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RUMFORD — Representatives from Maine Adaptive Sports & Recreation were the guest speakers at the Jan. 29 River Valley Rotary Club felloship meeting.
Maine Adaptive promotes year-round education and training for individuals with disabilities in order to develop skills, enhance independence, and provide enjoyment through active recreation.
The presentation was on the their name change from Maine Handicapped Skiing to Maine Adaptive Sports & Recreation, which is more inclusive as a year-round non-profit organization assisting the physically and mentally challenged people in enjoying year-round sport activities.
Maine Adaptive is funded by grants and donations, and has six year-round and nine seasonal employees — the rest are volunteers many of whom have been helping for years.
In 1982 Maine Adaptive was housed at Sunday River’s South Ridge Lodge with eight participants, two volunteers, and one part-time staff member. Today, Maine Adaptive has its own 4,300-square-foot slopeside center at Sunday River, on Sundance. It has gone from one winter sport to five winter sports and five winter locations and has grown to more than 400 participants annually and 450 volunteers annually. It also has a full summer program of golf, cycling, paddling and tennis.
It recent created a wheelchair tennis program, taken the cycling and kayaking programs to Acadia National Park in order to reach more people in the Bangor area and teamed up with Salt Pump Climbing Gym to create an adaptive climbing program.
The organization is open to financial donations and committed, dependable volunteers who would like help and make a life changing difference in other’s lives, the representatives said.
PHOTO: The River Valley Rotary Club donates $250 to Maine Adaptive Sports & Recreation at the Jan. 29 fellowship meeting. River Valley Rotary Club President Randy Therrien, right, presents the check to Barbara Schneider, executive director of the organization, along with other members and Rotarians. (Submitted photo)
