Photo by Marc Bryan-Brown
WINDHAM — The Adaptive Sports Foundation (ASF) and Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) welcomed 13 wounded veterans and their guests to ski Windham Mountain Club this weekend for its Bob Stubbs Warriors in Motion® (WIM) Winter Sports Weekend.
Through generous donations and grants from both the ASF and WWP organizations, all expenses for the weekend excursion were covered for the veterans and their guests.
“This program is phenomenal,” U.S. Army veteran Justin Ritter said. “You can be whatever age, have any experience level or any disability and you can still enjoy the sport. The ASF’s instructors were outstanding.”
Ritter challenged himself by taking both ski and snowboard lessons throughout the weekend.
“I felt the power of zooming down the hill, and it was amazing,” he said.
Participants arrived in Windham on Thursday evening and checked into the Hotel Vienna before visiting the ASF’s Gwen Allard Adaptive Sports Center. There, they were fitted for gear and equipment, met fellow warriors and connected with ASF and WWP staff. After being introduced to the equipment they would use throughout the weekend and receiving new cold-weather attire, including winter coats, the group enjoyed a catered dinner from Zecatela’s 2.
All meals the following three days, including breakfast, lunch and dinner, were prepared by the ASF kitchen crew. The crew is made up of dedicated volunteers who work in the kitchen and prepare lunches for weekend programs. ASF volunteer shuttle bus drivers transported participants to and from their hotels throughout the weekend.
Friday’s full day of activities began with breakfast at the lodge at 8 a.m., followed by a stretching session before heading to the slopes. By 9:30 a.m., most participants were on snow. After a morning of lessons and snowshoeing for some, the group returned to the ASF lodge for a special luncheon honoring the warriors.
The luncheon featured remarks from Windham Deputy Supervisor Wayne Van Valin, Windham Town Clerk Jessica Leto and ASF Board of Trustees member Charity Guzofski, daughter of Bob Stubbs. The highlight of the ceremony came when Windham-Ashland-Jewett’s second-grade class and elementary chorus performed patriotic songs for the veterans.
Following the luncheon, the veterans and their guests returned to the slopes for afternoon lessons before heading back to their hotels to rest. The group reconvened later for dinner.
Saturday followed a similar schedule, beginning with breakfast and a mobility session to loosen up before another full day on the mountain. Participants bundled up to face subzero temperatures, but the cold did not deter them from a full day of lessons, with a break for lunch. Lessons concluded at 3 p.m., after which the group returned to their hotels before gathering again for dinner.
Saturday’s dinner included special guest appearances from members of Windham’s The Patchwork Co., who continued their tradition of donating handmade quilts to each veteran.
On Sunday, the warriors and their guests checked out of the Hotel Vienna and arrived at the ASF lodge at 8 a.m. for breakfast before their final lessons. After two full days on snow and enduring frigid temperatures, participants had the option to relax at the lodge or explore the town of Windham. Despite the opportunity to opt out, more than half of the group suited up for a few final runs.
Those who chose to return to the slopes were on snow by 9 a.m. for about an hour and a half before packing up to depart. The veterans and their guests left Windham with quilts, ASF challenge coins and a newfound appreciation for snow sports.
“The Wounded Warrior Project and the ASF’s WIM program are important to individuals like me for a few reasons,” Ritter said. “It gives me the opportunity to connect with other veterans who are in similar situations as I am, and we can learn from each other. I hope the one thing I can pass along to my fellow veterans is to always have hope and don’t fall into despair. These programs help me both practice and pass along that message.”
This was the ASF’s only Warriors in Motion program of the winter season. The organization hosts several WIM programs during the summer months, featuring three days of outdoor activity and adventure. Dates and details for those programs will be announced at a later time.