Greg Shaw to Vancouver!

It's official! The NAC's Greg Shaw will be playing with Team USA's World Champion Sled Hockey Team in Vancouver this coming March. Next month he will participate with the team in Japan in a four-country exhibition. In February the team will have two camps. In March the team will meet in Colorado Springs before heading together to Vancouver.

Good luck, Greg!

2009 Hartford Ski Spectacular

Many representatives from the National Ability Center are in Colorado participating in the Hartford Ski Spectacular this week. Program Director/Competition Program Manager Ellen Adams, program manager Kim Millikan, NAC co-founder and former CEO Meeche White and others are teaching lessons, attending workshops and sharing ideas with other great organizations who work in the adaptive ski industry. Kim took a moment this morning to share a couple of experiences from the week.

My week has been fantastic. I've been teaching all week. My main student is a veteran who lost his arm in Afghanistan. He rocks. He described to me the events surrounding the attack and his reaction with humor and candor. Not only did he expect to die, but he was laughing about what a great life he has had (holding his jaw to his face as he did so). He took snowboarding lessons at the Winter Sports Clinic for Disabled American Veterans last year, but thought he would not recall as much as he did. He came to our first lesson on a beginner board (designed for the first few lessons) and a humble attitude. We very quickly went through the entire beginner progression and it became more and more clear that he was definitely NOT a beginner. I made him exchange the board after the first 3 hours. The next day we were gliding smoothly down steep blue runs all over the mountain. Although the temps and wind were brutal we rode a full day. Yesterday with temps in the single digits (at the bottom of the hill) we found our first stash of fresh unskiied gentle powder and he attacked it the same way he has everything else on the hill. He bounces right up when he actually falls, asks for drills to improve every tiny aspect of his riding, and smiles from ear to ear when he talks about going home and showing his friends and family how to ride. Often people either get down to business and focus on the riding or enjoy being on the mountain and the beauty. He manages to do both! Great!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of teaching a lesson to one of the spouses of a veteran. She rocked. From moment one I liked her. She looked at me and said "if my husband can be out there riding black diamonds with a brain injury I should be able to at least get myself out there". Needless to say, her attitude and spirit were amazing, and I was just as giddy as she when she started lining beautiful turns down her second run.

Stay tuned for more updates coming soon!

No Excuse Not To Ski or Board!

While skiing is the biggest program at the NAC, many people in Utah have never hit the slopes on more than a sled in the backyard. If you're one of those people, you don't know what you're missing! Park City Mountain Resort is trying to help you out, though. Read on to find out about their new program to help you become as enamored with the Greatest Snow on Earth as the thousands of people who come from around the world each winter to ski or board Utah's powder.

PARK CITY, UTAH (December 2, 2009) – Park City Mountain Resort announces “StartNOW”, a ski and snowboard school program for first-time skiers and riders designed to increase snowsport participation among Utah residents, ages six and up. Park City Mountain Resort’s StartNOW program offers participants five days of instruction, equipment rentals and lift access for only $25 per day.

“Research shows that a low percentage of Utah residents participate in snowsports. We want to encourage them to experience the magic of skiing and snowboarding,” said Tom Pettigrew, director of skier services for Park City Mountain Resort. “We determined that we needed to develop a program that provided a low entry barrier to trying the sport. At just $25 per day, our StartNOW program is an exceptional value and with a maximum of five students per class, participants receive personalized attention from their instructors.”

The StartNOW Program is offered to all Utah residents six and older that have never skied or snowboarded and includes an afternoon ski or snowboard lesson, rentals and a lift ticket for $25. After completion of the first StartNOW lesson, participants are invited to return to the Resort up to four additional times during the 2009-2010 winter season. Return participants will be able to enjoy any combination of an afternoon lesson, rentals and lift ticket for the low price of $25.

The StartNOW program is being offered all winter season long beginning December 4, 2009, with blackout dates from December 18, 2009 - January 3, 2010 and February 13-20, 2010. Interested participants are required to sign up online at startnow.pcmr.com. Space is limited so participants are encouraged to sign up early.

About Park City Mountain Resort
Park City Mountain Resort, the most accessible mountain resort in North America, is located in the heart of Park City, Utah and is only a 40-minute drive from the Salt Lake City International Airport. With 3,300 acres of unspoiled terrain, the Resort offers groomed Signature Runs™, bumps, powder, trees, eight peaks, nine bowls, four terrain parks, and the Eagle Superpipe. Park City Mountain Resort was once again ranked a top-five resort by the readers of SKI andTransworld Snowboarding magazines and a top-10 ski resort in North America by Conde Nast Traveler. For more information, visit www.parkcitymountain.com or call (800) 222-PARK.

Grassroots Advocacy Partnership Survey

The Grassroots Advocacy Partnership (GAP) is gathering information for as part of a survey of the disability community to gather important data to use in making a case for the importance of disability services during the 2010 Utah Legislative Session.

