Spring 2009
News and Information about the People and Programs of SFL International
Skiing. Sharing. Learning
The mission of Ski for Light is to enhance the quality of life and independence of visually or mobility-impaired adults through a program of cross country skiing.
By the time you read this, most of you will have heard that SFL 2010, our 35th Anniversary, will be held at Provo and Soldier Hollow, Utah. It became clear within the first couple of days this year that the skiing at Soldier Hollow was exceptional, not to mention the ski lodge, the catered lunches, the friendliness and efficiency of the Nordic Center staff. When the Board met on Tuesday evening for its mid-week session, it was a no-brainer to decide to return to Utah. Because, not only was the ski venue great, but so also was the Provo Marriott. The hotel team was efficient, friendly, helpful and professional.
All the feedback I heard was that people loved the skiing! Yes, we were challenged by the 10 K, but, isn't that what Ski for Light is all about? I loved it when some of the Norwegians said that the skiing at Soldier Hollow was maybe as good (better??) than at Beitostolen, Norway where the Ridderrenn is held. Choosing a site for the International Event can be a challenge. Some of the factors include: reasonable proximity to an airport, reasonable travel time between the ski area and the hotel, a ski area with enough beginner terrain, and safe conditions for the more advanced trails.
Sometimes one set of factors is there, but another isn't. In the past couple of years we have explored hotels in areas that have the ideal Nordic set-up, but the hotel doesn't have enough meeting rooms, or not enough space to seat nearly 300 of us for meals. In January, we visited Boise, Idaho. The hotel was perfect, and the sales and conventions staff could not have been more eager to have our business. The hotel was five minutes away from the airport. I have rarely seen anyone work harder for a piece of business than the hotel sales director did. But, the downside is that the ski area, Bogus Basin, was nearly an hour away, up a very winding road. The beginner trail was limited-only about 2.5 kilometers of boringly flat and almost straight terrain, with two-way traffic. The more advanced trails were close to trees and to drop offs. It just didn't feel like a safe enough place for us. So, back to Plan B.
But, the search is a continuing process; our site selection committee has several venues for us to explore for the future, including Vermont, Michigan, Wyoming, and possibly even Colorado.
In the meantime, we can all be looking forward to Utah again, and skiing on the Ski for Light 5 kilometer trail. The Nordic center received so much positive feedback from the public and staff after our departure, that they decided to name the 5K after our organization.
So, enjoy your summer and summer activities and put the dates January 31-February 7, 2010 on your calendar to celebrate our 35th Anniversary.
The 2010 Ski for Light International week will again be held in Utah, January 31 to February 7. Attendees will stay at the Marriott Hotel in Provo, and will ski at Soldier Hollow, near Midway, Utah, home of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Nordic events. Plan to fly to Salt Lake City, about a 45-minute ride from Provo.
Soldier Hollow has 31 kilometers of ski trails, practice tracks just outside the large ski lodge, and is in the Wasatch Mountain range. To check out the ski area, you can go to their website at www.soldierhollow.com.
Cara Barnes, chair of the 2010 event, will soon be putting together her committees, so if you'd like to get involved with planning or organizing any part of the event, please feel free to contact her: Phone: (707) 443-6632 E-mail: cara@quik.com
More information on the upcoming event will be posted on the SFL website and in future Bulletins as the time gets closer. In the meantime, mark your calendars for what should be another great week of skiing. We look forward to seeing you in Utah!
Compiled by Vicki Post
Ski for Light 2009 took us to yet another new venue: Soldier Hollow, which is nestled in the beautiful Wasatch Mountains in Utah. This year's event included some 250 people from 7 countries, some 26 dogs and countless great memories. To sum it up, one evening at dinner, one Norwegian eagerly pronounced: "Why don't we have Ski for Light here every year? This is the best skiing yet."
