A Ski Retreat for Wounded Warriors and their Families
April 8-14, 2012
The Wounded Warrior Family Ski Week 2012 (WWFSW) is a program of the newly created non-profit organization,Wounded Warrior Family Adventures, founded by Bob and Bonnie Miller. This program provides a snow skiing/snowboarding experience for permanently, severely injured service members from the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts and the Global War on Terrorism. The purpose of the Ski Week is to support the recovery and family bonding of these injured service members and their family support structure (spouse and children) by spending a week of snow sport adventure in the incredible beauty of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Selected service members and families will be provided with free round trip transportation, 7 nights lodging, ski equipment, ski instruction and lift passes for 3-1/2 days of ski experiences. Wounded Warriors will be provided with adaptive ski equipment and instruction. All ski lessons are conducted by the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center.
What -”Wounded Warrior Family Ski Week – 2012″ – an opportunity for seriously wounded warriors and their families to benefit from the recuperative value of a week of family activities exploring the thrill and challenge of snow skiing or snowboarding. All of this is to be conducted under the experienced guidance of the world-renowned skiing expertise of BOEC staff, for persons with disabilities and special needs. The latest in adaptive techniques and equipment will offer supportive and exciting opportunities for all levels of skill, amid the incredible beauty of the Rocky Mountains.
Who – Beneficiaries are wounded/recovering service members and their immediate family members.
Where – Ski instruction for Wounded Warriors and their familiy members is to be performed by the professionals of the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center on Peak 9 in Breckenridge, CO. Lodging is to be provided at the Grand Timber Lodge with each family housed in a two-bedroom deluxe timeshare unit with kitchen and full resort amenities.
When – Sunday, April 8 thru Saturday, April 14, 2012
How – To assure personalized attention to their needs, families will be hosted during the week by Bob and Bonnie Miller along with a local steering committe consisting of Breckenridge residents.
Contact Jen Schappert at 970 409-9058 or Bob Miller at 954 871-9001 for more information about the WWFSW Program or to recieve the Application Form. You can also apply on-line on the Wounded Warrior Family Adventure website at: www.woundedwarriorfamilyadventures.org.
Applications to participate in this Program are due by January 15, 2012. Applicants are required to provide all requested information on the form below. You may also email Jen for an application. Selected Wounded Warriors will be notified of their acceptance on or before February 15, 2012.
Persons and organizations interested in contributing to this program may make their donations to Wounded Warrior Family Adventures, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization for the benefit of Wounded Warrior Family Ski Week 2012. Thank you for your generosity; our brave warriors will never forget your kindness.
Join us for the Tenth Annual Breckebeiner 60K Nordic Ski-a-thon at the Breckenridge Nordic Center. Individuals and teams can choose to ski 60 km, 30km or 12 km on a criterium loop trail at the Breckenridge Nordic Center. Skate or Classic. The course also features a 3k snowshoe loop and a double track loop for visually impaired skiers. Plenty of food, drink, music and fun, a local event not to be missed!
Proceeds from registration and from sponsorships generated by participants benefit the BOEC. The Breckebeiner has raised over $140,000 since it started to help people with disabilities and special needs attend our programs.
This event is hosted by Gene and Therese Dayton, owners of the Breckenridge and Frisco Nordic Centers, and longtime supporters of the BOEC (Gene is a former BOEC trustee and one of our founders).
Call us at (970) 453-6422 for registration materials or sponsorship information. If you would like to download the brochure and a registration/pledge form please do so here:
The BOEC is hosting Ski Channel’s exciting new movie, “Winter”.
Riverwalk Center, Breckenridge
Friday, March 16, 8 PM
Doors open at 7 PM
Tickets are $15, on sale at the door and by phone (after February 27) at the BOEC office (970) 453-6422
“Winter” stars a who’s who of mountain sports athletes including: Ted Ligety, Simon Dumont, Sarah Burke, Rory Bushfield, Sean Pettit, Melissa Arnot, Johnny DeCesare, Jen Hudak, Julian Carr, Senator Bob Dole, Phil Mahre, Steve Mahre, Andy Mahre, Mike Wilson, Karina Hollekim, Kris Holm, Ted Davenport, Chip Hildebrand, Kirk Bauer and Matt Reardon.
