[Sportsandrec] Deadline Extended for Winter Ski Festival!

[Cervenka, Stacy (Brownback)]

I attended this event last year and I had an amazing time. Vermont was beautiful, the cameraderie was great, and the skiing was a blast. Unfortunately, due to all the Innauguration Day weekend stuff, I'm not going to be able to go this year, but if you're free over MLK Day weekend, you should definitely check it out!
Stacy
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless handheld

----- Original Message -----
From: U.S. Association of Blind Athletes <etap at usaba.org>
To: Cervenka, Stacy (Brownback)
Sent: Mon Dec 29 11:58:58 2008
Subject: Deadline Extended for Winter Ski Festival!

  
 <http://content.delivra.com/etapcontent//UnitedStatesAssociationofB/exciting%20piece%20logo.JPG> 
 
Winter Ski Festival Deadline Extended to Jan. 2
Blind and Visually Impaired Skiers including military service members and veterans with eye injuries take to the slopes in Vermont   
The United States Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) is proud to announce the Second Annual Winter Ski Festival to be held in Killington, Vt., Fri., Jan. 16 through Sun. Jan 18.  Athletes with visual impairment will be given the opportunity to learn to ski or learn to race in the sports of alpine and nordic skiing, while also spending an enjoyable weekend in the Green Mountains of Vermont.  
 
In collaboration with Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sport (VASS), the Gibney Family Foundation and U.S. Paralympics, USABA is once again proud to offer this recreational opportunity which is open to all ages and all abilities.  Whether a first-time skier or competitive racer, the festival is catered to each athlete’s ability. 
 
"USABA is extremely pleased to partner with VASS and U.S. Paralympics to provide a wonderful opportunity for blind and visually impaired skiers including military service members and veterans with eye injuries to further develop and enhance their Alpine and Nordic skiing skills,” said Mark Lucas, USABA’s executive director.   “We are also excited to partner with the NE Chapter of the National Association of Parents of the Visually Impaired (NAPVI) who will bring their children to participate in the ski programs while parents conduct support meetings to share information and resources for their children."
 
Guides and instructors are provided by VASS, a non-profit organization located in Vermont, which is committed to empowering individuals with disabilities.  VASS staff will pair each blind and visually impaired skier with a trained ski guide to practice and learn skills in either genre of learn to ski or race.  
 
Participants will stay at a local hotel and transportation will be provided for the daily events.  The weekend will conclude with a banquet dinner held at the Killington Grand Hotel which will feature a key-note speaker Paralympics athlete.  Alpine skiing will be hosted at Pico Ski Resort in Killington, VT.; while Nordic will be at Mountain Top Inn in Chittenden, VT.  
 
This event will also be hosted as a Paralympic Academy.  Local Paralympic Academy events serve as an introduction to Paralympic sport and allow participants to try different activities.  This year, all participants will be introduced to the Paralympic sport of goalball during the weekend.
 
For more information and an application go to http://www.usaba.org/Pages/usabaheadlines/Ski/09VermontSkiFestival.html
 or contact:   
Mark Lucas at USABA at: (719) 630-0422 or 
Donna Stanley at VT Adaptive: (802) 353-7584
 
Since its founding in 1976, USABA, a community-based organization of the United States Olympic Committee, has reached more than 100,000 blind and visually impaired individuals. The organization has emerged as more than just a world-class trainer of blind athletes, it has become a champion of the abilities of Americans who are legally blind. USABA’s Mission: to enhance the lives of blind and visually impaired people by providing the opportunity for participation in sports and physical activity.  For more information, visit our Web site: www.usaba.org <http://www.usaba.org/>