Off-snow training begins mid-November, on snow in December
KILLINGTON — Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, the largest nonprofit organization in Vermont to provide daily, year-round sports and recreation to people with disabilities, is seeking new volunteer ski and snowboard instructors for its winter programs at Sugarbush Resort in Warren, Bolton Valley in Bolton and Pico Mountain in Killington. This rewarding opportunity allows members of the Vermont community to make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities seven days a week. Vermont Adaptive relies heavily on its more than 400 volunteers to provide and support more than 2,000 winter lessons to people with physical, cognitive and emotional or behavioral disabilities.
Volunteers will be taught about disability awareness, how to teach a ski or ride lesson as well as how to teach a specific type of lesson such as blind guiding, sit down skiing or working with participants with cognitive disabilities. Volunteers are expected to be a competent skiers or riders prior to training. The program begins at all three locations on Dec. 26 and runs through the end of ski season at each mountain, typically the end of March or early April.
Volunteers are required to attend an off-snow orientation at the mountain of choice in November as well as two days of on snow training in early December. Trainings are held on weekends. The off-snow trainings are slated for: Saturday, Nov. 8 at Sugarbush; Saturday, Nov. 15 at Pico Mountain; and Sunday, Nov. 16 at Bolton Valley. Junior volunteers, ages 14 and up, also are welcome to attend training and volunteer.
Registration for off-snow training is required by signing up online. For more information visit www.vermontadaptive.org/volunteer_overview.php or contact Tom Alcorn, senior program coordinator at 802-353-7584 or south@vermontadaptive.org.