The first link below is a survey directed primarily at people with disabilities and their families. The second link is directed primarily at people who are professionals and/or volunteers. You are welcome to take both if both apply to you.

Please pass this survey on to anyone and everyone so that GAP can get a good sampling of data from the Utah communities. We will officially close the survey on Sunday, November 29, 2009, and the data will be available on the Utah Developmental Disabilities Council website after December 1, 2009 at www.utahddc.org.

Please take a few minutes to complete the survey(s) and then please pass this along to as many people as possible! Thank you!

Survey for people, family members, and friends

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=6fUTPTmg4GHIFkjUTaceWA_3d_3d

Survey for professionals and volunteers

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=50Zvur4v_2bzJe8L_2ffkEdJvw_3d_3d

Western Sled Hockey League Games

Over the weekend the National Ability Center's Golden Eagles competed in the most recent round of games in the Western Sled Hockey League series. Thanks to everyone who came to support the Eagles!

The final scores were:

Friday, November 6th
NAC Golden Eagles 2 - 0 U.S. Jr. National Team
Phoenix Coyotes 0 - 9 U.S. Jr. National Team
NAC Golden Eagles 6 - 0 Phoenix Coyotes
U.S. Jr. National Team 4 - 1 NAC Golden Eagles

Saturday, November 7th
Phoenix Coyotes 1 - 7 U.S. Jr. National Team
NAC Golden Eagles 8 - 0 Phoenix Coyotes
All-Star Team 0 - 7 U.S. Jr. National Team

Peacefully to Pasture

Today was a sad day for all of us at the National Ability Center. After three years of working with many of the big and tall riders in the NAC's therapeutic and adaptive riding lessons, Bally passed away.

Measuring more than 16 hands tall, Bally towered over most participants and staff. His body was barely big enough to contain his big heart. Even to his last day, Bally had the respect of both his riders and fellow horses. As he took what would be one of his last walks across the ranch this morning, the other horses in the pastures walked to their fences seemingly knowing that something was wrong with the big Belgian Draft. Bally passed away only a few hours later.

Special thanks to Dr. Sam Hendrix and Dr. John Sieverts for their care of Bally over the last few days. Thank you to David & Sue Steinman, the Alysa Casey Family and Stella Tavilla for helping bring Bally to the NAC.

Sincerely,
Dale D. Schoon,
CEO National Ability Center

A Note from the Equestrian Program Staff:

Bally was a gentle giant who tried his best at dressage and barrel racing. We'll all miss him. - Equestrian Program Resource Manager, Jan Drake

Bally was a friend and mentor to many riders. His kind heart and willing nature will be greatly missed. Thank you to all those who helped make his stay here possible. The big guy changed many lives. - Equestrian Program Manager, Rae Sorensen

United We Serve

This morning President Barack Obama announced a new initiative called United We Serve. Mr. Obama encourages Americans of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to get out this summer and serve! At the National Ability Center, we could not survive without our army of volunteers. We are thankful for them everyday. For those of you who don't volunteer already, let this be your call-to-action. Come serve with us! We need you, and you will feel good for having helped out in your community. If you are interested in coming up to help in any of our many summer programs (cycling, horseback riding, swimming, water skiing, archery and more), call Jennifer Carpenter at 435.649.3991. She will get you pointed in the right direction. If you are ready to start today, our monthly volunteer orientation will be held tonight at the NAC at 5:30pm. We hope to see you there.

Better Wasatch Front Transportation?

-Courtesy of Katie Rowley and the Utah Parent Center

Wasatch Front Mobility Management Project

Public Asked to Share Ideas to Improve Transportation Services for Wasatch Front Older Adults, Persons with Disabilities and Persons with Low-Income

Wasatch Front Mobility Management Project

The Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC), Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), Utah Transit Authority (UTA), and Mountainland Association of Governments (MAG) are collaboratively conducting the Wasatch Front Mobility Management Project. Project planners invite organizations and residents to provide input on how transportation services for older adults, persons with disabilities and persons with low income can be improved through better coordination.

The objective of the Wasatch Front Mobility Management Project is to develop service and business plans for efforts that improve the coordination of transportation for older adults, persons with disabilities, and persons with low income. The project area includes the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) service area and areas within the Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC) and Mountainland Association of Governments (MAG) planning boundaries.

Each Open House is scheduled to last two hours. Planners will share results of recent findings, and will seek the assistance of Open House participants to confirm the study findings, to identify any instances of unmet needs, service gaps or service redundancies that are not among the findings, and to offer thoughts on preliminary coordination strategies.

Input from the Open Houses will be used to develop transportation coordination strategies to address unmet mobility needs among older adults, persons with disabilities, and persons with low income. A second round of open houses will be held again in November to gain feedback and to help prioritize alternative transportation coordination strategies. The details for the second round have not yet been finalized.

