March 28 - April 2, 2010 -
Snowmass Village, Colorado
This event is the world leader in promoting
rehabilitation by instructing Veterans with disabilities in
adaptive Alpine and Nordic skiing, and introducing them to a
number of other adaptive recreational activities and sports. For
many newly injured Veterans, including many injured in Iraq and
Afghanistan, the Clinic offers their first experience in winter
sports and gives them the inspiration to take their
rehabilitation to a higher level. Participants include Veterans
with spinal cord injuries, amputations, traumatic brain
injuries, neurological challenges, and visual impairments.
Sponsors & Hosts
The event is cosponsored by VA and Disabled American
Veterans, with financial assistance from corporate sponsors and
individual donors. The Grand Junction Colorado VA Medical Center
and VA’s Rocky Mountain Network host the event each year.
Each year for the past decade the Elks Lodges of
Colorado have worked together to make this happen. The lodges on
the eastern slope of Colorado meet the vets at the Denver
International Airport and make sure they have connections to the
Western Slope. The Aspen Lodge , the Glenwood Springs Lodge and
the Rifle Lodge then take over. Most of the swimming is done at
the hot springs in Glenwood Springs. Aspen Lodges are basically
in charge of the snow events and the Rifle Lodge has the gun
range and archery located just outside of Basalt at Ruihi
Reservoir . The Rifle Lodge feeds on the average of over 100
vets each day. Just a little of the menu consists of homemade
potato salad, baked bean, chili ( both green and red) venison
and or elk stew. Meats have been known to include beef, venison,
elk, moose, pork, pheasant, duck, rattle snake, alligator,
hamburgers, cheese burgers, brats and many other delights to
numerous to mention. LaFarge provides the outdoor BBQ and the
cooks for the week at no charge. The cooks are professionals at
wild game cooking as well as all other outdoor cooking. The
Rifle Lodge has a trailer that members of the Elks and private
individuals have provided so that cooking for the large numbers
can be done on site. Our love of this is undying and our
volunteers grow each year.
