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News and Information about the People and Programs of SFL International
Skiing. Sharing. LearningThe mission of Ski for Light is to enhance the quality of life and independence of visually or mobility-impaired adults through a program of cross country skiing.
Hello SFL Friends, I am writing this article in mid-March from Sunny Atlanta where we are experiencing record warm temperatures for this date, but my thoughts are in snowy Bellaire, Michigan, site of the 2016 Ski for Light event. This 41st SFL International gathering had all of the ingredients necessary for an extremely enjoyable and successful week. Well groomed trails with excellent tracks, plenty of snow and pleasant weather all added up to a great skiing experience. Our well-appointed hotel, with its good food and friendly staff, along with our informative special interest presentations and evening entertainment, provided everything that we needed to enjoy our time away from skiing; however, the key ingredient for a successful SFL event is the people who plan and manage the event. Special thanks to event co-chairs Doug Boose and Judy Dixon and to the entire planning committee for a job very well done. In addition to welcoming an enthusiastic group of first time participants and guides, we were honored by visits from the Norwegian ambassador Kare Aas and the international president of the Sons of Norway Jon Tehven. We genuinely appreciate ambassador Aas and President Tehven taking time out of their demanding schedules to spend time with us. Following a brief orientation to guide training, the ambassador proved to be an excellent guide over a rather challenging part of the 10K course.
During the 2016 annual meeting, the Ski for Light Board conducted elections of new Board members and officers for the next two years. You will read more about the elections later in this bulletin. While the Executive Committee and Board of directors establish policy and govern Ski for Light, much of the day-to-day work is accomplished through various committees. While I am in the process of putting together committees for the next two years, I'm aware that we are in need of volunteers to assist with recruitment of new guides and visually and mobility impaired participants as well as fundraising. If you have an interest in helping out in either of these areas of critical need, please send me an email at scottmccall3@comcast.net
You will note that we have a new editor for the bulletin. Andrea Goddard has assumed this responsibility and we genuinely appreciate her willingness to take on this important task. We also greatly value and appreciate the fine work and dedication of Peter Slatin who has edited the bulletin for many years.
As always, heart-felt thanks to the many volunteers who work throughout the year and to those of you who support SFL with your financial gifts. This combination of volunteer time and financial support makes it possible for us to continue to operate as an all-volunteer organization.
Wishing all a happy and active spring.
There really aren't enough good things to say about the fantastic trails and skiing conditions at Shanty Creek Resorts, as we gathered for the 41st International Ski for Light, or, for what has become one of the best, extended family reunions imaginable.... There was something behind the magic of the smooth and gentle 5-K, and the more hilly and challenging 10-K trails, though, so the party was in the works long before most of the SFL contingent descended on the Lakeview Hotel in Bellaire in late January. Jeff Pagels, John Peiffer, and Doug and Lynda Boose had made their way to Shanty Creek in March, 2015, in order to work with the resort's general manager, Pete Bickford, and later, with Shanty Creek's groomer to optimize SFL's skiing experience. Their efforts paid off in universal praise: Those of us who sit-ski, as well as those stand-up skiers wanting a more leisurely time of it rejoiced over the gentle ups and downs of the 5-K trail, and sit-skiers were also thrilled that they could ski more throughout the week because the trail had been designed in part to meet the needs of MIPs relying almost solely on upper body strength to propel their skis. The 10-K was likewise pleasing; always well-groomed, and studded with some challenging, exciting hills! Shuttle service to and from the ski area was superb, with the hotel's being just a few minutes' ride from the hours of great skiing. Lunch service at the cafeteria was complimented by all, and the Lakeview Hotel's staff was outstandingly courteous and helpful in all aspects of their service and assistance throughout the week. Of course, some folks were able to enjoy their skiing because they were committed enough to show up at the much-lauded stretching classes led by Doug Powell... the SFL fitness guru, every morning at 6:45! Others of us cherished that last, lingering bit of pre-breakfast calm before the non-stop fun and camaraderie filling the rest of our days. While that latter group of us rubbed sleep out of our eyes and tried to jump-start things with some desperately needed caffeine, Doug's dedicated stretching class would be the most upbeat people in the breakfast buffet line. The hot tub, steam room, and sauna were well-populated after each ski day, and the resident massage therapist was kept quite busy throughout the week. The evenings were filled with some fun gatherings (like the one hosted by Diane Brunswick and Glenn Beachy), and Nancy Stevens led a couple great jam sessions in front of one of the hotel's fireplaces, where rousing folk music was sung, played, and otherwise enjoyed by all! On the night of the silent auction, a lively and entertaining deejay played some great tunes, and one of the more unexpected moments occurred when several of the guide dogs present were allowed to "dance" right along with the rest of us, having the permission of their handlers and being off-duty at the time, naturally! Another of our ski week traditions, Norway Night, was met with the usual combination of attentiveness and enthusiasm: Festivities featured traditional costumes, an interesting presentation on Norwegian history and culture, a moving testimonial by deaf/blind athlete Harald Vik, and one of the more offbeat yet cherished SFL traditions, a giant snake dance, everyone with hands on shoulders winding through the dining room and swaying to John Denver's "Country Roads." Julie Coppens's spirited, articulate announcing/deejay skills kept us all riveted as she delivered meal-time updates on trail/weather conditions, and on our daily schedule of events. The only, real "downer" of the week was that it had to end and, though the Granby event is nearly a year away, many of us feel that it can't come soon enough!
