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News and Information about the People and Programs of Ski for Light, Inc.
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.
It's getting close! Time to start thinking about skiing. Even though I'm enjoying the Fall colors in Iowa and Colorado, I'm so excited to break out my skis and poles for another winter on the trails!
On the last weekend of September, members of the SFL Planning Committee gathered at Snow Mountain Ranch to make plans for the 2019 International Week. We met with the food service folks to plan meals, and with the trails and grooming team to map out and talk about our 5K and 10K routes; discussed ideas from locals about evening entertainment, and more. At these meetings, there are myriad details to work out to make sure the week will run smoothly, and contingency plans are considered in case any glitches arise.
We'll have a biathlon experience again this year, with more chances to practice inside, and with more time to ski and then to test our aim out on the snow. Nothing like skiing at altitude, then controlling our breathing to get in smooth shots!
One thing we can almost be guaranteed at Snow Mountain Ranch is snow. Even in thin snow years in Colorado, there seems to be plenty at that venue.
It is shaping up to be a good week. And on top of all the activities the planning folks have organized, what makes the event so special is the gathering of old friends, and the chance to meet new people, to share stories, experiences and laughter, and to leave at the end of the week with new friends, ones that we might stay in touch with throughout the year and ones that we'll be so excited to bump into at next year's event.
I'm really looking forward to getting in lots of skiing this year. Let's hope for abundant snow, for bluebird sky, and for sunny days so we can picnic outside the Nordic center, sharing our love of snow and skiing with our friends.
See you soon in Colorado. Can't wait!
It is now Fall. The air is cooler, there are leaves on the ground and we're already thinking snow; however, there's a problem! The problem is that it seems you have yet to apply to attend Ski for Light. Availability is filling up fast - what are you waiting for?
The 44th annual Ski for Light International Week will take place from Sunday, January 27 through Sunday, February 3, 2019, in Granby, Colorado. We are looking forward to once again skiing and staying at Snow Mountain Ranch, part of the YMCA of the Rockies. In addition to skiing on ninety kilometers of wide and wonderfully groomed Nordic trails, participants will have the opportunity to challenge themselves by honing their auditory laser rifle skills in a biathlon experience facilitated by the United States Association of Blind Athletes. The skiing portion of the week will conclude with the opportunity to compete in the Olav Pedersen Race/Rally. On Friday, there will be the option of a ski tour, allowing people to ski to and explore some of the historical sites located on Snow Mountain Ranch property. Finally, new this year, there will be a guides race.
As always, there will be a variety of off-snow activities. We will hold special interest sessions just prior to dinner several times during the week. These sessions cover a wide variety of topics usually ranging from ski waxing, to poetry, to technology, to presentations of world- wide travel adventures people embark upon outside of SFL International Week. If you have knowledge, a hobby, or other experience you would be willing to share with us, please consider completing the form to lead a special interest session. After dinner, evening activities will include dancing - by popular demand, the Spotlight Band and Bob the square dance caller are coming back. Not into dancing? SFL veteran, Dan Beckman, has taken the initiative to create a trivia night with questions some of us might actually be able to answer - hint - read up on SFL history. And, of course, it wouldn't be Ski for Light International Week without the silent auction and Norway Night.
If you have never before attended what many have called "the experience of a lifetime," this might be your year to try something different. Completely unfamiliar with cross-country skiing? No problem - technique sessions for both beginner and intermediate skiers will be available. If you are at least an intermediate level cross-country skier interested in becoming a guide, SFL provides a day of interactive, skis- on training just prior to the start of the week.
Applications for skiers, guides and volunteers are still available at www.sfl.org.
We look forward to skiing with you in Colorado!
You have signed up for the 44th annual SFL event. You've probably started wondering who else will attend, what kind of clothes to wear, and what your week-long skiing partner will be like. And you may have started thinking about things you might do to get yourself in physical shape for the week.
What does "getting in shape" mean? Fitness differs for each person and is highly dependent upon current physical condition, on health and age, on whether you exercise routinely, and on your goals for the week. For some, getting in shape might mean increasing flexibility through yoga and stretching and taking a brisk walk a couple times a week. For those training for an Iron Man, it means hours of rigorous exercise several times each week. Most of us, including me, are somewhere in between.