The film travels to the furthest reaches of the planet and with a focus on mountain sport athletes who push the boundaries of their craft to sometimes unthinkable limits and dire consequences.
In addition to the riveting stories of world class ski athletes from around the world, “Winter” features the head of disabled sports USA, Kirk Bauer, as he leads a group of wounded warriors on a climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Also featured, is skier/base jumper Karina Hollekim, who nearly lost her life and her legs in a sky diving accident. Her amazing road to recovery is documented in this film.
“Colder, Higher, Farther: an evening with explorer/guides Eric Larsen and Ryan Waters.”
Please come join the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center and adventurers/explorers/professional guides Eric Larsen and Ryan Waters for an evening of photos, movies and stories from the world’s most wild and remote places March 15, 2012
In 2009 and 2010 Eric and Ryan set separate world records: Eric skied to the North Pole, South Pole and climbed Mount Everest in the same year. Ryan, with his partner Cecilie Skog, completed the first unsupported, unassisted traverse of Antarctica. Their stories and accompanying photos and video are exciting, humorous, and awe-inspiring.
Eric and Ryan are speaking on March 15th at the American Mountaineering Center in Golden, Colorado to raise money for the BOEC’s Outdoor Active Retreats for people living with Parkinson’s disease.
Ryan has worked with the BOEC Wilderness Program, contributing his skills and experience to young people with Autism. In addition to raising awareness about the effects of human caused global climate change, Eric has a great interest in improving the lives of those, like his father, who are living with Parkinson’s disease.
In addition, the winning photos from the Banff International Photo Competition will be on display.
Suggested donation of $15. All proceeds will go towards scholarships for participants in the BOEC Parkinson’s program and for specialized cycling equipment.
RYAN WATERS grew up exploring the hills of the Appalachian Mountains in the southeastern U.S. At the age of 18 he discovered climbing and a passion for travel that would eventually lead him to the great mountain ranges of the world. After working as a geologist for several years he began a career as an outdoor educator and mountain guide. Ryan is responsible for the development and delivery of Mountain Professionals expeditions. Working in the professional guiding and outdoor education field for eleven years has taken him to Nepal, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Tibet, Pakistan, Mexico, Russia, Tanzania, Greenland, Indonesia, Antarctica, and all over the U.S.
His guiding resume includes well over 35 expeditions in the Andes Range and 12 expeditions to the Himalayas. Ryan is a veteran of three expeditions to Mt. Everest, leading groups to the summit via both the Tibet and Nepal sides, Manaslu, and three expeditions to Cho Oyu in Tibet. He has led expeditions to K2, Broad Peak, and Gasherbrum II in the Karakoram Himalaya of Pakistan and has climbed Lhotse and the Southeast Ridge of 7,200 meter Pumo Ri in Nepal.
An unsupported West to East ski traverse of Greenland expanded his interests into the Polar Regions. In 2010, Ryan and Cecilie Skog completed a 1,117 mile/1,800 kilometer Antarctic ski expedition over 70 days from Berkner Island in the Ronne/Filchner Sea to the South Pole, continuing to the Ross Sea to complete the first ski traverse of Antarctica without resupplies or the use of kites.
Modern-day explorer and expedition guide ERIC LARSEN’s life epitomizes adventure. A polar adventurer, dog musher and educator, he has spent the past 15 years of his life traveling in some of the most remote and wild places left on earth. In 2006, Eric and Lonnie Dupre completed the first ever summer expedition to the North Pole. During this journey, the duo pulled and paddled specially modified canoes across 550 miles of shifting sea ice and open ocean. Eric successfully led his first expedition to the South Pole in 2008, covering nearly 600 miles in 41 days. Eric is now one of only a few Americans in to have skied to both the North and South Poles.