The wise people who do the difficult job of matching skiers and guides at each event follow a few rules of thumb: they try to avoid repeating matches from year to year; they do their best to create pairs with compatible goals as stated on their applications (whether to ski recreationally, competitively, or somewhere in between); and they tend to match first-time participants with veteran guides, and vice versa, which helps to break in the new folks. Here are two perspectives on SFL 2016 from just such a skier-guide pair: rookie Anmol Bhatia, who was born in Mumbai, India, and now hails from Seattle; and 19-year guide and SFL board member Julie York Coppens, who lives in Juneau, Alaska. Despite their origins on opposite sides of the globe, and a wide difference in skiing experience, Anmol and Julie developed an instant rapport out on the trail-we could hear their wide-ranging conversations and shared laughter from across the meadows at Shanty Creek, and every day it was clear that Anmol was becoming a better skier.
Anmol: I first learned about Ski for Light in 2010, and the thought of going skiing really excited me. I applied to attend the Ski for Light International 2011, which was held in Granby, Colorado-the same place it will be held in 2017. I was accepted then; however, since I was just starting my Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling program at the University of Arkansas, I decided that I could not justify missing a week of school to go skiing.
Julie: Darn it, Anmol! You missed a great event, and one of the worst race-day blizzards we've ever seen.
Anmol: After that school and other work commitments always seem to get in the way. However, this year I decided that I better do it now or I may never be able to do it and I am glad I took a week of vacation and came to Shanty Creek, Michigan. My guide Julie York Coppens was extremely fun, cheerful, and very patient. It helped that she was the event's announcer and a very popular person at Ski for Light.
Julie: OK, I don't know who Anmol was skiing with, but it couldn't have been me.
Anmol: It also helped that her husband [Ken Leghorn] was one of the instructors, and through both of them I learned the art of skiing.
Julie: True, I think we both learned a lot from Ken. I remember spending one morning with you in the practice tracks, working on diagonal stride. Ken could see immediately what you were doing right, what great balance and flexibility you already had. He knew that with a just a few adjustments-getting that rhythmic arm swing going and working the flex a little more in your knees and feet-you'd be able to really glide. You were listening so carefully and trying so hard to put all those points together, and then bam, you were gliding, just zipping down the tracks! It was awesome to see how much your technique improved and how much faster you were skiing every day. And then during the Rally you amazed everybody, including me, by skiing totally clean and beating your estimated time by almost half an hour, finishing at 1:12! I know that in the Rally you're supposed to come in close to your estimated time, but we were just cooking with too much gas. You should have gotten a prize for that.
Anmol: The entertainment in the evenings was just as exciting with dances, the trivia night, the comedian, and socializing at the bar. I really learned the art of cross country skiing and got a wonderful workout at Ski for Light International 2016. Next year I am looking forward to an equally good time and expect to expand on what I learned.
Julie: Yep, I think we are all going to have to watch out for you in Colorado! Congrats, Anmol, on receiving a grant from the Puget Sound Regional that will help fund your trip to SFL 2017 - it is much deserved, and you're a great new ambassador for that active group in Seattle. I know you will do them proud, and I will share some of that pride as your first SFL guide. You made my week.