We've put together some resources to guide you on your fitness journey. First, Ten Easy Steps to Increase Fitness contains ten actions you can easily build into your everyday routine to increase movement and flexibility. For example, you can make sure to get up out of your chair every hour and walk around a bit. That advice really helped me when I was working. I would become very engrossed in a task, and soon, I'd realize I'd been sitting in front of my computer without moving for three hours. My shoulders and neck really felt it. Another idea, taking the stairs instead of the elevator will increase your leg strength and make you a stronger skier. Take a short walk in your neighborhood each day and gradually increase your distance and quicken your pace. Walking is a great way to meet your neighbors and to get to know your surrounding community. These are just a few examples. You can find more ideas at www.sfl.org/events/steps.
Cross-country skiing is a total body workout and you'll be doing it for a week. It can be as mellow as a relaxing ski in the woods or as rigorous as a 10k race. But even if you opt for the mellow ski in the woods, it uses most of your muscle groups and involves some level of balance, coordination, strength, and endurance. Whether you are a visually-impaired skier, a sit-skier, or a guide, you can enhance your experience by embarking on some conditioning and training before you arrive.
We've developed some resources for those who want more detailed and rigorous conditioning, found at www.sfl.org/events/fitness. These resources will help you prepare for the week. We offer some suggestions for ski-specific strength and stamina training that you can customize to your needs and fitness goals. The conditioning and training guidelines are grouped into several categories, including:
We also discuss how much exercise is sufficient and tips for skiing at high altitudes. There is a handy weekly training calendar to help you set goals and track your progress over several weeks before coming to SFL, and a list of additional resources. These activities are all optional. Pick and choose the ones that are fun for you and that work with your schedule, current fitness level, and goals. Or, come up with your own ideas to improve your fitness. Start now, start slowly, and gradually build up your strength and stamina. You'll feel better and ski better for it!
Greetings SFL friends!
So "they" say Ski for Light is the "experience of a lifetime," and somehow we all know what that means! Many of us have been blessed with that indescribable goose bumpy, warm fuzzy feeling that creeps into our souls when we gather with our SFL friends. And if this is just too mushy for some of you, just think about how much fun it is to ski!
So "they" is really "us." That includes VIPs, MIPs, guides, worker bees, volunteers, etc. The relationships we have made with people at Ski for Light are special. Let's help spread the joy of these relationships by fostering friendships we have already made, as well as by welcoming others to join in!
I challenge each of you to reach out and encourage others to join us at Snow Mountain Ranch in a few months. Think of someone who you are looking forward to seeing again. Reach out to them to ask how things are going and urge them to attend. Perhaps you will call a former roommate, or text a former guide or skier, or perhaps you will send an email to someone you met at dinner or at some other activity, and you want to be sure to catch up with them next year. A previous attendee list may tweak your memory or give you contact information. Maybe you know someone in your home town who is visually or mobility-impaired and would like to give skiing a try. Fun-loving able bodied cross-country skiers are often adventurous and may appreciate the opportunity to learn about SFL and a way to share the sport they love by guiding others, and we do need more guides for 2019!
Through my involvement on the Visually Impaired and Guide Recruitment Committees, I am reminded that personal relationships are what motivate participants to return to Ski for Light, and are also what make the human journey so rich. Whether you are a skier or a guide, a worker-bee or volunteer, you are part of the SFL "us." Take a moment to connect with others and to share and enhance the SFL experience! Spark some curiosity and enthusiasm, and urge people to visit www.sfl.org for details and for their applications.
So, reach out and touch someone!!! Enjoy the connection!
During ski week, we will again hold the ever-popular silent auction. This is your chance to bid on more than 150 items usually including jackets, gloves, and useful dog gear products donated by our generous corporate sponsors. Lots of other unique and fun items are donated by SFL attendees. Many of us especially look forward to bidding on those great locally sourced edible goodies such as wild rice from Minnesota, almond roca from Seattle, and chocolate-covered cherries from Michigan. Sometimes, there is even a nice bottle of wine or two. So, if you have a one-of-a-kind something from your corner of the world, please consider donating it to the silent auction. You will be amazed at how much money such items raise for Ski for Light! Here are just a few guidelines to keep in mind:
If you have any questions about the silent auction, please contact Judy Dixon via e-mail at judy@judydixon.net.
