Registration is now open for winter sports at the Bend-based nonprofit organization Oregon Adaptive Sports (OAS). Offering individually tailored lessons for each athlete, OAS has winter sports programs at Mt. Bachelor, Hoodoo and throughout Central Oregon. These programs are open for youth, veterans and community members with disabilities.
Mt. Bachelor programs opened December 21 and run through March 28, 2021. Hoodoo programs open Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays starting January 14, 2021 and will run through March 14, 2021. In addition to downhill Alpine skiing, OAS is also offering Cross Country skiing and snowshoeing Wednesdays through Mondays in Central Oregon and at Hoodoo on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Registration forms and more information, including OAS-specific operating adjustments due to COVID-19, are available on the OAS website at oregonadaptivesports.org. Each lesson includes all necessary equipment (rentals or adaptive equipment), a lift ticket and a trained instructor. The OAS staff of certified adaptive instructors provide lessons for mono-skiers, bi-skiers, 2-track, 3-track, 4-track skiers, alpine, Nordic skiing, snowboarding and guiding skiers with visual impairments. Each lesson is individually crafted to fit the needs and goals of the participant.
This year, fees have been dramatically reduced and all athletes will benefit from a Universal Scholarship program. New athletes who have not participated in winter sports with OAS previously, are eligible for a First Turns scholarship covering the cost for the first three days of experiences with OAS during the 2020/21 winter season. Individual scholarships for anyone in financial need are also available.
“We believe that sustaining access to the mountains in the months ahead will be critical to the mental and physical health of our community and we are thrilled to be able to continue to remove barriers to the outdoors for individuals with disabilities,” states Pat Addabbo, OAS executive director. “Thanks to those who support our mission, and in an effort to create as much access as possible, we have reduced our list-rate program fees by at least 50 percent and opened up numerous avenues for youth, veterans and new-to-OAS athletes to participate at no cost.”
Oregon Adaptive Sports (OAS) provides year-round life-changing outdoor experiences for individuals with disabilities. Founded in 1996 by volunteers who wanted to make Central Oregon’s ski slopes accessible to individuals with disabilities, OAS now serves more than 450 individuals each year, providing nearly 2,000 unique outdoor athlete experiences.
