ignite Brings Snow Joy to Disabled Community
The Mountain Ear
January 9, 2014
Watch How Ignite Adaptive Sports is Changing Lives
Stay Connected

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Giving Options
to Support Ignite

Did you know?

Matching Gifts are an outstanding way to make your gift to Ignite even more valuable! Many local companies and corporations will match your gift, doubling its value. Check with your HR administrator; you'll need to obtain a form and send it along with your gift. We'll do the rest and send our thanks to you and your company!

In Honor Of (name a person here) is a thoughtful, easy way to send a gift to someone you know who "has everything."  Your tax-deductible gift will be enjoyed by you the sender, your friend of family member whose name the gift is in, and will support Ignite's snowsport lessons. Perfect gift-giving for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and special occasions.
Donate Today 
Donate Now to Ignite through Coloradogives.org

Ignite Leadership
Board of Directors 

President
David Levin

Vice President
Jason Pavlovic

Treasurer
Cole Jacobs

Secretary
Paula Galloway

Kathy Coyne
Art Heimbach
Jason Kawaguchi
Phil Nugent
Michael Travis
Staff

Executive Director
Snowsports Director
John Humbrecht

Veterans Director
David Schadle

Equipment Manager
Stacey Lunn

Lead Administrator
Becci Seuberling

Schedulers
Jacque Carbone
Jennifer Donnelly

Marketing Director
Joanna Wittig
Winter 2014 Newsletter
From the Executive Director 
Excutive Director Finn Murphy teaching a lesson.

Dear Ignite Family,
The season is in full swing folks! I hope you're all having as much fun as I am.

This Thursday February 27th is "Ignite Night" at the California Pizza Kitchen in Boulder. Let's rally as many students, families, and volunteers as we can for this special event where California Pizza Kitchen donates 20% of the day's receipts to Ignite. (Please bring a copy of the flyer in this newsletter when you come.) It will be a great time to have some wonderful food in a less frenetic setting than a morning at World Headquarters. There will be no boots to fit, no last-minute trips to the bathroom, and no equipment to stow away. I love these informal events because nobody recognizes anybody without their ski gear on. It's hilarious to watch someone introduce themselves to someone they've actually done lessons with! A bunch of us are planning to be there around 6pm but come anytime. The benefit goes from 11am to closing.

A big 'Hats Off' is due to our devoted cadre of instructors who are going above and beyond in making themselves available. As you know, we've had to scramble a bit to accommodate this year's demand. You'll be happy to know that our plan for next season is to start early and actively recruit and train new volunteers to take some of the load off so many of you who have increased your involvement.

Your students are very grateful, as are we all.

Finally, a giant thank you to Eldora Mountain Resort for all they do for Ignite. From the lift operators, to ski patrol, to the ski school staff, to the mountain management - they make it all possible. It's wonderful how everyone at Eldora works with our program every day with grace and professionalism under immense pressure. We love you guys.

See you on the hill,
Finn 
Ignite Your Spirit
We're having a blast up at the mountain!
Having fun sliding down the mountain on skis. Volunteers teach a new student to sit ski.
 Catching some powder on a snowboard. Smiles before heading out for a lesson.
Preparing equipment in the morning. Warming up before hitting the Nordic trails. Greeting everyone at the front desk.
Smiles all around on a sit-ski.  Blind skier enjoying the slopes.
Gearing up inside with dad and son.
3-track skiing using outriggers and one ski. Getting ready to ski with the slider.  
Thinking about trying adaptive snowsports? Our teaching days are pretty much full, but we can still squeeze in a few more! Contact our schedulers Jacque or Jennifer to learn more.  Lessons run through March 23, 2014.
See more photos in the image gallery on our website.  Thanks to Mike Ahlbrand and Chuck Haight for taking so many pics!
Teaching Children on the Autism Spectrum Welcome to Two New Groups

We've been really happy to host two new group programs this season that work with individuals on the autism spectrum. First is a parent group of
the Temple Grandin School (TGS) in Boulder which brings up a group of students each week. This has been so successful that many TGS parents have enrolled their children in private lessons in addition to the regular program. Second is the Boulder Joshua School which also brings up students weekly.

The entire Ignite staff has been thrilled and motivated to work with children on the autism spectrum, most of whom are getting their first experience ever on the snow in a wonderful social environment.
Join Us for Pizza, Fun and Fundraising!
Thursday, February 27
California Pizza Kitchen in Boulder 

CPK Flyer to bring to Ignite Event Let's get together for some fun off the mountain and support this program we love! 

Bring this flyer and 20% of your meal purchase will be donated to Ignite.