If you would like to donate something to the auction, you may bring it with you to SFL. If you would prefer to send your item in advance, please ship it to the address listed below. Please allow at least a week for delivery. While you can ship via U.S. mail, Snow Mountain Ranch recommends that you ship via UPS or FedEx for faster delivery. Be sure to list your name, along with Ski for Light Silent Auction, prominently on the address label.
Happy bidding!
After 44 years, Ski for Light has amassed a huge array of historic documents and memorabilia that clearly chronicle its proud and enlightened history, all of which have been housed at the Sons of Norway headquarters in Minneapolis. With the sale of the Sons of Norway headquarters building and its move, albeit temporary, SFL needed to sort and categorize its story. But then what? Would the documents follow Sons of Norway, or was there a better home?
As a board member of the Norwegian American Historical Association (NAHA), I contacted Marion Elmquist with a proposal: Why not pack up SFL's memorabilia and deliver it to the Norwegian- American Historical Association, where it would be placed into climate-controlled archives and eventually digitized so that SFL history would be available and at the world's finger tips? She gladly presented the idea to the board, which quickly embraced it.
As there was little time to sort and to save the items, Marion, Brenda Seeger and I jumped into action. Within a few days, we had everything grouped, duplicates destroyed, and eleven large boxes of precious records on their way to NAHA on the campus of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. They included legal documents, meeting minutes, annual reports, newsletters, newspaper clippings, videos, photographs, and samples of medals and patches.
SFL's story has deep Norwegian roots, so housing its history at NAHA was a natural. It was Norwegian immigrant Olav Pedersen of Colorado who became aware of his homeland's program Ridderrennet that focused on cross-country skiing with persons with disabilities. He met with its founder, Erling Stordahl, to organize a similar American event, which, at first, was called Race for Light. Involvement by Sons of Norway was a natural, and most guides in the early years were Sons of Norway members; many still are. The NAHA archives were a perfect home for SFL documents.
Founded in 1925, NAHA locates, collects, preserves, and interprets the Norwegian-American experience. It archives and digitizes materials so that scholars and lay people worldwide can access and research what defines the Norwegian-American Community, both past and present. Now Ski for Light is part of it.
NAHA is very proud to be chosen as the keeper of SFL's history, and it welcomes other materials, including those created in the future. If you have more SFL information that you wish to donate and feel is appropriate for the archives, contact the NAHA archivist at (507) 786- 3229 or by e-mailing naha-archivist@stolaf.edu.
The 2019 annual Ridderweek will be held in Beitostolen, Norway beginning Sunday, March 24 and wrapping up on Sunday, March 31, with the actual 20 kilometer race on Saturday, March 30.
Ridderweek is a wonderful opportunity to ski, to make new ski friends, to enjoy outstanding Norwegian hospitality, and to learn more about the program that spawned Ski for Light.
The event is much like the SFL International week, with evening programs, dances, a talent show, and a live auction that raises money for the Ridderrenn. There are several opportunities to challenge yourself on the trails during the week: a biathlon, using laser rifles, and a 5 K race for women and a 10 K for men. In addition, there is an alpine slalom race for mobility-impaired skiers and VIPs with some vision. During the alpine race on Friday, there's also a picnic, so you can enjoy hot dogs wrapped in lefse or hamburgers, while cheering on the racers.
Located about three hours from Oslo, Beitostolen is a summer and winter resort town that boasts a downhill ski area and many kilometers of Nordic ski trails. There are some gift shops, restaurants, bars, a couple of grocery stores, and ski shops.
After the week in Beitostolen, we'll spend a couple of days sightseeing in Oslo, a beautiful and easy to navigate city.
It's a great time, and I'll be having a gathering during SFL week to fill you in on what to expect for the trip to Norway.
You will want to plan to leave the U.S. no later than Friday, March 22 for the overnight trip and arrival in Oslo on Saturday, March 23.
If you have questions about the Ridderrenn, feel free to contact me via e-mail, MLElmquist@aol.com or by phone at 515-279-3681.