Yes, it was a very good event, complete with all the SFL magic that seems to happen every year. This year featured things like a nice 5 K run with some good and varied terrain, just enough weather to remind us it was winter, unbelievably good lunches at the ski lodge and a caterer who obviously loved his work, a few guides who celebrated their 25th year at SFL and more. Two of the more memorable moments happened on the day of the race/rally. First. SFL long-time guide, Robb Rasmussen, married first-time guide, Sherry Oswald. They shared a very meaningful ceremony in the snow, right before the race with some 250 guests. Each spouse had a family member present, but for Rob and Sherry, it was very moving to share this moment with their SFL family. Vicki Post shared a song she had composed, Rob and Sherry exchanged vows in their ski clothes, and no race ever had such a heartfelt beginning! And during the race, skier, Roy Drever, and guide, Chris Radel, found their skis were just not waxed right for that day's snow; in a rather amazing feat, Chris left Roy on the side of the trail, ran back to get different skis, skied back to Roy with Roy's new skis in his hands, and the two still finished the 10 K in remarkably good time. Oh what a little adrenalin can do!
"This event became more than a ski week for me. It became a supportive family," reflects second year participant Theresa Montano of Denver, Colorado. "I realized this year what a special event this really is." First year guide Sheree MacRitchie summed up her experience in two simple sentences: "It was a great week of skiing, giving and fun. The family of Ski for Light welcomed me immediately, and it makes me smile whenever I think of them."
Sheree's skiing partner for the week, long-time participant Peter Slatin, echoes Sheree's sentiments. "I met some wonderful people, as always, and especially enjoyed the mix of nationalities attending, literally from all over the globe. I miss it already. It's the only chance I have every year to get together with other visually and mobility impaired people - and not really talk too much about the issues surrounding our disabilities, but simply enjoy sharing time together and learning in that way."
While everyone was a gold medal winner at Ski for Light's 2009 event, first time Cincinnati participant Lynn M. Wachtell called the experience, "A great one-week adventure where everyone had a story of accomplishment to tell, and it didn't matter how big or how little, the accomplishments of guides and skiers alike were all celebrated!"
Thanks and congratulations to the SFL Board and the Event Committee who worked tirelessly to help make this one very successful week!
This year, because of our current economic situation, SFL was represented by one official team at Norway's Ridderrennet. Guide, Amy Brannan, and skier, Bob Hartt, skied, ate, skied, ate and reveled in the delights of this weeklong event. While still there, they offered these reflections:
from Guide, Amy Brannan
Thank-you to Ski for Light for the experience of Norway and
Ridderuken (Ridder Week)!
My overall impression is that our friends in Norway are incredible hosts and have made us all feel right at home. The Norwegian Soldiers have taken care of our every need from transportation to safety to the race logistics. The hotel has made sure that we have plenty of scrumptious food and the weather has been perfect.
The group of athletes attending the Ridderrenn is also quite impressive. Bob Hartt, my skiing partner, is right in there working hard in each of our events. If you have not yet tried the Ridderrenn, you definitely need to put this special week on your list!
And from Skier, Bob Hartt
My week at the Ridderrenn in Beitostølen, Norway was a unique and wonderful experience,
and it would take too many pages to describe all the events. To give you a sampling I will
relate a composite day. My wife, Bonnie O'Day, and I rise early to get ready for a 7:30am
breakfast at the Radisson SAS Hotel . As we get ready to leave our comfortable room, we
hear a cheerful knock at our door. It's our two guides Amy and Bjørg. As I push open the
door to greet them I am reminded about two things I have learned thus far about Norway.
Both our hotel in Oslo and this one have nice solid wooden doors, and they open out into
the hallway instead of into the room. Before entering the large dining room for breakfast
we pick up daily announcements from the Ridderrenn table, and I am reminded again of
how much larger this event is compared to SFL. Total attendance here for skiers and
guides approaches 800, and the attendees are dispersed throughout a number of hotels and
cabins. After getting my meal ticket punched at the door, we wind our way through a long
buffet line with everything imaginable for breakfast. In addition to the traditional breakfast
cereals (cold and hot) that I am familiar with, there is pickled herring, smoked salmon, a
wide assortment of delicious Norwegian cheeses and fruit. I miss the morning
announcements I am used to at SFL's breakfasts, but the printed newspapers, some of which
are available in Braille and in different languages for all attendees in various locations, seem
to be a more practical solution for this size event.