In 2009, renowned Polar Explorer Eric Larsen began an unprecedented journey to the top, bottom and roof of the world. During a continuous 365- day period, Larsen mounted major expeditions to the North and South Poles and an expedition to the summit of Mt. Everest. Larsen is the only person to have completed this trio in one year. To date, only 15 other people (and no other Americans) in history have been to all three ‘poles’.
Posted Saturday, February 25th, 2012 by tfc-control
Come enjoy the spirit of outdoor adventure at theBanff Mountain Film Festival World Tour
hosted byBreckenridge Outdoor Education Center!
Saturday, February 25, 2012 at the Riverwalk Center in Breckenridge.
For tickets call 970 453-6422
Doors open at 7:00 PM general public, screening at 7:30 PM
Tickets: $20 General Admission
VIP Reception: $75 Includes advanced seating, reception, food, beverage and exclusive pre-viewing of the Banff Mountain Photography exhibit; doors open 5:45 PM
Hot on the heels of the largest, and one of the most prestigious, mountain film festivals in the world, the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour has hit the road, with stops planned in about 285 communities and 30 countries across the globe.
This year’s tour will feature a collection of the most inspiring and thought-provoking action, environmental and adventure mountain films. Traveling from remote landscapes and cultures to up close and personal with adrenaline-packed action sports, the 2012 World Tour is an exhilarating and provocative exploration of the mountain world. Films this year include:
All.I.Can: The Short Cut Canada, 2011, 11 minutes, Directed by: Dave Mossop, Eric Crossland, Produced by: Eric Crosland, Malcolm Sangster
Stunning time-lapse sequences, creative visuals, great skiers, and deep powder are highlights of this excerpt from the award-winning feature film that looks at snow sports and the environment.
Blue Obsession USA, 2011, 8 minutes, Directed by: Alan Gordon, Jordan Halland, Produced by: Alan Gordon
The beautiful and ever-changing icefalls of Alaskan glaciers provide a stunning setting for some unusual ice climbing adventures
C.A.R.C.A Canada, 2011, 8 minutes, Directed and produced by: Adam Bailey
One man’s quest to revolutionize the world of animal avalanche rescue.
The Freedom Chair Canada, 2011, 15 minutes, Directed and produced by: Mike Douglas
Josh Dueck was an aspiring skier and coach until a ski accident in 2004 changed his life for good. Despite his comeback and success in the world of competitive sit-skiing, he wasn’t content. Josh’s dream is to tackle the backcountry and the steepest and wildest mountains in the world – and with his infectious outlook, he may just catch his dream.
On Assignment: Jimmy Chin USA, 2010, 6 minutes, Directed and produced by: Renan Ozturk
A brief portrait of a passionate athlete who has melded climbing and photography. Jimmy Chin believes that “the most honest photos happen when both the subject and the photographer are just in the moment, and the rest of the world has just fallen away.”
Reel Rock: Sketchy Andy USA, 2011, 22 minutes, Directed by: Peter Mortimer, Produced by: Nick Rosen
American climbing dirtbag Andy Lewis is taking the discipline of slacklining into the future as he solos the world’s longest high-lines and masters the hardest aerial tricks, while pushing his equipment to the limit. As Andy goes higher, harder, and faster with climbing, slack, and B.A.S.E., we all wonder how far he can go before it’ll be one step over the line.
Outdoor Active Retreat February 21-25, 2012
This is a new Winter Ski Camp Designed for adults living with Parkinson’s
During the 5 day 4 night program participants will enjoy Alpine and or Nordic Skiing, Adaptive Yoga, stretching and movement exercises. Participants will be able to enjoy activities, and share experiences and challenges in a fun and safe environment. Program will be based in Breckenridge at the Scott Griffith Lodge.
Included in the program are, healthy meals, specialty equipment, professional instruction and 24 hour staffing. All participants should be independent with personal care tasks or provide a personal care attendant.
This is a great opportunity to get active while facing the many challenges of living with PD.
Cost of the program: $850.00
Scholarship is available.
Caddie Nath, Summit Daily News, Sunday, January 29, 2012
KEYSTONE — Petty Officer 2nd Class Benjamin Brown’s six years in the U.S. Navy left him scarred inside and out.
