Nearly 400 injured Veterans and active-duty military members will join volunteers and leading medical and rehabilitative professionals from across the nation this week for the 31st National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass Village (near Aspen), Colo.
“This is an opportunity to realize you’re not done, you’re not over and you’re not broken.”
Kristian Cedeno
The event, hosted by Department of Veterans Affairs and DAV (Disabled American Veterans), is made possible by strategic corporate partnerships, nonprofit organizations and individual donors.
“The National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic is a life-changing event for the Veterans who participate,” said Dr. David J. Shulkin, Secretary of Veterans Affairs. “I am inspired by our Veterans and equally inspired by our staff, who coach and encourage them to dream beyond their imagination, draw from their inner strength and use this clinic to showcase their resilience and courage.”
When Veterans go back to their communities, they bring this experience of a lifetime to help others, while motivating themselves throughout the entire year. Often referred to as “Miracles on a Mountainside,” the clinic promotes rehabilitation through adaptive Alpine and Nordic skiing, rock climbing, wheelchair self-defense, sled hockey, scuba diving, and other adaptive sports and activities.
Studies show adaptive sports provide participants with physical and emotional benefits, including stress relief, reduced dependency on pain and depression medications, and higher achievement in education and employment. The event has also been a starting point for numerous Paralympic athletes.
“Involvement in this event has been life changing for me,” said DAV National Commander David Riley, a past-participant and quadruple amputee Coast Guard Veteran. “This event helped me redefine the perceived limitations I had after losing my limbs. And it does the same thing for hundreds of my fellow Veterans every year.”
Participation is open to active-duty service members and Veterans with spinal cord injuries, orthopedic amputations, visual impairments, and certain neurological problems and disabilities.
For more information about the winter sports clinic, visit www.wintersportsclinic.org
By the VA Winter Sports Clinic staff
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I’m a Hockey player/coach and innovating fabrication guru and would like any info ,web sites,ECT w vets ,I am only an Agent Orange conceived and Californian born .My father and mother met there and I was born in 72 Californian style for life.Dana
The DAV helped me get my 100% disability rating when the VA just wanted to take everything away. And I mean, even after I received my 100% Rating the VA still tried to take everything away with garbage in and with Congressional help from Bono Mavk from my district at the time and the DAV, I won and received all my money back! None of this was necessary, especially due to my severe PTSD findings by three Pyscrichtrists at the La Jolla VA Mental Health.
So High Fives to the Dav and all its investigativre resources. God Bless the DAV and also my Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack!
Just plain awesome. Thank you for thinking about our veterans and helping where you can. God Bless.
I see sporting events all over the country put on by DAV. I see DAV vans all over at the VA facilities. I did not realize the wealth DAV possessed and am just curious how a Veterans Service Organization working for veterans has such resources? I’m looking at a million dollars or more of just vehicles at just one city in just one state and it boggles the mind. I don’t think most vets realize DAV “IS” the VA. They think DAV is working for them, so maybe Secretary Shulkin can explain this to all those Vietnam veterans getting turned away everyday, while so many resources are thrown at DAV at the veterans expense. Happy Vietnam Veterans Day!
The resources come from membership and public donations to provide such events for us Veterans. The DAV is not the VA!!! We support each other for events for Veterans and the VA utilizes the vehicles for Veterans to get to and from the VA free of charge with volunteer drivers spending countless hours transporting them! Most Chapters and Departments across every state come up with fundraising events and when a area needs a vehicle in that state they must provide so much funds to purchase that DAV vehicle. The DAV is in NO WAY WORKING FOR THE VA they are working for the VETERANS as an advocate and voice for Veterans rights. The DAV is by far wealthy. It’s thanks to communities across the United States doing fundraising events, raffles, and members to make this all happen. Every penny is accounted for and utilized only for the Veteran and the need of the Veteran. Veterans Stand Down Day in the fall is for homeless Vets needing items the DAV goes out and yet again throws events free will donations and that helps provide these amazing things for Veterans of all eras’. A majority of Vietnam Veterans volunteer and operate the Chapters and Departments across the United States.