Maine Handicapped Skiing still has openings available for adults and children with physical disabilities to participate in its winter adaptive recreational program starting January 3, 2006.

Maine Handicapped Skiing offers lessons free of charge at four locations in Maine; Sunday River Ski Resort (downhill skiing and snowboarding, Sunday through Friday), Sugarloaf USA (downhill skiing and snowboarding, weekends only), Sunday River Inn and Cross Country Ski Center (cross country skiing & snowshoeing, Wednesdays through Fridays), and Pineland Farms, New Gloucester (cross country skiing and snowshoeing for scheduled days throughout the winter season).

The program serves people who have many different types of physical disabilities including traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, blind and visually impaired, deaf and hearing impaired, stroke, spinal cord injury, spina bifida and people who have lost limbs through an accident or disease.

Potential and returning participants are required to fill out an application form and get a physician’s statement permitting them to take part in the program. Staff members and volunteers evaluate each participant individually, determining their interests, physical strengths and what they want to accomplish. Once evaluated, participants are assigned to one or more volunteers who work with them on the slopes to learn downhill skiing or snowboarding or on the trails for cross country skiing or snowshoeing.

Every year, volunteers teach over 240 participants with physical disabilities, ages 6 and up, to downhill and cross country ski, snowboard and snowshoe. Every November and December new and returning volunteers participate in extensive training in adaptive skiing and riding techniques, adaptive equipment usage, and workshops on the types of physical disabilities served by the program.

Maine Handicapped Skiing attracts program participants from all over Maine, New England, Canada and even as far away as Great Britain. Lessons are offered first come, first served. If you have a physical disability or know a friend or family member who has a physically disability, please call Maine Handicapped Skiing today to learn more about their programs.

For more information on becoming a participant at Maine Handicapped Skiing, please call 800-639-7770; e-mail [email protected] or visit www.skimhs.org