After support deployments in Afghanistan, Iraq and Korea, he was medically discharged in 2009 suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and extensive physical injures he sustained while doing military police work at his home base in Washington.
Five years and six surgeries later, he is finally beginning the healing process — on the slopes.
“This is amazing,” Brown said of his experience learning to snowboard Saturday. “All those injuries set you back and put you in your head. Snowboarding allows me to get out of my head. The way I look at it is … if I can face my fears out there, like, I’ve got to do this turn and it’s scary, I’m going fast, I could fall, but I’ve got to just do it, then that allows me to face one more fear out in the regular world.”
Brown is one of 22 injured military service members taking part in the Wounded Warriors program at Keystone this weekend, as more than 2,000 active military personnel from all over the country gathered at the resort for the annual SnoFest event.
For active service men and women and their families, the weekend — packed with parties, races, a wine tasting, a cardboard-derby and opportunities to ski and ride — is an opportunity to get away and reconnect with friends in the military.
For many wounded warriors like Brown, the weekend is part of the recovery process.
The Wounded Warriors program is a joint venture of the Keystone Adaptive Center and other organizations, which fundraise and collect donations to provide the ski weekend, including lodging, airfare and lessons with adaptive ski and snowboard equipment, to the military personnel for free.
“It’s getting folks up and out of the hospital environment,” Keystone Adaptive Center program manager Joe Kusumoto said. “Learning a new skill and getting on the hill is a great way to get some of that adrenaline out, especially for folks with post-traumatic stress disorder. Exercise helps with stress.”
Many of the soldiers and service members in the Wounded Warrior program had never tried skiing or snowboarding before this weekend. For the rest, the weekend was an opportunity to get back to the sport they loved before they were injured.
The Wounded Warrior program was started five years ago and was designed to fit within the greater SnoFest event.
SnoFest, which has been hosted at Keystone for more than 10 years, is officially a recruiting and awareness event for the Air National Guard, which looks to hire former or retired military personnel for reserve duty. But it has become a vacation tradition for many in the armed forces across the country.
“It’s really nice to see military personnel be able to come out with their families and enjoy everything Keystone has to offer,” resort spokeswoman Laura Parquette said.
Keystone and bases around Colorado offered packages and discounts to help service members afford the weekend away.
Posted Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 by tfc-control
The BOEC is partnering with Adaptive Adventures to provide this camp for disabled active service military personnel or veterans. The camp is run in conjunction with Snofest, the annual ski weekend hosted by all divisions of the military for active service military personnel. In addition to the best in ski instruction, participants take part in the activities and events of Snofest. Call us at 970 453-6422 for more information.
If you are interested in attending please fill out the form below.
The benefits of yoga and massage therapy are far-reaching. Yoga helps us connect our mind to what is happening in our body, through focusing on and moving with the breath. Massage therapy also promotes awareness of our body; it provides us with an opportunity to relax and release tension we may be holding. I have been fortunate to have volunteered with the BOEC, teaching adaptive yoga and giving massage therapy to clients who are living with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). There are several factors to consider as a yoga instructor and massage therapist when working with individuals from these groups. Their motor functions and range of motion will be limited; there may be reduced sensation, and spasticity or rigidness in the body; there may be learning and cognitive difficulties, or emotional volatility. In my experience so far, the clients who are staying at the Griffin Lodge carry a positive outlook and have been optimistic about their yoga or massage sessions.
The adaptive yoga I teach has been done in a group setting, with clients and counselors joining in together. The counselors have been invaluable as they are able to assist clients in performing a stretch. The group environment encourages social interaction among the clients and a feeling of camaraderie. Many of them are testing their limits in the yoga class and it is helpful to have the sense of togetherness. Some clients, who are experiencing rigidity and spasticity, utilize the counselors to fully move them into a posture when they cannot do it on their own. Others, who have limited range of motion and mobility, also benefit from the counselors’ gentle support in moving deeper into a pose.
