HISTORY
Wintergreen Adaptive Sports (WAS) began in 1984 when Vince Fiore, an adult amputee, received his first ski lesson from Michael Zuckerman, a ski instructor at Wintergreen Resort. Untrained in adaptive ski methods, but inspired by his experience with Mr. Fiore, Michael Zuckerman attended his first “Learn to Ski” clinic for individuals with disabilities at the Jack Frost Ski Area in Pennsylvania. Over the next decade, more than 200 students with a disability received instruction at Wintergreen from Mr. Zuckerman on equipment fabricated or acquired to meet the need of a wide array of disabilities. In 1995, increasing demand for adaptive ski instruction, coupled with a decision by Wintergreen management to open the slopes to “sit down” skiers, led to the creation of the first volunteer instructional force. Over 40 full day private lessons were given that year and seven enthusiastic volunteers were recruited for the next. The summer of 1996, WAS incorporated in the state of Virginia and achieved non-profit 501©3 status with its chapter membership in Disabled Sports/USA, the largest sports and recreation organization for individuals with disabilities in the United States. By 2010, over 1250 students from a tri-state area had been introduced to outdoor sports. Our students included deaf or blind children, teens with autism and other cognitive disorders, adults recovering from disease or injury, paraplegics, quadriplegics, and wounded veterans from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 3000 adaptive snow sport lessons have been given and more than 375 volunteer instructors have trained and worked with the program. In 2005 WAS initiated its first-ever Wounded Warrior Learn to Ski and Snowboard Weekend. The weekend proves to be one of the most successful events of our season. A slope-side cottage was constructed in 2000, expanded in 2005, and in 2008 a boat storage building was constructed, next to Wintergreen’s Lake Monocan, to house the growing inventory for our canoeing and kayaking program. A Wounded Warrior Golf Program was begun in 2009 and continues to be an exciting outing during our summer months.