The first time I ever went to Colorado, we opted to ski on a gorgeous, sunny, exceptionally cold day that registered -28F on the thermometer with a wind-chill of -36. Three days later, I had one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life as my guide, Ted, and I rocked it again on race day, skiing in a near-blizzard whose wet cold didn't even pretend to penetrate the zone we were in. What kept us skiing into and through the storm that day and over the finish line? What made the week doable when the chips were down? It had something to do with our choice to be bold; to do in spite of the odds, which may have appeared to be against us.
When did living boldly stop being a birthright? When did it start becoming a choice I am sometimes too tired to make, or just one more thing at which I try and fail? What are the yardsticks by which I measure my success if living boldly nets me very little in terms of financial security or of the life I'd always intended to have?
I have few, consistent answers to these questions; yet, it seems that so much about moving forward in the face of risk, fear, pain, and loss involves real compassion, a deep honoring of what is, a sense of purpose or of knowing what we hope for from the endeavor at hand, and a striving for integrity - for outward choices and actions that align with the dearest wishes of our hearts or needs of our spirits. Of course, a sense of humor, an ability not to take ourselves too seriously, and the presence of comrades and kindred spirits are invaluable allies, too. In the microcosm of SFL, I can usually find all of those things, and both the on and off-trail experiences I've shared with guides and skiers over the years have been touchstones in my navigation of this year from Hell, and also in the rekindling of a passion I felt I'd nearly lost for good.
On a Thursday in early March, I was contemplating topics to add to the counseling techniques class I'd be teaching for one of our community colleges in the upcoming spring quarter. Having taught it for three previous years, I was thinking of changing up some of the course content to keep things interesting. The phone rang, pulling me out of my thoughts, and everything changed. It was the chair of my department at the college, calling to say that, despite their efforts, a tenured professor who'd recently rejoined the faculty after having been retired for several years had been granted her pick of classes, and that she had decided to teach mine. The department's hands were tied, and I could certainly stay in touch in hopes of securing future classes to teach. I hung up shell-shocked, raging, and devastated. Panic and despair vied for supremacy as I calculated that the contract I'd just lost was a rather significant chunk of the year's income, and I didn't know how or whether I'd ever make up the loss. I also had no idea how I was going to put on a brave face for members of Spokane's Sons of Norway Lodge later that evening.
Veteran guide, Roger Young, and I had planned to do an SFL presentation there in hopes of connecting with members who could then put names and faces to the organization that their contributions helped to support. Normally enthusiastic about such speaking engagements, I found it difficult to gather my talking points, to get ready to leave, or even to put on my shoes as the ramifications of the loss of my job threatened to paralyze me. How could I discuss the joys of skiing when a piece of my world had just crumbled?
As the evening unfolded, Roger's good spirits and the genuine engagement of our audience began to shift my outlook, even if only briefly. As Roger played SFL video clips to the rapt audience, some great knot of internal tension began to ease. The familiar sounds of guides' voices, whooshing skis, and scraping poles cleared away some of the fog in my head, reminding me that there really was one place I felt accepted, like an equal, and as though I could do anything I set my mind to. Later, as I shared my memories of the Ridderrenn with the crowd, and as they asked intelligent, interested questions about guiding, about skiing, and about being a MIP-VIP in a sit ski, I was swept up by a feeling of gratitude: This was what put a heartfelt smile on my face! These people - these experiences of trying and succeeding - these muscle memories of climbing and descending the hills together with my guides, one pole stroke at a time! How could I have known that a bold decision to attend my first ski week in 2010 would have a hand in helping me cope with a crippling job loss all these years later!
A month and a half after that, on a beautiful, sunny mid-April day, thoughts of ski week visited me again as I knelt beside the love of my life; the dog who'd been my guide and dearest companion for ten and a half years. His time was upon us, and I spent part of his last hour talking to him, reliving our fondest memories aloud for him, and thanking him for the fathomless love and joy he'd brought me each and every moment of our journey together. I mentioned all the ski weeks we'd shared, praising him for his great guide work in the event hotels, for being the life of any party, and for just being his dear, silly, intelligent, wonderful self. He taught me so much about loving boldly. No matter what was amiss with the outer circumstances of my life, all had always been right and whole between us. I sobbed my heart out as O'Shea used much of his remaining strength to press the whole side of his face to mine. He was bidding me farewell, and making a promise. He was telling me that he knew, that he was saying thank you and goodbye until we met again, and that he loved me, too.