In addition to open houses, the project team will also hold a series of focus group meetings for older adults, persons with disabilities and persons with low income. The focus group meetings will consist of small group discussions of 8 – 12 participants from each of the three groups. Individual focus group meetings will be held in three different locations within the project area. Participation in focus group meetings is by invitation only. To participate in a focus group meeting, visit the project website. From there you will be asked to respond to a brief questionnaire. Responses to the questionnaire will be used to identify individuals that reflect a representative sampling of older adults, people with disabilities and people with low incomes. Focus group participants will receive a $25 stipend.

Members of the media should contact Barbara Thomas at Wasatch Front Regional Council (801) 363-4230 x 124 or visit the website at http://www.wfrc.org/cms/wasatchmobility/.

For general information about the Wasatch Front Mobility Management Project, the Public Open Houses, and focus group meetings, members of the public should visit the website at http://www.wfrc.org/cms/wasatchmobility/, or call the toll-free project hotline at 1-877-281-5199.

For special accommodations, please call the project hotline at 1-877-281-5199 at least 48 hours in advance of scheduled meeting times.

Dates, Times, and Locations for Public Open Houses:

Box Elder/Weber/Davis County Area Open House:

Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Weber County Library
2464 Jefferson Ave.
Ogden, UT

Salt Lake/Tooele County Area Open House:

Wednesday, June 17, 2008, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Salt Lake City Main Library
210 East 400 South
Salt Lake City, UT

Utah County Area Open House:

Thursday, June 18, 2008, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Utah County Health and Justice Building
151 South University Avenue
Provo, UT

Equestrian 20th Anniversary on PCTV

More than 200 people joined us this weekend to celebrate two decades of horseback riding at the National Ability Center. Thanks to everyone who came and participated. Richard Lee Cody's music was fantastic. Dancing lasted well into the night. Thanks to Bandits for providing the food. Thanks, as well, to Sage Creek Equestrian and Whisperide for all their help in putting the event on. If you couldn't come, check out what was seen through the video camera lens of Park City Television.

Jon & Kate Plus 8

Jon outside the National Ability Center's Ski & Snowboard Center at Park City Mountain Resort.

At the end of the ski season, we had the opportunity to host Jon Gosselin of TLC's Jon & Kate Plus 8 at the National Ability Center's Ski & Snowboard Center on the hill at Park City Mountain Resort. Jon learned about the recreational programs the NAC offers and volunteered with our Ski Program Assistant Manager, Tracy. The two of them help one of the NAC's most adventurous participants, Shay, on a ski lesson. Shea has Cerebral Palsy, and skis both on the Greatest Snow on Earth during the winter and in the water that snow leaves behind during the summer.

Jon tests a pair of outriggers (to aid in stability during ski lessons) as Tracy explains the program.

Jon met up with Tracy and Shea (along with a two-man camera crew) for an overview of the Ski & Snowboard Program before hitting the slopes. They talked about the different equipment and training needed for adaptive skiing. With the background Jon's father had in working with people with disabilities, Jon seemed to pick up on things pretty quickly. He was impressed with the variety of situations that the NAC could adapt lessons for. Being a nationwide leader in adaptive recreation for people with physical and cognitive disabilities means the program managers and ski instructors need to be ready for just about anything! Last year our instructors taught more than 20,000 lessons for the fourth consecutive year.

Shea and Tracy enjoy a good laugh with Jon before heading to the ski lift.

Early that morning, conditions were perfect with a few inches of snow having fallen overnight. It didn't take long for the snow to really start falling as the three headed out for the lesson. The group skied as much as they could in the white-out conditions before calling it a day.

We look forward to hosting Jon and the rest of his family should they ever decide to come to Park City again.

If you would like to learn more about the programs offered at the National Ability Center, you can visit our website at DiscoverNAC.org or call us at 435.649.3991. We provide recreation for people with disabilities throughout the year, and we encourage you to give us a call if you are interested in water skiing, horseback riding, cycling, archery or rock climbing with us this summer! Winter registration won't begin until September, so enjoy the warm weather while it's here. The snow will return soon enough.

If you are interested in supporting us in our mission, you can donate to us through PayPal, or you can contact our Development Officer, Scott Lyttle at 435.200.0983.

Tours of our facility are free and are available Monday - Friday 9am-5pm. Accomodations outside those times can be made by emailing our information inbox at info@DiscoverNAC.org.

AmeriCorps Members Carry a Big Stick (or Sledgehammer)

At noon on May 21, AmeriCorps volunteers from the National Ability Center arrived at Recycle Utah on Woodbine Way with destruction on their minds. Wielding screwdrivers, hammers, utility knives, scissors, pry bars, pliers and a sledgehammer they proceeded to demolish thirty-four discarded car seats in 3 hours. By separating the hard plastic from the metal and non-recyclable fabric, a sizeable amount of recyclable materials were mined from the car seats and the county landfill was spared unwanted additions. It was a tough job but all of the participants enjoyed themselves as they found creative new ways to use tools! Many thanks to Brian, Kristin, Rebekah, Garrett, Molly, and Tracy for volunteering, and thanks to Recycle Utah volunteer coordinator Britte Kirsch for organizing the project.