As we leave our hotel for the five minute ride to the trail system we are greeted by the Norwegian soldiers who come every year to assist with the event. They efficiently pack our skis in both large buses and cars to get everyone to the ski area as quickly and efficiently as possible. At the ski area we go to a tent where more soldiers (both male and female) are busy waxing our skis for the conditions of the day - a wonderful luxury for those who don't enjoy the ins and outs of waxing.
Today I am skiing in my first Biathlon, a five K race broken up by two stops to shoot rifles at targets. How can a blind skier shoot a rifle at a target you ask? Simple, just as people who are blind use the sound of speech output to do work on computers, they now use laser beam technology and beeping sounds to help people who are blind locate the target. When the beeping sounds get faster and change to a steady and higher and higher pitch I squeeze the trigger. In practice sessions with the soldiers I hit the target almost every time, but breathing heavily from the competitions today and trying to shorten the time spent on the 5 K competition, I only make five out of ten shots. For every shot missed one minute is added to my time. Needless to say, this was a learning experience, and I won't tell you how far down in the standings I ended up.
Next my composite day takes me to the 10 K race. At the Ridderrenn guides are encouraged to ski in one track, either in front of or behind their skier, although some side by side skiing is also done. I found the adjustment to have my guide Amy ski behind me is best for me, as I can hear her verbal prompts much better than if she were to ski in front of me. The gentle rolling terrain with long flat sections and gentle up and down slopes gives me an opportunity to work on my diagonal stride technique and double poling. I especially enjoy the long gentle downhills, when it seems like you can breeze along forever. It seems like half the world is here as I ski along and listen to the language of guides from Germany, Russia, Japan, of course Norway, and other countries call out verbal prompts to their skiers in their many different tongues. At the end of the 10K a race official unsnaps the electronic timing device that was attached to my ankle.
Next stop is the giant slalom hill, where I have persuaded our fearless leader, Marion Elmquist, to be my guide for a practice run on this downhill skiing experience. This event is only open to skiers with partial vision, but with past experience years ago as a downhill skier before losing most of my vision, I want to see if I can give this a go. After I take one tumble on my first run, Marion and I work out our communications and feel we are ready for the time trials and competition the next day. Following the slalom event on the Friday of Ridderrenn week, I will first try my first 20K Ridderrenn race on Saturday, the crowning event of the week.
When you add to the skiing the camaraderie of our SFL group, the kindness of our Norwegian hosts and the many new friends we have met, as well as a few days touring Norway's capital city of Oslo, the result for me has been the experience of a lifetime that I will always remember. Many thanks to my premier guide, Amy Brannan, and all the SFL family for supporting me on such a wonderful adventure!
By Cara Barnes
During the planning meeting for the 2009 Ski for Light event, Andrea Faust of the Soldier Hollow Ski Resort asked if it might be possible to involve the students at Soldier Hollow Charter School in some way. After the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, the building that once housed the timers and race officials became the home of the Soldier Hollow Charter School. The school serves approximately 150 students from kindergarten to sixth grade and skiing is, of course, part of the curriculum.
"How did you become blind?" a student asked SFL Board Member Scott McCall, during a group presentation for the students at the Soldier Hollow Lodge. Another wanted to know how to approach a blind person to talk or ask a question. Still others were fascinated with the idea of sit skiing and solicited such practical information as; "How do you go up hill?" and, "How do you stop?"
The presentation was followed by an on snow activity in which students experienced a bit of guiding and blindfolded skiing. "I hate being blind!" declared a kindergarten student to first year guide Debbie Schubert. One first grade girl was so busy demonstrating all her ski skills to SFL attendee Gayle Fox, she paid little attention to her blindfolded partner, who was essentially left to feel her way along the tracks, until Gayle gently redirected the young guide.