The yoga is adaptive in that the class is done while sitting in a chair or wheelchair, as is often the case. We start with the pranayama portion, which means “breath work,” and emphasize deep breathing techniques. Starting in a relaxing, mindful way sets the pace for a peaceful class rather than a vigorous one that may cause pain and strain. It is important to have bodily awareness so that we perform within our limits, while still receiving the rejuvenating benefits of yoga. We then move into a series of asanas, or “poses,” which is the stretching portion of class. We stretch the neck, the shoulders, the arms, forearms, wrists and hands in different ways. For many, this is doable albeit with some limited range of motion: straps are used to help clients get deeper into a pose. Next we stretch the muscles of the back, moving into forward bends, chest opening exercises, and spinal twists to promote movement and lubrication of the vertebrae. We stretch the legs as much as possible, doing leg lifts, hamstring stretches, and ankle rotations. If it is not possible for the clients to move their lower body on their own, we simply massage the leg, knee, and calf area. This self-massage improves blood circulation and is important in preventing complications such as decubitous ulcers. We end the class with a final relaxation, which allows the clients to rest after their exercise and gives their bodies a chance to integrate the stretching. Clients often feel calmer after a yoga class.
At the Griffith Lodge, I have given massage therapy to clients who are living with a TBI, MS, or ALS and to their partners, who are also affected by the circumstances. Giving massage therapy has been a joyful experience. These practices are restorative for the body and healing for the psyche and allow us ways to find pleasure in our selves, improving quality of life.
Massage therapy is performed for patients and their spouses, which is a healthy way for all to relieve the stress associated with living with a chronic illness. Massage therapy can be performed in a wheel chair if necessary, or clients can be helped onto a table using a body board. For clients with ALS, the heat produced by the mechanical nature of massage is therapeutic for controlling muscle spasms. For clients who have had a TBI, massage helps to maintain healthy muscle and connective tissue, as it brings blood supply and oxygen to the tissue and carries away metabolic waste, and it can be an integral part of rehabilitation. Only light effleurage or nerve stroking, which are gentle, low-pressure techniques, are done to areas where there is limited sensation. For clients with MS, massage is wonderful as a stress-management technique that can promote wellness and prolong remissions, as stress has been shown to exacerbate symptoms among some patients. Massage is indicated during subacute stages to maintain the health and mobility of tissues. Light massage, energy work, and nerve stroking are more appropriate during acute stages.
The Berthoud Weekly Surveyor helps to get the word out about BOEC’S programs being offered for adults living with MS. This article offers the unique perspective of both what it is like living with MS as well being a BOEC participant.
Please come join the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center and adventurers/explorers/professional guides Eric Larsen and Ryan Waters for an evening of photos, movies and stories from the world’s most wild and remote places
In 2009 and 2010 Eric and Ryan set separate world records: Eric skied to the North Pole, South Pole and climbed Mount Everest in the same year. Ryan, with his partner Cecilie Skog, completed the first unsupported, unassisted traverse of Antarctica. Their stories and accompanying photos and video are exciting, humorous, and awe-inspiring.
RYAN WATERS grew up exploring the hills of the Appalachian Mountains in the southeastern U.S. At the age of 18 he discovered climbing and a passion for travel that would eventually lead him to the great mountain ranges of the world. After working as a geologist for several years he began a career as an outdoor educator and mountain guide. Ryan is responsible for the development and delivery of Mountain Professionals expeditions. Working in the professional guiding and outdoor education field for eleven years has taken him to Nepal, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Tibet, Pakistan, Mexico, Russia, Tanzania, Greenland, Indonesia, Antarctica, and all over the U.S.
Modern-day explorer and expedition guide ERIC LARSEN’s life epitomizes adventure. A polar adventurer, dog musher and educator, he has spent the past 15 years of his life traveling in some of the most remote and wild places left on earth. In 2006, Eric and Lonnie Dupre completed the first ever summer expedition to the North Pole. During this journey, the duo pulled and paddled specially modified canoes across 550 miles of shifting sea ice and open ocean. Eric successfully led his first expedition to the South Pole in 2008, covering nearly 600 miles in 41 days. Eric is now one of only a few Americans in to have skied to both the North and South Poles.