Cross-country skiing is the recreational activity that I desire most. Living in Alaska, you may think that I have a lot of skiing opportunities. On Kodiak Island not so much, unless I put skins on the bottom of my skis and hike up a mountain. The average rainfall here is over 70 inches a year at sea level. Besides I am accustomed to skiing on great tracks since joining SFL and my favorite bunch of friends and skiers on the planet! This year, though, I was in for a surprise. So it's three days before the 2016 event in Bellaire, MI, my orthopedist tells me that I am not to ski due to a chronic knee injury. He says that I am not 'safe' to guide! Reluctantly, I concede to the fact that I am not skiing this year. Sadly, I send my regrets to Lars Johanson, the guide coordinator, and instead offer to serve behind the scenes. Then I experience an epiphany. On the wall of my office hangs a poster of one of my mentors, Jeff Pagels, towing a sled full of gear while donning a full pack up a mountain, on a sit-ski. I've looked at that poster every day for the past 15+ years. It says "Always Climb Higher!"- Jeff Pagels, Adventurer (Also the title of his recently published book). Hmm... maybe I can sit-ski this year!! The first night at SFL is brimming with excitement. I always look forward to seeing my dear friend, Dianne Brunswick, who is an accomplished athlete and an experienced sit-skier. She also happens to be the MIP coordinator. After telling her about my predicament, I nonchalantly mention that it may be 'Fun to sit-ski this year'. Dianne's eyes light up and she says 'Meet me in the MIP room'! It turns out that an extra sit-ski is available, broken, but not for long. With a bit of ingenuity (and super glue) Tim Byas reattaches the binding to the ski; I am ready to hit the tracks! A week of skiing with Dianne Brunswick and Kristen Johnson...priceless! Logistics, jetlag and learning something new equal a rough first day out. We ski 5k in the afternoon and call it good. Kristen says that learning some technique will make it easier. Dianne is glad that I am joining her as a fellow sit-skier this year. She shares her skills and guides me, by the end of the week we each ski about 18K. Dianne asked me to compare my sit-ski experience to traditional skiing. For the most part, it feels the same to me, except it's a better work-out. Gliding along the flats, speeding down hills, enjoying the outdoors and spending time with healthy friends is all the same. But, there are a few eye-openers. Sitting near the ground in a sit-ski with vehicles and buses pulling up next to you is daunting. Even worse is inhaling the fumes because the exhaust system is at nose level. Maneuvering the sit-ski to the start of the trail is a work-out in itself. Heck, if you tip over, it's a major time delay. Perhaps the most enlightening observation is the way some non-SFL skiers respond to me on the trails. One recreational skier greets me with a pitiful expression. It dawns on me that he believes that I am a true MIP. So for a brief moment, I am a MIP; yet, it reminds me of another story, another time.
You see, many years ago, I was hit by a car. After a week in the hospital, I managed to make a near-total recovery. I am forever mindful it may have been otherwise. We never know what the future holds; life can change in an instant. On the Shanty Creek trails, I was just a momentary MIP, but the experience will remain with me forever.
While we have been busy wrapping up the details of the 2016 event, planning is already under way for 2017. We will be returning to the Colorado Rockies to ski the well-loved trails of Snow Mountain Ranch Heather Berg is the Chair of the 2017 event planning committee and is in the process of putting together the team that will lead the 2017 event. Applications and details for 2017 will be posted on our website in early August. For 2017, we will be returning to the traditional seven-day format and the dates are Sunday February 5 through Sunday February 12, 2017.
A hushed murmur of excitement rippled through the dining room at the 2016 Ski for Light international event as Krista and Larry prepared to announce the skiers and guides who would be attending the Ridderrenn in Beitostølen, Norway. Both Ski for Light, and its Norwegian counterpart, the Ridderrenn, host annual events for visually and mobility impaired cross-country skiers, and invitations to represent Ski for Light at the Ridderrenn are much coveted. As I sat in the dining room the strains of a Hardanger fiddle drifted through my mind, and I began to recall my 2001 Ridderrenn experience.
Like most, I returned excited about the great skiing and the chance to participate in an adaptive biathlon, but now, fifteen years later, I realize that the experience is about so much more than a pair of well-waxed skis.