Ski for Light participant Lynda Boose encountered two of the older students after they had completed the activity and inquired about their experience. When Lynda asked if they felt like they were falling while skiing blindfolded, the students agreed that it was an odd sensation at first, then observed, "But we could hear a lot better when we were blind." The students asked Lynda if she was one of the blind skiers and when Lynda replied that she was, they exclaimed, "Oh cool!" The two skied off a short distance then returned to apologize saying; "We didn't mean it like that."
"Put your left ski right here," directed one boy as he tapped the snow with the tip of his ski pole, completely forgetting that his companion was blindfolded. Another student proved to be an excellent guide for his initially anxious mother. Both were smiling broadly as they completed a loop around the Charter School.
As we said goodbye and awarded each child a blue ribbon, I couldn't help but wonder if any of these students will grow up to be future Olympians, or better yet, future SFL guides!
By Rich and Sheryl Lindholm
Many thanks to all who participated in the exciting Auction Night in Provo!
We were thankful for all of the wonderful items donated to the auction by the folks attending the ski week, and from the many corporate sponsors. A nice variety of items was offered.
Thanks, also, to all who supported the auction by their shopping and their vigorous bidding! And we especially want to acknowledge the worker bees who helped with typing, brailling and set- up of the items on the tables
Thank you one and all. It was much appreciated. AND NOW, be thinking of what you can donate to next year's event!
Solbjorg Kvikne Andol passed away on Friday, Feb. 13, with husband Leif and daughters Marit and Shirley at her side. As most of you know, Leif is a long-time guide with SFL; he and his wife have been very generous supporters of Ski for Light. Solbjorg and Leif were together for some 53 years; she used to laugh and sing a lot and called herself a domestic engineer because she like to bake and cook and garden. She will be missed by all who knew her.
Bonnie Rodgers from Flint, Mi. called to inform us that her husband, Ron Rodgers, died on Oct. 21, 2008. He was born on Sept. 21, 1934. He attended many SFL events, beginning in the mid 1970's. He also participated in numerous regional winter events in Michigan and summer programs in Pennsylvania. And a very happy birthday to Britt Peterson who turned 90 years young on February 17th. Rumor has it that she is still celebrating as this Bulletin goes to Press, and that is only fitting. We hope she will celebrate and share many more birthdays with her SFL friends.
By Vicki Post
As you read earlier in this Bulletin, SFL guides, Robb Rasmussen and Sherry Oswald, were married on February 7th, the day of the SFL race/rally. According to Robb, they hadn't originally planned to marry at Ski for Light, but everything just fell into place and so it happened. For Robb, SFL has been an integral part of his life for years; so I imagine that it really was like having family present, even if he didn't know all the cousins in attendance. For Sherry, SFL was a new adventure, although I imagine she heard plenty of stories before she met any of us. I imagine, too, that her trust in Robb was reflected in the fact that she was willing to share her wedding day with us. Standing there in the snow, singing, listening to the minister's words, anticipating the race to come, and very grateful for the sunshine, I found myself quite moved by the symbology of the moment. Not only was it a moving and extraordinary way to start a race/rally, it said to me that anything that Robb and Sherry undertake together would now automatically be part of something larger, and that their partnership would be a benefit to many people over the years. It also validated one of my big reasons for loving Ski for Light - I truly believe that the partnerships we create each year do have a significant impact on the world around us. I have come to value building a partnership with my guide as much as I value the skiing, and I had an especially rewarding experience of that this year with my guide.
So, thank you, Robb and Sherry, for sharing a most sacred moment with us, for embodying the spirit and essence of Ski for Light, and for jumping right back into the race to guide others as though it were a continuation of the ceremony. We at Ski for Light wish you both many years of happiness together. Robb and Sherry now co-run Robb's bicycle and fitness shop in South Dakota, and we sure hope to see them back with us next year in Utah! Mazel tov!