Offer good from 11am - 9pm, but let's meet after 6pm to enjoy a night out together.  Come by when you can!

You can download the flyer here or from our website or pick one up the next time you come to Ignite. Offer is also good for take-out and catering.  See flyer for exact location and more details.

Share with friends and family too.  Thanks for supporting Ignite!
Dale and Grace Bleekman getting ready for a ski day. Meet a Student
and Volunteer
Father/Daughter Duo

If it's Sunday, expect to find volunteer Dell Bleekman and student Grace Bleekman at World Headquarters.

STUDENT
Grace, 11 years old
Alpine skier for three years

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
To freeze people! I would freeze my little brother.

If you could have any animal or creature as a pet, what would you pick?  
A French Poodle. They're really cute and I've always wanted one. 

What is your favorite summer activity?
Going to the beach with my family or swimming.

Where did you go on your last trip or vacation?
We went to northern California to visit Nana and Papa, who live near Lake Tahoe.

If you came across a jukebox, which song/musician would you play?
The Beatles.

What is something that you always carry with you?
A book.

Would you rather play a game, read a book or watch a movie?
I think play a game, because I love family game night to play board games and do puzzles.

What is your favorite part of the day when you come up to Eldora?
I have lots of favorites! Going up the chairlift, skiing down and having cocoa in the trailer.

VOLUNTEER
Dell, in his 2nd year as an alpine instructor,
earned his PSIA Alpine Level 1 certification last year.

Why do you volunteer?
Grace had such a great year - and Finn was such a great motivator - that I was compelled to join.

If you could be a superhero, who would you be?
My dad is my superhero, and he skied with our two kids two years ago at age 82. He taught me how to ski and climb, and now I'm continuing the circle. That's pretty cool.

In high school you would most likely find me:
On the tennis court, on the slopes of various Tahoe resorts, or climbing in Yosemite. Maybe in English class.

Where is your favorite place to be while at Eldora?
The trailer, naturally. It's just such a friendly place to hang out.

Describe yourself in one word.
Sleep-deprived (that's two words but at least is hyphenated)

If your life story was made into a movie, what would the title be and which actor would play you?
"The Absent-Minded Teacher" Fred MacMurray

How do you spend your weekends during the off-season?
We climb a lot, hike the Flatirons. The kids love to bike so that's always fun.

Describe your favorite moment or experience while
volunteering with Ignite.
I enjoy meeting new students for the first time, discovering if what I've created in my mind after reading their background file remotely fits the human in front of me. It's a good reality check to keep preconceptions to a minimum.
150 Athletes Compete in Special Olympics at Eldora Mountain Resort A great day at the Special Olympics.

Ready to race! Congratulations to all the athletes who competed at the Special Olympics at Eldora Mountain Resort on Monday, February 10.   Several athletes from Ignite Adaptive Sports raced alongside local competitors in alpine, cross-country and snowshoeing events to qualify for the state finals at Copper Mountain on March 2.

Thank you to Eldora Mountain Resort for hosting this event and supporting the athletes along with:
  • Special Olympics staff  
  • Ignite Adaptive Sports volunteers 
  • Matt Tomasko & members of the Lake Eldora Race Team   
  • Steve Williams and his staff for race timing 
  • Kaiser Permanente volunteers 
  • Individual volunteers
From the Board of Directors
By Paula Galloway, Secretary

Outgoing Board Members 
Thank you to both Sue and Jenna for all of their work.

Sue Perney made the difficult decision to leave the board in December due to the serious illness of her husband, Pierre, who eventually succumbed to his illness.  A celebration of his life showed how greatly he was valued and how deeply he will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sue and her family.  Sue began volunteering with Ignite in 1991.  She served on the board for more than a decade and also guided daily operations as the Program Director for a portion of that time.

Jenna (Shaw) Smith left the board, and Colorado, in January to move back to her roots in Michigan.  Jenna first learned about Ignite at the screening of the Warren Miller movie in Boulder in 2009. After a season of volunteering, she joined the board in the fall of 2010. We wish her all the best on her adventures in Michigan. 

Welcome to our Newest Board Member
Jason Kawaguchi has a passion for teaching disabled students.  He is a long-time Ignite instructor with multiple Professional Ski Instructors of America certifications. Jason brings this level of commitment to the board and a dedication towards building Ignite's future.

Mission:
To provide integrated recreational opportunities for people with disabilities that will foster independence through the acquisition of lifetime skills.

Ignite Adaptive Sports | 303-258-1166 | info@igniteadaptivesports.org | http://www.igniteadaptivesports.org
PO Box 19016
Boulder, CO 80308

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