Fifteen years later it is the people and Country of Norway that are forever etched in my mind and my heart. A million picture postcards passed by the car window on the road between Oslo and Beitostølen. The rugged mountains rolled away to reveal a frozen lake with a dusting of snow broken here and there by ski tracks, footprints and an occasional ice-fishing hole. While our driver Ingvard's English was limited, he did not miss the humor in my question about how the Elg knew to cross the road exactly where the crossing signs were posted.
In Beitostølen the local market had a very small parking lot, but a large and sturdy ski rack for folks to rest their skis on while they shopped. A pizza shop nearby offered a discount for hitting certain numbers on a dartboard. Tore was nominated to throw the dart as he had the least vision in the group. We laughed a lot but did not get a discount.
Passing through the hotel lobby in the morning involved picking your way through a crush of skiers and guides, surrounded by the sounds of every imaginable language. "You can eat that if you plan to ski 20k today," said Ine as I smiled over my bowl of Rømmegrøt.
The slalom course for an alpine downhill competition was lined with spectators, some watching intently and others cheering wildly. Kristin pointed out a handsome man at the top of the course and said he was the fastest sit skier in Norway. She was right.
I took a deep breath of the crisp spring air and surveyed the snowy peaks surrounding Beitostølen as Ingvard loaded the last of the ski bags into the car and we prepared to leave. A brief detour along the way revealed a medieval Stavkirke built in the 13th century perched on the side of a hill along with a small cluster of brightly painted houses. The tops of headstones could be seen in the churchyard rising only an inch or two above the snow. The mechanical hum of a small rope tow harmonized with the happy voices of children sledding and skiing.
Standing in the sunlit snow, I looked up the hill and realized that while I had come to ski, this was the picture of Norway I would take home in my heart.
Our bodies are amazing, helping us enjoy the slippery ride on skinny boards attached to our boots. Did you have fun at Shanty Creek, Michigan this past January? I bet you came home with a good story or two. I certainly did. My whole being remembered the fun. My body kept telling me that I need more fun, more free agency. When I returned to work, I handed the boss my resignation letter. Although at my age you might call it retirement, I call it retreading. I'm creating a new primary mission-to share love with the world, one outbreath at a time.
Being physically active for a whole week enlivened me. How about you? Physical activity energizes us, opens us up to a new way of learning-through our muscles. Muscles are smart in their own unique way. They actually help us express ourselves. We sometimes call it body language. But who understands this body-speak, especially some of the subtler messages? How do you know what your body is telling you? Can you intentionally let your body "say" what you're feeling or thinking? What did your body tell you while cross-country skiing? Being open to the idea of body messages is the first step to understanding them. Here are some additional thoughts about what you might learn on skis.
Did you experience issues of control-too much control and not moving much or too little control and moving too fast and falling? At junctions and the top of hills, did you physically experience the decision-making process? How did your body respond? Did your body get stiff or stay relaxed? Did your heart pound? Did you smile or frown?
As you move through space in the next few months, notice how your body talks to you. Have a great conversation!
(Betsy's book Just Breathe Out - Using Your Breath to Create a New Healthier You is due for publication in 2016.)
Congratulations to Alaskan guides Julie Coppens and Ken Leghorn on their wedding, celebrated in October in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Julie and Ken were introduced by Ken's cousin, skier Chris Leghorn -- as Ken put it, "I fell in love with Ski for Light, and then I fell in love at Ski for Light."
A PassingCharlotte Brewer, an SFL guide since 2008, died January 22, 2016, at the age of 87. We will miss her outgoing personality, energy and smile. She embraced life and was genuinely pleased to meet and to welcome people during ski week. She was always ready to pitch in to do what needed to be done. Cha told of how in the winter she always had a pair of skis in her car just in case there was an opportunity to take a ski tour. A Washington, DC area resident, Cha was close friends with long-time guide Sally Epstein. As Sally tells it, knowing of Cha's interest in skiing, she invited her to accompany her to a program about Ski for Light at the Norwegian Embassy in Washington. Cha was hooked, and joined Sally the next year for SFL International in Bend, Oregon. Among her many interests and activities, Cha devoted her seemingly endless energy to environmental, political, and conservation issues. Cha is survived by her four children (two of whom, Mika Brewer and Polly Beyer, attended SFL's 40th anniversary event in Colorado, 2015), and by seven grandchildren.
