I started volunteering with Outdoors for All in the 2009/2010 Season. Before Chiropractic, I had actually taught skiing for four years and loved it! My sister had volunteered with the program before and I had heard wonderful things…I just didn’t know if I had time for it.
Cianna was one of my first participants. Honestly, I fell in love with that girl from day one! She would sing to me, recite cartoons, smile and laugh and always ask me “where are we going?”…I would tell her and her answer was always a cheerful “ok” or “sure” Sure we would run into challenges, endurance was a big issue for her and she would get tired…all of us do…skiing is hard work! Sometimes she wouldn’t want to do something…so she would distract me with a Hug!!! We would take breaks, chit-chat and get back out on the snow. Cianna is honestly one of the brightest, happiest, and positive individuals I know and I am blessed just to know her and get to spend time with her. She not only lights up my face, but everyone’s she meets.
Over the last four years Cianna has progressed from skiing 1-3 runs on the magic carpet to last weekend skiing 5+ runs on the beginner chair lift! Pure awesomeness! She’s also progressed from needing ropes attached to her skis to help her turn and stop to being able to turn and stop on her own with minimal support…I ski backwards helping her with turns and stopping when she needs it…most the time she doesn’t! She just likes having me there! The important thing is not how fast she’s progressed, it’s the quality of the time we’ve shared together getting out moving her body, giving her brain positive feedback and showing her what she’s capable of! She’s done so well! She loves to ski and I can see her confidence improving at each lesson!
Where most may give up or decide not to try; Outdoors for All trains their volunteers well and we break it down piece by piece, skill by skill, run by run. One thing at a time…safety first, fun second and hey learning something at the end of the day is a plus!
Impossible or even “hard” is often a belief rather than fact but yet we treat it as factual. Outdoors for All breaks these chains and dreams of and accomplishes what others may see as hard or impossible. Yet, the ability was there all along. Robert M. Hensel is quoted as saying “I choose not to place “DIS”, in my ability.” This is what Outdoors for All is all about. This is why I support them AND this is why I continue to “have time” for Cianna and all the people Outdoors for All serves…even three months after the birth of my second child!
From me and Cianna to you, Thank you for supporting us and Outdoors for All!
Dr. Tiffany Green, DC, CACCP
Chiropractor, Mom and Volunteer!
If you would like to help support Outdoors for All, please visit our donation page!
The Outdoors for All Foundation is a national leader and one of the largest nonprofit organizations providing year round instruction in outdoor recreation for people with physical, developmental, and sensory disabilities. Outdoors for All’s year round programming includes snowboarding, snowshoeing, cross country and downhill skiing, cycling, hiking, river rafting, canoeing and kayaking, day camps, water skiing, rock-climbing, camping and Custom Events.
We are a customer driven organization where each year more than 2,000 children and adults with disabilities exercise their abilities thanks to the training and support of more than 700 volunteers.
(source www.outdoorsforall.org/aboutus.html)
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