In rural Alberta, athletic programs for those living with mental and physical disabilities are few and far between.
On Feb. 11, those living in the area will have a new activity to try.
Slide and Ride is a free event hosted by the Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing (CADS) Alberta with the help of CADS zones and Alberta ski resorts.
For the one day, persons with disabilities are encouraged to take to the slopes of Kinosoo Ridge at no cost through the Slide and Ride program. They will have the chance to learn how to ski or snowboard, with the hope of sparking a love for the sport and building relationships with those within the community.
The idea was formed as a way of expanding services and programming to those living with disabilities in rural Alberta. Often, programs and services such as the Slide and Ride are offered in the urban centers, but not in the outlying communities. As part of a province-wide movement, CADS is starting to expand their reach by bringing programs and events to those with disabilities in areas such as the Lakeland.
“There is a pretty vast disability community that doesn't have the ability to get involved because programs do not exist for them, and I think it is our responsibility to make sure that programs exist, not only in Calgary, Red Deer and Edmonton, but that they also exist in Cold Lake and Grande Prairie and Fort McMurray,” said Ozzie Sawicki, program director for CADS Alberta.
“That is a big part of our goal. We want everyone in the province to have the ability to participate.”
Participants register on the Slide and Ride website, filling out a brief questionnaire. Working with volunteers, participants are shown the proper gear and techniques of the sport and are introduced to the basics of skiing or snowboarding.
Sawicki said, “It is a new experience for someone who has a disability. Often there is a perception that they can't do things, and we are big believers of the ability of people versus the disability of people. This is an opportunity for them to do something new.”
At a previous event, Sawicki asked a woman in a wheelchair how it made her feel to take part, and she responded simply, ‘free'.
“It is that chance to do something that everyone else can do,” he added.
Andrea Yaremie, chair for Special Olympics Lakeland, said having an event like this come to the area gives everyone a chance to take part in something unique, and gets them active and outside.
Yaremie noted programs such as Slide and Ride help boost confidence on an emotional and mental level, and also fosters relationships within the community.
“Being able to build relationships is very rewarding,” she added.
The program also gives people a chance to connect with persons with disabilities and eliminate some of the stigma surrounding living with a disability.
“It is really a great opportunity to interact with them, and to be able to have experiences and events like this to allow people to come together,” Yaremie said.
One of the struggles of hosting events such as this in rural Alberta is finding enough volunteers, something Yaremie has struggled with in the past through hosting the Special Olympics.
“Having an event like this come to Cold Lake and Bonnyville… that is an excellent opportunity for our athletes to not only attend, but also see if skiing or snowboarding is something they would even be interested in as a sport,” said Yaremie, adding the event will promote similar programming on a local level, encouraging athletes, coaches and volunteers to take part in the events held in the Lakeland.
The day following the event, CADS is hosting a para alpine training module for coaches interested in learning to work with disabled athletes at a competition level.
For more information about this event, visit www.cadsalberta.ca.