-John Matro (Recycle Utah volunteer, aka Junkyard Dog)

Note from the NAC;
Each AmeriCorps member who serves with us for a one-year term also participates in monthly service projects like this one with Recycle Utah. This year, the NAC AmeriCorps members have volunteered their time and talents to the Peace House, Utah Food Bank, Norwegian Outdoor Exploration Center and many others. Each of them is also required to fulfill an Individual Service Project during the year. For more information about serving as a member of this national organization, check out AmeriCorps.gov. There are many options for where and when you can serve around the United States. Join AmeriCorps, get things done.

NAC Co-founder Honored by Dalai Lama

Meeche White one of 49 Unsung Heroes of Compassion in the world

photo by Robert Bangtson

Twenty-five years after founding the National Ability Center (NAC) in Park City, Utah, Meeche White was honored by the Dalai Lama as an Unsung Hero of Compassion last month in San Francisco.

White was present two years ago when Paralympian Chris Waddell received the same honor. This time, it was her turn to meet the Dalai Lama.

“It was truly an honor to have an opportunity to shake the Dalai Lama’s hand,” Meeche said after the event. “He’s an amazing man.”

Meeche, who stepped aside as the CEO of the NAC last fall, was one of two individuals from Park City to be honored. She founded what was known as Park City Handicapped Sports in 1985 with her husband at the time. Their idea was to provide ski lessons to veterans with physical disabilities. That first season they taught 45 lessons. This past season the NAC taught more than 5,000 ski lessons and thousands more in programs like horseback riding, sled hockey, cycling, water skiing and swimming. Thousands of people have had their lives changed for the better through the NAC’s programs and Meeche’s efforts in the last two decades.

Her work was not limited to Utah or even the United States. She took the first ever trip with the Special Olympics ski program to Europe, and helped build other adaptive recreation programs in Thailand, Spain, Italy, Korea, Austria and Chile.

Meeche was one of 49 individuals from 13 countries who were chosen for being highly compassionate.

“These individuals have been selected as representatives of the tens of thousands of people worldwide who quietly serve the disenfranchised and work to improve our communities through their personal efforts,” said event chair Dick Grace, founder of Grace Family Vineyards, Red, White and Snow vintner and board chair of Wisdom in Action, the organization hosting the unique celebration. “We don’t see them or hear about them in the daily news, but they exemplify a humanism and heroism to which we must each aspire.”

Meeche said the event was both humbling and overwhelming.

“Of course meeting with the Dalai Lama is always an amazing experience,” she said. “It’s so overwhelming at the time.”

Now that she has had a chance to look back on the experience, Meeche’s thoughts have shifted to the uniqueness of having been honored by the Dalai Lama while so many people love and honor him.

“It’s very humbling because he’s an amazing man,” she said.

Meeche, you're amazing, too! Congratulations!

Tackling Cerebral Palsy

by Raeshell Sorensen
(names in the article have been changed to protect the privacy of our participants)

Every day at the NAC we witness small miracles. One of many small miracles happened early on a Wednesday morning with a young man named Brad. Brad has Cerebral Palsy and has been riding horses for about two years; he recently switched from Therapeutic Riding to doing Occupational Therapy on a horse with our Hippotherapy program. Brad’s Dad Stuart has mentioned a few times how Brad screams and kicks out of excitement when he pulls their car into our drive. Although Brad doesn’t speak, he is quite verbal and communicates with those who know him best. Brad loves the horses, and the horses now help him to achieve his goals of building strength and coordination that will help him work towards walking with a walker to be more independent instead of using a wheelchair.

After 45 minutes of strenuous exercises and stretches on the back of his horse, Brad practices standing and crouching off the horse while holding to the arena fence. Two weeks ago, while doing such an activity, Brad stood up while holding the fence supporting his own weight for the first time. This may not seem like a momentous occasion to the common passerby, but Stuart had a tear in his eye when he said he was going to start shopping for walkers the next day. These are the small miracles that remind us why we do what we do.

If you are interested in seeing what benefits our therapeutic riding or hippotherapy programs could provide you, come visit us! We are located on the east side of Park City at Quinn’s Junction (off exit 4 of Hwy 40). If you have questions about the program check out our website or give us a call at 435.649.3991.

AmeriCorps Week

The National Ability Center is fortunate to be one of only eight AmeriCorps state programs in Utah. These volunteers are invaluable and help create a positive environment for each individual who paritipates in our programs throughout the year. This week we celebrate with nearly 3,000 other organizations which are served by AmeriCorps volunteers. From rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina to helping kids with disabilities learn to ride a bike, AmeriCorps members help in many aspects of community life in the United States. At the NAC, each AmeriCorps member volunteers for 1,700 hours over the course of a year. Thank you AmeriCorps members!

Read on to learn more about AmeriCorps and its benefits to organizations like ours around the country. If you are interested in becoming an AmeriCorps member at the National Ability Center, please email us at info@DiscoverNAC.org.

What is AmeriCorps Week?

