Maine ski program gives veterans a boost of confidence on the slopes

NEWRY, Maine — While hitting the slopes in the winter may come as second nature for some, it poses a challenge for others, especially folks living with a disability.

To help foster confidence—and to simply have some fun—the Veterans No Boundaries winter ski camp gives vets who were disabled by war a chance to challenge themselves through winter sports.

Put on each year by Maine Adaptive Sports & Recreation near Sunday River Resort, Co-chair Joanne McMahon said each year she is astounded at the transformation vets have when arriving compared to their last day. 

"Many of them came back, came home, and said, 'I can't do x, y and z anymore.' Well, yes you can!" McMahon said.

Thanks to generous donations, volunteers can provide free equipment, travel, lodging, and food for each vet who joins.

Volunteer instructors also help skiers not only learn to ski but also to use the adaptive equipment comfortably. 

"I came to VNB maybe six years ago, and I was too afraid to ski so I went snowshoeing with them then," skier Nancy Hamlen said, who just learned to ski for the first time Friday. "I'm prone to falling and being hurt a lot, and I don't want to fall and get hurt again, but they really help with that—the nervousness."

Although many skiers say each year is a blast going down the slopes, most say it's the support system behind them that shines through. 

"When you're around your own, you come out of your shell and that's one of the bigger things for someone with psychological wounds, is they don't want to try something new because they're afraid of who they're going to meet there," skier Bob Chappelow said. "And when you have someone that can stick with you, your success is almost guaranteed."