Burlington Free Press: Volunteers sought for Vt. Adaptive Ski and Sports programs

KILLINGTON — Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports is looking for 50 volunteers to offer their outdoor skills to people whith disabilities who enjoy summer activities, such as biking, kayaking or sailing.

The disabled sports organization will train potential volunteers from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., June 5 at the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center on the Burlington Waterfront.

“Volunteers will learn adaptive paddling techniques, assist with sailing lessons, fit people with disabilities to bicycles, and learn to pilot a tandem bike,” said Dave D’Angelo, one of the organization’s three program coordinators.

Experience working with people with disabilities is a plus but not necessary. Volunteers who have technical outdoor skills and the ability to work well with a variety of different people are a plus. There are opportunities for volunteers to lead kayaking, canoeing and biking trips as well as other summer related sports and activities. Vermont Adaptive is always looking for folks to help maintain equipment, too, from sailboats to bikes.

Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports partners with The Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center to offer adaptive sailing, Petra Cliffs for the climbing program, and Local Motion, a non-profit cycling organization in Burlington, for the biking program on the bike path. It owns a fleet of kayaks and canoes for the paddling program on Lake Champlain. All cycling, paddling and climbing programs are lead by Vermont Adaptive staff and trained volunteers.

For more information or to become a volunteer, contact D’Angelo at truenorth@vermontadaptive.org. For more information about Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, visit www.vermontadaptive.org.