AmeriCorps Week is a recruitment and recognition event designed to bring more Americans into service, salute AmeriCorps members and alums for their powerful impact, and thank the community partners who make AmeriCorps possible. AmeriCorps Week provides an opportunity for AmeriCorps members, alums, grantees, program partners, and friends to shine a spotlight on the work done by members in communities across the country -- and to motivate more AmeriCorps to join AmeriCorps or volunteer in their communities.

The third annual AmeriCorps Week will take place May 9-16, 2009.

What is AmeriCorps?

AmeriCorps provides opportunities for 75,000 Americans to give back in an intensive way to their communities and country each year. It consists of three main programs: AmeriCorps State and National, whose members serve with more than 2,900 national and local nonprofit and community groups; AmeriCorps VISTA, through which members serve full time fighting poverty; and AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps), a team-based residential program for young adults 18-24 who carry out projects in public safety, the environment, youth development, and disaster relief and preparedness.

Greg Shaw & Team USA Head to Czech Republic

NAC athlete and Golden Eagles team member, Greg Shaw, is competing this weekend in the IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships in the Czech Republic. Greg has been all over the world with Team USA this season, and they are looking to bring home the gold after last year's bronze medal performance. ParalympicSport.tv is broadcasting the games live. Set your alarm clocks, and cheer for #8. Good luck, Greg!

2009 U.S. National Sled Hockey Team Schedule
May 9-16 • Ostrava, Czech Republic • Sareza Stadium

Date	Opponent	Time (Local/MDT)
Sat., May 9	Italy	9 a.m./1 a.m.
Sun., May 10	Korea	12 p.m./4 a.m.
Tues., May 12	Norway	4 p.m./8 a.m.
Thurs., May 14	Semifinal	TBA
Sat., May 15	Bronze-Medal Game	TBA
	Gold-Medal Game	TBA

Back in the Saddle

Lessons have resumed! Temperatures are warming! Trees are in blossom! What do you want to do today? Bike? Trail ride? Swim? Dance? We do it all, and you can, too!

The swine flu was an unexpected bump in the road, but everyone here is healthy as a horse (including the actual horses!). We're excited to have everyone back. Thanks for your patience. Now it's time to play!

All Clear

With the Summit County Health Department approving the reopening of area schools, the National Ability Center's programs will resume tomorrow (Thursday). If you have any questions, please feel free to call the us at 435.649.3991. What a crazy week! Wash your hands, and come play!

Two Weeks 'Til Shelby's Debut

by Abby Ferrin

Shelby is well on his way for his big show on the 16th. He has been working really hard on obstacles like crossing a bridge, walking through water, stepping over poles, and of course, looking as cute as possible. Up next for Shelby are some experiences with a slicker and trotting in hand. He has taken his training very seriously and is waiting eagerly for his chance to show off his skills next weekend. Wish him luck!

(Shelby being followed in his pen by fellow mustang Etta Place)

One More Week

UPDATE: ALL LESSONS, ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN CANCELED UNTIL MONDAY, MAY 11th.
Erring on the side of caution, the NAC has chosen to cancel lessons for one more week. We still have no reason to believe any individual at the NAC may have been infected with the Swine Flu, but we feel it is best to take this precaution. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the National Ability Center at 435.649.3991.

Lessons Canceled

ALL LESSONS AND PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN CANCELED UNTIL MONDAY, MAY 4th. This decision was made to ensure the safety and health of our participants, volunteers and staff. The state is currently awaiting test results for possible swine flu cases in Park City. Following the decision to cancel school in the Park City School District, we felt it was in everyone's best interest to cancel our activities until next week. The National Ability Center is taking this issue very seriously as many of our participants have sensitive immune systems. Though we have no reason to believe any individual at the NAC may have been infected, we feel it is best to take this precaution. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the National Ability Center at 435.649.3991.

Discovered Abilities, Pt. II

Those of you who attended the Red, White and Snow gala and auction this year had the first chance to see this video. Now it is available for everyone else! In this video, we share with you four stories of individuals from differing circumstances and backgrounds. Each has had a different road to the National Ability Center, but they have all discovered abilities here.



By clicking on the title of this post, you can post this video to your Facebook or MySpace page to share with your friends. You can also tweet the video to your friends via a Twitter link. If you like the video and what we do, don't be shy!

Shelby Prepares for Showtime

by Abby Ferrin

11th Annual Wild Horse and Burro Festival

Shelby’s training is moving to a new level; competitions! He will be showed at the Wild Horse & Burro Festival on Saturday, May 16^th at the Salt Lake County Equestrian Park. Because this will be his first show, we decided to let him ease into it and registered him for just one class. He will be competing against other mustangs of all different ages in the Trail in Hand, Adult Combined class. This consists of being led through an obstacle course of poles, bridges, water, gates, and slickers. He will be judged on how well he responds to his handler and each obstacle.

