Lindsay Cagley, CEO of Challenge Aspen shared with our Rotary Club this month the upcoming opportunities to SERVE our community in Snowmass. Since 1995 the Challenge Aspen community has believed that access, inclusive participation and a supportive community are the foundation to encourage wellness and for establishing rewarding lives for individuals living with physical and/or cognitive disabilities. The Challenge Aspen programs are created to embrace these ideals connecting, empowering and inspiring those we serve. The Snowmass Rotary Club has supported Challenge Aspen for many years through our community grants program, as well as have offered volunteers to the various programs offered throughout the year.
We host an annual adaptive instructor exchange program with Desafio Bariloche in partnership with Aspen’s Sister Cities program. We are recruiting 2 or more local host families for March 15-30 for this incredible cultural and expertise exchange. I’m hopeful that there may be at least one Snowmass Rotarian who is interested in hosting!
Here is a link to a recap of our instructor, John Klonowski, who traveled to Bariloche this fall: https://aspensistercities.com/excitement-and-companionship-in-adaptive-instruction/
Here is some information about the two Desafio instructors/board members that we are hoping to host in our valley this March:
Joaquin Garcia Jurjo
DOB - 10 Nov 1983
Member of Desafio since 2013 as an adaptive instructor. He is currently board member and president of Desafio. His first adaptive course was that given by Bobby and Charley in Catedral. He understands English and speaks well with a strong latin accent, and is proficient on all adaptive techniques. His expectations of the exchange are to be able to collaborate with Challenge Aspen and its participants in any way possible, work with as many adaptive techniques as possible, and get to know the inner workings of Challenge Aspen, to be able to bring back to Desafio everything that might help the foundation grow and reach long term sustainability. Expectations on training will probably be with any new adaptive disciplines, maybe even the adaptive snowboard which we use in Bariloche as well, and hopefully get a closer look at inner workings of the foundation.
Joaquin used to compete in ski races as a young boy, now has a business, and beautiful family with a daughter and son of 3 and 6.
Mariana Neira
DOB - 30 March 1979
Mariana has been a volunteer for Desafio for the last 3 years, and has grown more and more interested in learning more adaptive disciplines. She has shown to be very involved with Desafio and its participants, being a great ski buddy with all participants, showing commitment and enthusiasm every time she participates. She is looking forward to helping out with whatever she can, and learn about all adaptive disciplines, in order to come back as a more active member of Desafio. She has been a local skier all her life, enjoys outdoor activities, works as a hotel manager, and mother of two.
HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED??!
- Here is the link to the Southwest Airlines video featuring our CAMO program: https://youtu.be/L-j3mTFfRMo
- Here is a link to a video featuring a family participating in our REC program: https://youtu.be/UMoq5zP3r2I
- Our volunteer application can be found in the link following: https://challengeaspen.org/volunteer/