Join me in providing life changing experiences for children and adults with disabilities!

Join me in supporting real change. Let’s support good in the world and make a difference. Help us for Achieve Tahoe

What does Achieve Tahoe do? Achieve Tahoe is a nonprofit that builds health, confidence and independence through recreational sports for children and adults with disabilities. The organization serves over 500 people a year through one-on-one snowsports lessons, waterskiing, paddle sports and more. Achieve Tahoe's highly trained instructors and specialized, adaptive equipment allow the organization to serve just about anyone with any disability. Achieve Tahoe participants and family members often say that their experience with Achieve Tahoe goes on to affect other areas of their life such as gaining confidence to try other sports, becoming more social, and breaking down perceived barriers showing them that they can do things they perhaps never thought they could before.

"We were introduced to Achieve Tahoe by our friend, Mike, five years ago when our daughter, Tate, was 10. Tate has Down syndrome and has skied with your program every season since....We feel so fortunate to have benefited from your fantastic organization. Last week Tate skied with her brothers, Dad and I for the first time without an instructor. While we were on the chairlift she exclaimed, 'I love this...it makes me feel so alive!' Needless to say I had tears running down my cheeks as I took a video of her skiing down [a blue ski run]. Tate loves skiing, has a true sense of pride in her ability and can now independently enjoy what I'm certain will be a lifelong sport. I can say with confidence that I don't think this would have been possible without Achieve Tahoe. Your organization, staff and volunteers have made a real difference in our lives." -Sarah W. 2019

More Background on Achieve from The Sierra Sun, here are some of their stories: https://www.sierrasun.com/news/achieving-greatness-5-inspiring-people-who-are-taking-skiing-to-new-heights/

How did I get involved? Well, Achieve Tahoe has been at Alpine Meadows for over 50 years. Since I started skiing in Tahoe in 2001, year after year, I walked by their building thinking to myself how cool it was and how much admiration I had for the participants and staff. Well, in 2020, I finally did it, here are some of the highlights:

• After going through 2 days of training, my first day volunteering was supporting a lead instructor and we worked with two different participants over the course of three/two hour sessions. With a returning participant, we had a lot of fun exploring new lines down the mountain that they had never done before. We also had some good conversations on the lifts up the hill.
• One of the skills you perform as a volunteer assisting lead instructors is to "block" uphill traffic. You make folks aware that a lesson is going on.... with one of our mono chair skiers it really didn't require "blocking" as she ripped past a lot of other skiers and boarders. It was fun to watch and brought back some memories/skills of blocking as an offensive lineman for the AB Colonials...
• Another participant was mostly blind, deaf, and autistic. On the third run of the lesson, she spontaneously started giggling halfway down the trail, goodtimes! Honestly, anytime I struggle for a good smile for a picture, I can think of this moment and instantly it appears.
• Another volunteer day we were helping a participant who was recovering from a stroke. We were using a piece of equipment that provided a participant 4 points of contact with the snow (his two skis plus an additional two skis). It was really cool to see how getting back on the slopes picked up his spirits.
• On Super Bowl Sunday 2020, we were skiing with a participant who couldn't speak. The participant had been with Achieve Tahoe for years. After the lesson, his mother mentioned to me that Achieve Tahoe gets credit for him walking, as it built strength in his legs. It was incredible.
  • A little later that season, one of the legendary instructors at Achieve Tahoe (Karen) told me how she took him from a sit mono ski to stand up skis. Karen reminded me to focus on the participants becoming more independent. She reminded me to look to develop abilities, even in the littlest of things. It was a great lesson for me from a legend and true champion. Thanks Karen!

In 2020, I ended up missing my last two days of volunteering when the corona virus shut down Alpine Meadows. Regardless, thanks to the generosity of friends, family and Salesforce donation matching, I was able to help raise $4,695 for Achieve Tahoe. My goal this year is beat that, so thank you in advance!

If you are asking "where are the highlights from this year?" Well, I am recovering some some ankle issues and have been riding crutches a little more than I would have liked. I am committed and scheduled to volunteer 6 days in March and 2 in April

Lastly, thanks to all the wonderful people at Achieve Tahoe, they put an emphasis on the word "inclusive". They are superstars in every sense of the word.

Be safe out there, thank you, and c ya next time I am looking at ya, Tim

Here are a bunch of pictures to help you get a sense of it all.....

Jake (instructor) and I both learned how to skate backwards as hockey players, make it easier on skis

Cold Temperatures, a slow lift and Super Bowl Sunday, skied to the last chair though!

Dan Tajbl and I. Dan is a fellow Salesforcer from back in the day (2007ish), who is still with Salesforce working in our foundation and living in Reno. Dan fell once on skis and lost many of the vowels that went in his last name, so he shortened it to Tajbl. That last sentence is a joke that is dedicated to Shannon, our manager back then and one of the best of all time.

Magic Carpet Ride in the Tunnel to Boot

A lot of participants don't have their own equipment, it helps to have the locker room full especially during the veterans week and ski week for school holidays....

The TetraSki is really amazing for participants who require motorized steering assistance

Achieve Tahoe HQ at Alpine Meadows, CA

Because we work to build health, confidence and independence in an outdoors environment, California added our volunteers to the first line of COVID-19 vaccinations.

Lobby where you meet up with the participants before lessons

Not quite ski season when this pic was taken....

Go AB! Thanksgiving Day 1993