Shelby has eagerly begun his training for this event with the help of his mustang pal, Etta. Etta was adopted at the same time as Shelby to help him successfully make the transition to domesticated life. She is 2 years old and serves as a more mature example for him to learn from. Etta continues her training just steps ahead of Shelby, so he can see what the future holds for him. We hope that she will also gain the skills necessary to be a therapy horse when she is old enough.

For those of you interested in the Wild Horse & Burro Festival, click here.

Developing Amazing Leaders

DEVELOPING AMAZING LEADERS – Paralympic Conference

April 17 - 20, 2009
U.S. Olympic Training Center
Colorado Springs, Colorado

by Ellen Hall-Adams

Amazing Awaits. That is the message that is heard over and over during this three day conference. And, judging by many of the stories told, amazing happens.

More than 230 attendees, with a passion to prove what is possible for people with disabilities, are being treated to three days of learning from the best, compliments of U.S. Paralympics and the Olympic University.

The event kicked off Friday with an opening reception and a sneak preview of the film “Warrior Champions: From Baghdad to Beijing.” Filmmakers Brent and Craig Renaud share the emotional and inspiring story of a group of severely wounded American Soldiers as they fight to turn nightmares of war into Paralympic dreams. “Warrior Champions” is a coming home story of struggle and triumph that challenges every notion of what it means to have a disability. It will be coming to select theaters in June, and is a must see.

Saturday opened with Dr. Jim Loehr, the Keynote Speaker. Dr. Loehr is the CEO and co-founder of the Human Performance Institute. Dr. Loehr spoke about learning to rewrite our life stories, and in the process redirecting our energy toward what is really most important. He was impassioned and convincing, and had everyone lining up for a book signing following the presentation.

Following Dr. Loehr’s opening, we were able to choose between five presentations every couple of hours. The choices were difficult, as everything was compelling. The good news is that all presentations were handed to us on a flash drive for later viewing. Among the presenters were Paralympians, Paralympic Coaches, Doctors, Recreational and Physical Therapists, and Leaders of cutting-edge adaptive and rehabilitation organizations.

After many amazing (there’s that word again) presentations about organization, athlete development, equipment technology, recruiting, funding, etc, this attendee got a Goal Ball in the face during a hands on experience in a relatively new Paralympic sport. I think I’ll call it a night. More tomorrow.

Double Dip in the Park Record

The National Ability Center was mentioned in two separate articles in the Park Record newspaper today.

Patrick Parkinson's article about a local family's struggles with Autism gave Tracy Riddleberger Meier the opportunity to talk about the NAC's programs and summer camps. Tracy is the program manager for Discovery Camps and the assistant program manager for the Recreational Ski & Snowboard Program. April is National Autism Awareness Month. The NAC will be working joining Utah's Walk Now for Autism on May 2nd, and more details will be coming soon about our pariticpation in that event.

Alisha Self also wrote an article about Shelby Mustang's arrival to the NAC. She spoke with Jan Drake about the process of bringing a mustang in from the wild and training it to become a therapy horse. Jan is the Equestrian Resource Manager at the NAC. In the article you can learn about Shelby's progress since his arrival, and you will be introduced to his stallmate, Miss Etta.

Both articles are good reads! Thanks, Pat and Alisha.

NARHA Region 10 Gallops Through

by Raeshell Sorensen, Horseback Riding Program Manager

The National Ability Center hosted the 2009 NARHA Region 10 Conference last weekend. This was the first conference of its kind hosted by the NAC. It was a great opportunity for therapeutic riding instructors, therapists, horse handlers and volunteers from five different states to gain more knowledge and network with other professionals in their field. Classes focused on topics related to administrative job tasks, instructor skills, horse knowledge and ability awareness. Presentations included topics such as “How to Plan for Volunteer Turnover”, “Grant Writing, Putting the Puzzle Together” and “Preparing a Rider to Be Independent”. The conference was educational and entertaining for all who attended.

Winter Ability Bulletin Newsletter Available!

The new Winter 2008-09 Ability Bulletin newsletter is now available for download! You can click on the graphic above or the title of this blog post to get your copy right on your computer!

If you are on the National Ability Center's email list, you should have received an email announcing the Ability Bulletin's availability in your inbox earlier today. If you didn't, make sure you're on our list by filling out the form on our homepage. Signing up for our emails will let you in on the inside scoop at the NAC. The latest information on program schedules, special events, registration deadlines and more can be sent straight to your email by signing up. You can always unsubscribe at any time.

If you have suggestions of articles you'd like to see included in future editions of the Ability Bulletin, please leave us a Comment below.

Silver & Bronze at USASA National Champtionships

by Lucas Grossi

Dan Monzo and and Nicole Roundy are killin' it at the2009 USASA National Championships in Copper Mountain In the Halfpipe competition, Monzo (left) took third place and Nicole (right) rocked a silver metal! NAC Rippers!!!

More to come...