Another PassingWe recently learned that, after a courageous battle with brain cancer, Valerie Keever passed away on August 14, 2015. A guide at several SFL events, and a former Board member, Valerie was 62 years of age. She first attended Ski for Light in 2004 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. There she met the love of her life, fellow guide Keith Keever. Valerie was a Canadian resident, but moved to Oregon to be with Keith in 2005, and they were married that same year. Like Keith, Valerie had a passion for the outdoors and adventure, and loved not only cross-country skiing, but cycling, kayaking and hiking. She is remembered by her friends as caring, unselfish and generous; she was always ready to help a friend, and to dig in and do whatever needed doing at SFL. She was a champion for the inclusion of persons with disabilities and received several awards for her efforts. We join Keith and her family in mourning her passing. She will be sorely missed.
Ski for Light, Inc. is an all-volunteer organization managed by an elected Board of Directors. Between meetings of the full Board, the affairs of the organization are managed by an Executive Committee composed of the six board officers plus the Immediate Past President. Board members serve four-year terms, and officers serve two-year terms.
During the recent 2016 event in Michigan, elections were held for about half of the 25 Board seats, and for all six officer positions. We welcome new Board members Amy Brannan, Dede Chinlund, Andrea Goddard, Melinda Hollands and Richard Milsteadt, and new Vice President Robert Civiak and Directors-at-Large Heather Berg and Tim McCorcle. For their past service, we thank the five members who have rotated off the Board: Cara Barnes, David Fisk, Lawrence Povinelli, Holly Schmaling and Peter Slatin. Here is the full Board roster for 2016 to 2018.
Executive CommitteeIf you have a Sense of Adventure, Join us
North Cascades Ski for Light, a program of Puget Sound SFL, is hosting the third annual event in North Central Washington. This is a new regional event that you can help shape.
Join us skiing from January 22 - 26, 2017 in the Methow Valley. The Methow Valley, anchored by the towns of Winthrop, Mazama and Twisp; is located 5 hours northeast of Seattle; 1.5 hours north of Wenatchee; 3.5 hours northwest of Spokane and 40 miles south of Canada.
The trails consist of 120 miles, or over 200 kilometers, of trails - an area approximate to 25 square miles ranging from river valley, to mountain hut to hut skiing. There are four distinct ski areas of the Methow Trail System: Mazama, The Rendevous, Winthrop and Sun Mountain. All trails are inter-connected.
In the minds of the organizers, this event is about adventurous skiing and exploring of a new area. If you want, you can cross country ski, go skating at the local ice rink, ice fish, take a hot air balloon ride, visit the spa, take a sleigh ride, shop, downhill ski - you get the drift.
What do you need to do to come and play? Send Nancy an e-mail at nanomckinney@gmail.com Let's start the conversation.
This summer five of the nine SFL Regional affiliates are offering fun outdoor activities and programs.
For additional information about each of these programs please visit the Regional Round-Up page on the SFL website. Also consult the website from time to time to learn the details of next winter's activities for all nine affiliates.
Our thanks go to the following companies that have provided products or services to help support Ski for Light. Many of these companies have stood behind us for years - and we're grateful. Be sure to think of our friends when you're gearing up for your next adventure.
JanSport * Acorn * Adventure Medical Kits * Blue Ridge Chair Works * Borton Overseas Travel * Bridgedale Socks * Chums * Clif Bar * Cocoons/Live Eyewear * Columbia * Crazy Creek * Dansko * Darn Tough Socks * Farm to Feet * FasterSkier.com * Fjallraven * Fox River Mills * Haiku * Kavu * Olly Dog * Patagonia * PEET Shoe Dryers * Peppers Polarized Eyewear * Travelon * Zukes
The SFL Bulletin is published three times a year. It is available in ink-print or via e-mail. If you wish to change formats, please send your request to: webmaster@sfl.org
The current as well as past issues of the Bulletin are also available online at www.sfl.org/bulletin. In addition to an online edition that may be read in your browser, you will find a downloadable pdf version of the current issue.
For future Bulletins, remember that your contributions and feedback are always most welcome. You may submit articles as e-mail or as a word or text attachment. Send all items to:
Andrea GoddardThe deadline for the Summer 2016 Bulletin is July 1, 2016. We look forward to hearing from you.
Ski for Light, Inc. is a registered trademark. All rights reserved.