Assistive Technology Helps Make Winter Recreation Available to All 

Michigan winters offer a wide variety of recreational opportunities. Due to assitive technology, ingenuity, and, in many cases, the tireless work of volunteers, these opportunities can be experienced by everyone, regardless of ability.

Downhill skiing, snowboarding, snow shoeing, sledding, and ice hockey are just some of the activities for which adaptive equipment is available. And thanks to organizations like Challenge Mountain and Northern Michigan Adaptive Sports and Recreation, the equipment can be made available at little or no cost.

Challenge Mountain, located in Boyne City, offers programs for people with disabilities free of charge. The program started in 1984 after Darla Evans visited the National Sports Center for the Disabled in Winter Park, Colorado. Darla's daughter, Chrisi, had used a wheelchair her entire life. But after a week in Winter Park, she was skiing freely, with equipment adapted to her needs.  In lieu of accepting payment, the operator of the Winter Park facility asked Darla to return to Michigan and begin a similar program. Challenge Mountain was the result.

"We provide people with physical and mental disabilities the opportunity to live and play as others do," said Linda Armstrong, Program Director at Challenge Mountain.  "We provide organized activities that are educational, physically challenging, and build on skills that lead to a fuller life through outdoor education in a neutral, relaxed environment."

Mason at Challenge Mountain

Visitors to Challenge Mountain receive instruction and training on using the adaptive equipment. After receiving training, participants are welcome to use the equipment, free of charge and subject to availability, during their stay. Participants can even rent the equipment for use at other ski resorts.  

Challenge Mountain is open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9:30am - 2:00pm and on Saturdays from 9:30am - 3:00pm. Those interested in visiting are encouraged to call 231-535-2141 or

view the calendar at www.challengemtn.org. 

Northern Michigan Adaptive Sports and Recreation hosts numerous sports clinics throughout the winter season. Normally the clinics are held at Crystal Mountain, but on March 1st, there is a clinic at the Homestead in Glen Arbor.

Instructive sessions are approximately two hours and per-registering is required. There is a $30 fee which covers instruction and lift passes. If you are interested in attending this clinic, please contact Ann Reichert at 231-935-5902 by Friday, February 21.

Have fun out there! Also, don't forget to cheer on Team USA after a long day of skiing or skating. The 2014 Paralympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony is Friday, March 7th. Events start Saturday, March 8th.  NBC and NBCSN will combine to air 50 hours of television coverage of the games, including daily coverage of all five Paralympic sports in the Sochi program, before the Games' Closing Ceremony is broadcast on March 16.

 

A Disability Guide to Self-Sufficiency   

Do you have a disability? Do you have barriers
accessing resources or working with support systems? Do you want to become self-sufficient?  

A newly launched program at DNMM might be the answer for you; the Disability Guide.   

Disability Guides use Motivational Interviewing to assist persons with disabilities to gain self-sufficiency by identifying and removing barriers and decreasing their dependence on community resources and systems. Disability Guides work with individuals and families, helping them to reach their desired level of independence by setting and achieving goals, sharing experiences, and providing educational and supportive services.

Heading up the program at DNMM is Amber Vondra. Amber is an Independent Living and Vocational Rehabilitation Skills specialist. During her four years at DNMM, Amber has worked with teenagers and adults, preparing them for successful employment by building work-related skills.  

Marie's STAGES Transition Story   

When Marie started high school, she was enrolled in special education classes full-time. Having had little interaction with students in general education classes, Marie faced many social hardships. She had difficulty making friends and she struggled with confidence in herself and her abilities.

Marie began working with Nora Maza from DNMM's STAGES program. And while those first months were slow, Marie trusted Nora enough to participate in the Summer STAGES program for the first time. And Marie believes it was the best decision she ever made. That summer, Marie met lifelong friends, she enrolled in the Work Program (her first job of any kind), and she found her confidence.

Marie remained active in the STAGES program over the next several years. She became a Peer Mentor for younger girls with similar social anxieties. Marie began taking more and more classes in general education, and she did well, graduating from high school with a full diploma.

Since graduation, she has obtained certification as a nurse's assistant and she is currently working in that capacity at a nursing facility.

"The STAGES program helped me find my path and my confidence," said Marie. "All those job-skill building sessions, resume drafts, and mock interviews gave me the confidence to start a career. My experiences in the summer program helped me work with others and it prepared me for life on my own after high school."

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