Shelby's Grand Adventure

by Abby Ferrin

Shelby Mustang is still hard at work. Last Wednesday Shelby had his first major outing. In order to improve his leading skills, he had to move to a bigger area. He very bravely put his halter on and ventured out of his stall, through the barn, and into the arena. This was such an accomplishment that he had to celebrate with a few victory laps around the arena.

He was so attentive and well-behaved in the arena that he was then able to take a walk outside. This was no small walk. He traveled all the way around the parking lot to the lodge and back safely into arena. While outside, he was fortunate enough to encounter a few cars and some very nice people.

A successful trip, and Shelby is safe back in his stall with his buddy, resting up for his next grand adventure.

Adaptive Alpine Champs Wrap-up

by Sue Greenberg

The 2009 U.S. Adaptive Ski Championships drew to a close today in Winter Park Colorado with the newest event in ski racing, the Super Combined. For those unfamiliar with this event, it requires the athlete to complete one run of Super G and one run of Slalom in one day. Super G is a speed event similar to Downhill but with a few more turns. In Downhill the athletes have the opportunity to complete a few training runs on the course prior to the actual race. In Super G there are no training runs, only a single opportunity to slowly inspect the course before racing full out. Following the morning race the athletes switch equipment and gears to complete one run of the quick turning slalom course. At the end of six tiring days of competition this event showcases both the athletes' versatility and level of fitness. I am very happy to report that all three of the NAC Ability Ski Team members attending this event not only survived the test of the Super Combined, but brought out some of their best performances of the week!

Zack Broderick discovered a love for speed this week, and while his Super G was solid, his Slalom run bumped him up two places to finish 10th in the Men's Sitting category. This showcased the hard work that he has put in all season developing his Slalom skills. Sam Blakley had consistently good runs in both portions of the Combined with a 9th place finish, closing the gap on his Junior aged rival from the East who just squeaked in ahead of Sam. Teague Cowley got one more opportunity to strut his Slalom skills with a run that moved his final result up to 7th place, just behind the U.S. team athletes in the Men's Standing category.

After ten days on the road, the athletes and coaches of the NAC Ability Ski Team are exhausted but excited both by the results from this season and the anticipation of next year. We return to Park City tomorrow. After a few well deserved rest and recovery days the team will begin preparing for next season by getting back to training next week!

Looking forward to seeing everyone.

The Waiting Game

Teague Cowley and Zack Broderick waiting for the snow to stop.

by Sue Greenberg

There was a problem with the results calculation during the last couple of days. With all of the snow there were a few delays in getting yesterday's race underway, so while the coaches were out getting a thigh burning workout by pushing several inches of powder off of the downhill track, the athletes had a bit of time to rest and relax. The weather did clear and the race was held under much better conditions than Tuesday's blizzard! We'll keep you updated as we get the results from the recent races.

Video from 2009 Adaptive Alpine Nationals

After one of his best finishes as a member of the Ability Ski Team, Teague Cowley edited this video together of his races and those of teammates Zack Broderick and Sam Blakley. Check them out!

Giant Slalom at Disabled Nationals Ski Races

Results today in Giant Slalom were OK with Sam Blakley placing 9th and Teague Cowley 10th in GS. Teague skied a 240 point race which is 50 points better than he had going into the race. Sam is still getting used to his new boots and really picked up the pace in the second run. Teague had his own "wardrobe malfunction" with his top boot buckle falling off during morning warm up, allowing him to prove that you CAN fix almost everything with duct tape! Zack missed a gate in the first run and was disqualified. They are all looking forward to the speed events that begin tomorrow with a Downhill training run.

More to come...

Ability Ski Team: On the Road at Nationals

by Sue Greenberg

The Ability Ski Team put the rubber to the road on Tuesday on our way to Winter Park Colorado for the U.S. Alpine Adaptive Nationals. Apparently we missed out on the most epic snowfall of the season in Park City, but that's okay - our entire season of training has been leading up to this event, so it was best that we were able to maintain our focus and edging skills. Wednesday was a training day with an opportunity to ski on the Super G track in the morning and a few runs of Slalom in the afternoon. Thursday was too windy to allow for training, so we had a much needed rest day to catch up after the travel and adapt to the higher elevation. Friday brought a rare sunny day to Winter Park, and we trained Slalom in the morning.

Today was the Slalom National Championship. The first run was exciting with our athletes, Teague Cowley, Zack Broderick and Sam Blakley skiing at a level that showcased their potential. These athletes compete in the two most competitive categories in Adaptive Racing, Men's Standing and Men's Sitting. After the first run, Teague was in seventh place in Men's Standing, ahead of some US team athletes, and Zack was in 8th place in Men's Sitting. These runs represented personal best results for these athletes. Slalom is a two run event, with the overall result coming from the addition of the two runs. At the end of the day, Teague finished in 8th place, with a result that will improve his world ranking by a significant amount. Zack had another solid run, but unfortunately was disqualified on a procedure violation. Despite this setback he has shown a great improvement in this discipline over the season. Sam finished 12th in the Men's Standing category, finding his groove after a shaky start. Overall the athletes represented the NAC very well today, and we are confident that this will continue through the remainder of the Championships.