There are nine SFL regional affiliate groups; many offer a variety of summer and fall activities. All of the regionals were founded by people who wanted to recreate their Ski for Light experience in a more local and intimate setting. We encourage you to take advantage of all they have to offer, and to support them in whatever way you can. For the most up-to-date listing of their activities, you may contact them directly or visit the regional round-up page on our web site: www.sfl.org. Here are a couple of listings for some summer fun:
N. E. Pennsylvania Regional Sports for Health July 26 - August 2, 2009 Land of the Vikings, Sherman PA Hiking, tandem biking, swimming, canoeing and other activities. Contact for guides: Joan Chelsen Telephone: (718) 477-7477 Email: ladyvikin@aol.com Contacts for participants: Donna Goodman Telephone: (410) 730-9430 or Sigi Kay, Telephone: (201) 327-5493 Email: lucellekay@gmail.com
Trekk for Light TREKK FOR LIGHT 2009, a summertime activity of Colorado Ski For Light , will take place August 7-15 in the Rawah Wilderness in northern Colorado. TREKK is a week-long llama supported hiking trip that has been enjoyed by VIPs and guides alike over the past decade.
TREKK is not a race nor an endurance contest; rather, it is an exhilarating and challenging mountaineering adventure!
Application deadline is May 1. To receive complete information and YOUR application form, please contact Art Bunn: E-mail: Arthur.bunn@gmail.com phone 970.229.9119
Bike Across America with Queen B (AKA Brook) By Brook Yates Dates - April 10 - June 18th, 2009 Bar Harbor, ME to Anacortes, WA Goals: - Ride bike safely across America - In each state ride a bike with at least one person with a visual impairment - Raise awareness and advocate the independence of people with visual impairments - Raise funds for Ski For Light - Raise funds for Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center Who is welcome? - Anyone and everyone is welcome to join my ride anytime - If you want to join me, please understand how I travel o I travel with a touring bicycle and a Bob trailer (http://www.bobgear.com/trailers/), camping stove, tent, sleeping pad, cookware etc. o I plan on camping majority of nights (this can look like a variety of things - yards of willing residents, church yards, camp grounds, pavilions etc.) - I would prefer to find camping that does not require a fee unless I need a shower or laundry facilities in which case I would be willing to pay for an organized campground o I also use two different online communities for potential lodging - warmshowers.com and couchsurfing.com o I plan on cooking most of my meals with an occasional splurge for beer, ice cream and a big fat juicy veggie burger! o I will not and do not plan on having a solid set agenda - I like spontaneity o My plan is to ride about 60 miles a day o If I am behind schedule I might look for rides from our new friends I have yet to meet on the road o I ride self-support - if you feel the need to have a sag wagon I will put this responsibility on you to make the plans accordingly Budget - - I am planning a budget of $20-$25 a day if I cook my own meals and I do not pay for expensive campgrounds each night - Your budget will change if you are paying gas for a sag wagon or if you plan to stay in motels or if you want to eat out often
If you wish to join me for any part of the trip, you can email me: brookyates.sfl@gmail.com.
For those of you interested in following my journey as I bike across America I have created a blog web page - http://www.brooksbiketrip.blogspot.com/
The Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (BOEC) is offering an eight day outdoor adventure program based in Colorado, specifically designed to challenge and empower teenagers with visual impairments through adventure activities including rock climbing, white water rafting, camping and hiking.
The program will be supervised by long-time BOEC Course Director and Therapeutic Recreation Internship Coordinator, Brook Yates. Brook, now a graduate student in Orientation and Mobility for the Blind, will lead a team of BOEC staff to produce this program.
Dates: August 8th - 15th, 2009 Scholarships are available for qualified applicants.
For more information, contact Brook Yates:
Email: brook.e.yates@wmich.edu Phone: (970) 333-4035
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