The summer passed in a series of efforts at distraction, periods of deep numbness, and devastating grief. Less than two weeks after O'Shea passed away, I'd gone to Seattle to care for an old friend who was dying of cancer. My two weeks with him taught me even more about loving boldly, our friendship helping me to endure even the hardest moments near the end. I'd never cared for a person in the final days of life, and I was grateful for the laughs we shared during those days and for the walks we sometimes took down Memory Lane. I felt honored that I could be with him, though some moments were shatteringly painful for both of us. Though the mid-spring sun shone outside and the air was almost balmy, the blizzard in my spirit didn't seem to be letting up any time soon. Still, I clung to the memory of pushing up that final hill in Colorado, knowing that being bold here meant doing just the next, right thing, that the shortest way out was through, and that the only thing stronger than deep pain is even deeper love.
As July turned to August, I finally felt the internal storm subsiding a little, and I began to experience more patches of calm, and then, brightness. Still, it was ages till the next ski week. What could I do to invigorate my body and my spirit in the meantime? Was there an opportunity to make another bold choice; one that would take me slightly out of my comfort zone in a beneficial way? I began to grow restless, knowing I was ready for something, but unsure what.
A few days after I'd posed that question, I was hanging out with a friend, and she casually mentioned that she knew some folks who were in a band and looking for a bass player. Surprising myself utterly, I said, "Well, I don't play the bass, but I could sure play bass on a keyboard!" Never mind that playing keys often involves simultaneously doing some of everything from rhythm, to bass lines, to melodies, to jamming on solo breaks between verses of songs! I could play just bass on it and could override my tendency to multi-task, right?
The next thing I knew, the band and I were rehearsing for an upcoming gig at a local bar. The performance went off without a hitch, though I was very nervous, as I hadn't performed professionally in a handful of years. Did I still have the chops? I remember being tense as I pounded out bass lines and piano breaks on the keys that night, wanting not to make mistakes. Then, the magic happened: The music finally broke through my need to be perfect, I leaned into it, and gave myself over to it. I could feel an embarrassingly huge grin spreading over my face. It felt remarkably like flying down a hill in my sit ski at speeds that make me laugh out loud, that would be impossible to maintain without utter attunement with my guide, and that let my body and spirit experience a priceless freedom!
It turns out that our SFL motto and spirit shaped many of my responses to the ups and downs of this tough and beautiful year: "If I can do this, I can do anything." To ski or to guide can be an act of boldness. It is trusting one another and trusting my tracks. It is knowing that my guide and I are in it together. It is the degree to which acquired skills meet unanticipated or unavoidable challenges, and it's assessing those challenges accurately. It is remembering that even the shortest pole strokes keep me moving forward and that, as long as I'm doing that, I am still breathing, and still doing the next, right thing. Deep grief and deeper love are also acts of boldness that we can experience only by showing up, by leaning in, and by choosing not to turn away, even when conditions are everything but favorable.
This is why I skied in a blizzard!
Ski for Light, Inc. is loosely affiliated with nine regional organizations around the United States that share our name, but are independent organizations. They are located in New England, Northeast Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Colorado, Montana, Northern California and Washington. Every winter, each group holds one or more local events that include teaching and guiding visually- and mobility-impaired adults in cross country skiing. Several of them also offer other activities such as snowshoeing and downhill skiing. The events range from a full week to day trips. To learn more visit the Regionals page on the SFL website at www.sfl.org/events/regionals. From there, you can find the website of each regional organization to learn about their programs for this winter.
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 * Black Diamond * Blue Ridge Chair Works * Borton Overseas Travel * Chums * Clif Bar * Columbia * Crazy Creek * Dansko * Darn Tough Socks * Eagle Creek * Energizer * Farm to Feet * Find Me Spot * Fjallraven * Fox River Mills * Haiku * Injinji * Kavu * Leki * Lodge Cast Iron * Mountainsmith * Native Eyewear * Nite Ize * Olly Dog * Patagonia * Peet Shoe Dryers * Ruffwear * Spyderco Knives * Travelon * Turtle Fur * Zuke's
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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 Spring 2019 Bulletin is March 1, 2019. We look forward to hearing from you.
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