Other results of interest to our supporters include current US Team member and NAC alumni, Erik Bayindirli finishing just off of the podium in 5th place in Men's Sitting. Park City locals Monte Meier (Men's Standing) and Stephani Victor (Women's Sitting) won the Championship Titles in their respective categories.

The Championships continue tomorrow (Sunday) with the Giant Slalom. We will keep you updated.

A Farewell to Eddy

by Jan Drake, Equestrian Resource Manager

We recently found out that one of our retired therapy horses was humanely put down. Eddy, a 24-year-old buckskin quarter horse was leased to us by Mary Lou Hamil. Eddy provided three years of therapy lessons and put many smiles on the faces of our participants. She will be greatly missed by the National Ability Center. Eddy got to the point that her quality of life was quickly deteriorating, and a tough decision was made by her family. We want to thank Mary Lou for her generosity in leasing Eddy to us for those years.

A Name For Our Mustang!

At this weekend's Red, White and Snow auction, the naming rights to our adopted Mustang were purchased. We are happy to announce that our mustang will be officially named Carroll Shelby, KR (King of the Road) and will be known as Shelby Mustang. Check back regularly for updates on the progress of Shelby's training!

Ability Ski Challenge on PCTV

Park City Television's Mike Bradshaw paid a visit to the race hill at Park City Mountain Resort for the 21st Annual Ability Ski Challenge and talked with some of the event's skiers. Check out the video!

Ability Ski Challenge

This year's Ability Ski Challenge was an integral part of the Red, White and Snow weekend to benefit the National Ability Center. Congratulations to the winners in each team and individual category. We look forward to seeing you all again next year. Check out the photo gallery here!

Team Awards:

Shredders Category

1. Splashy Coaches
2. Masters
3. Killer Kids

Weekend Warriors

1. Adelman Family
2. Cutie Pies
3. Team Juicy

Couch Potatoes

1. Renstall
2. Preferred Source
3. Cottonwoods

Male Host

1. Same Blakely
2. Teague Cowley
3. Josie Featherston

Female Host

1. Cindy Wilmhurst
2. Amber Ohl
3. Kirsten Morrisee

Male Legend

1. Thunder Jalili
2. Christian Mulholland
3. Brian Frost

Female Legend

1. Heidi Voelker
2. Alex Shaeffer
3. Jenny Badger

Male (without a disability)

1. Bob Skinner
2. James Tautkus
3. Jay Hay

Female (without a disability)

1. Dana Alexandrescu
2. Erin McDermott
3. Tina Bucheister

Jr. Male

1. Peter Papineau, Jr.
2. Kieran Adams
3. Bridger Clifford

Jr. Female

1. Sophie Frankenburg
2. Courtney Staples
3. Gretchen Swenson
   

Happy Friday!

How can it not be a happy Friday morning when you wake up to this?

This photo of the east side of Deer Valley at sunrise/moonset this morning shows just how beautiful today is going to be for everyone who is going to Skiing with the Legends. Groomers should be awesome all day long after a cold night. Blue skies are expected to last throughout the day. Hope to see you there!

Red, White and Snow 2009 | Private Wine Tasting

The weekend started early for guests of this year's Red, White and Snow culinary, wine and ski spectacular. More than 50 guests joined some of the best vintners in the country to taste a variety of wines at one of Park City's newest Main Street restaurants. Tatou served as the host for the three hours of wine tasting and mingling on a beautiful, chilly Thursday night.

If you couldn't make it, here's a little of what you missed.

Dale Schoon, CEO of the National Ability Center, talks with Diana Schweiger Isdahl (left) and Andy Isdahl (middle) from Schweiger Family Vineyards.

Tim Brennwald, Heidi Voelker and vintner Bayard Fox

Paul Crowe listens to Sean Capiaux from Capiaux Cellars before tasting wine from one of the dozen vintners being showcased.

Lynanne Nyarady enjoys a glass of wine with Chris Waddell and Rick Garcia.

For more photos, check out our Facebook page.

Hey, there, little fella!

by Abby Jane Ferrin

Our Equestrian Program is very excited to introduce the newest member of its herd—a little, 7-month old mustang. He was adopted from the Bureau of Land Management’s Herriman holding facility on Saturday, February 21st.

Standing in a herd of hundreds of other horses his age, he stuck out immediately to us. His temperament is very calm and accepting of any new thing. He gives lots of love and likes to receive a lot in return. His looks make him completely irresistible. He is a rare tri-color pinto with tan and black points. He also has a rare dorsal stripe only over a tan patch on his back.

He arrived at the NAC on Tuesday, February 24th and immediately settled into his new home. By that weekend, we were able to halter him, and within a week we were brushing and leading him. He has loved being at the NAC and takes to all of his training very well.

As of yet, this adorable little mustang does not have a name. His naming rights will be auctioned off at our annual Red, White and Snow event. The proceeds from this will go toward his formal training when he is a little bigger.