Support adaptive recreation for individuals with disabilities!

MY "ABILITIES" STORY.... STARTED WITH A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT IN 1979...

AS A TRUCKEE LOCAL MY AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITY CONSISTED OF GETTING TO THE SKI HILL BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE AND SKIING TILL THE LIFTS CLOSED.

MY FIRST YEAR WITH A SKI PASS WAS 1972 ....

I THOUGHT MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH SKIING HAD COME TO AN END ON THAT DAY IN JUNE ' 79

I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT AFTER A COUPLE OF YEARS... I LEARNED TO WALK AGAIN.

AND IT WAS EVENTUALLY MADE POSSIBLE THRU THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF THESE PROGRAMS ... I WAS ABLE TO GET BACK UP ON SKIS............

THE FREEDOM... SELF ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE THAT WERE RESTORED TO ME ARE SOMETHING THAT GAVE ME A GIFT THAT NOTHING ELSE COULD HAVE.

IN 2011 MY 1ST GRANDCHILD ,BERKLEY, WAS BORN.... IT TOOK A COUPLE OF MONTHS TO RECOGNIZE THAT ALL WAS NOT WELL WITH HER VISION.

MY DAUGHTER RECEIVED THE NEWS THAT BERKLEY WAS BORN WITH OPTIC NERVE HYPOPLASIA ....IT IS A CONGENITAL BLINDNESS....AFTER MANY TEST AND DIAGNOSIS LATER ...WE RECEIVED SOME WELCOME NEWS... HER DIAGNOSIS WAS NOT AS SEVERE AS IT COULD HAV BEEN.... OPTIC NERVE HYPOPLASIA CAN BE AN EXTREMELY COMPLEX DIAGNOSIS AFFECTING THE BRAIN AND THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM IN FAR REACHING AND LIFELONG WAYS. BERKLEY'S BRAIN WAS UNAFFECTED BY HER ONH DIAGNOSIS ...(HER MOMMA COULD HAVE TOLD ANYONE THAT)

BUT THE ONH DIAGNOSIS WOULD BE WITH HER FOR LIFE.........

THRU THE SIERRA REGIONAL 'SKI FOR LIGHT' FOUNDATION ..MY GRANDDAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO GET ON CROSS-COUNTRY SKIS LAST YEAR AT THE AGE OF 6. BERKLEY KNOWS ABOUT MY LOVE OF SKIING AND HAS SEEN PICTURES OF HER 'NANNIE' ON THE MONO & BI SKIS.

LAST YEAR, WHILE WE LOOKED AT THE PICTURES OF ME ... HER "NAN" ON THE HILL....SHE ASKED

WILL I BE ABLE TO DO THAT NAN?"

I KNEW FIRSTHAND ...DESPITE HER CHALLENGES ..... I WOULD BE ABLE TO TELL HER THAT

YES! SHE COULD!

AND ............THAT WE COULD DO IT TOGETHER!

I'M HOPING THAT THRU YOUR GENEROSITY.... THIS YEAR ...I'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER HER QUESTION WITH

"TIME TO GO SKIING BERKLEY!"

SINCERLEY YOURS WITH ENORMOUS GRATITUDE,

STEFANIE BELSON

Based in North Lake Tahoe . . . . Achieve Tahoe leads the way in adaptive sports and recreation for people with disabilities. With over 50 years experience, our trained staff and volunteers guide you in discovering life without limits. Our specialized adaptive equipment and teaching methods allow us to accommodate almost ANYone with ANY disability.

Our Mission is to provide affordable inclusive physical and recreational activities that build health and confidence.

Brief History In 1967 Jim Winthers, a World War II Veteran of the 10th Mountain Division and Director of the Soda Springs Ski School, brought together a group of Vietnam Veterans to support each other as they learned to cope with their disabilities. These Veterans taught themselves and others how to ski. From there, our organization was born.

Achieve Tahoe has continued its rehabilitation orientation and remains dedicated to the belief that sports are a vital part of the process in which individuals with disabilities gain self-confidence, mobility, and greater independence. Our programs promote education, socialization and employment. They help turn tragedy into triumph by instilling in participants the knowledge that it's not their disabilities, but their abilities that count.

Family Orientation We encourage the whole family to participate in many of our programs and activities. This can strengthen family bonds while ending the isolation of individuals with disabilities by uniting families through recreational activities.