DREAM Adaptive Recreation water sports week returns with support
Kjell Sandler, of Kalispell, enjoys a ride around Echo Lake on a sit-down water ski during DREAM Adaptive's Water Sports Program on Tuesday, July 20. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
DREAM Adaptive Recreation has been awarded a $7,500 grant from The Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund to support the non-profit’s Summer Water Sports Program. The grant will be used to help defray the costs of the program, which aims to empower individuals with disabilities through a variety of water sports. New this year, Launch Water Sports has also teamed up with DREAM to provide a boat and driver for all their motorized water days this season.
“Our ability to provide empowering top-notch programming is a direct result of generous community support,” DREAM Executive Director Julie Tickle said. “Weyerhaeuser’s annual support allows us to consistently provide inclusive family-friendly programming that folks in our community look forward to year after year. We are always excited to add new partners to our family, and when Launch Water Sports came forward to provide an amazing new Malibu boat and driver at no cost for the week, it helped take our services to a whole new level.”
The past couple of years has truly highlighted the importance of outdoor recreation for physical and mental health. Individuals with disabilities often face many barriers when it comes to accessing outdoor spaces. DREAM aims to break down barriers and help people with disabilities fully participate and be represented in the outdoor-minded community.
The DREAM Water Sports Week will take place July 19-22 at the Thompson Family’s private residence on Echo Lake in Bigfork. July Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are open to individuals ages 5 to adults and their families, including those with physical, cognitive, intellectual and sensory impairments. Friday, July 22, is reserved for military veterans with disabilities and their family members. Activities will include standard and adaptive water skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, paddle boarding, kayaking, boating and swimming.
No previous experience is required as staff and volunteers will be on hand to provide support and instruction. Additional individual water sports skills days will take place on Whitefish Lake on Aug. 7 for military veterans, and on August 10 and 17 for all who qualify for DREAM’s services. Pre-registration is required for all participants and volunteers.
“The mission of the Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund is to improve the quality of life in communities where Weyerhaeuser has a presence. We made our first charitable donation in 1903 and have provided more than $243 million in grants through our formal giving program, established in 1948. In both rural and urban settings, we support hundreds of important organizations and programs in the communities where we operate with money, time, skills and resources,” explains Weyerhaeuser MDF Plant Manager and Giving Fund committee member Jason Simpson.
Weyerhaeuser currently operates three mills in Montana: a lumber mill in Kalispell, a plywood mill in Kalispell and a medium-density fiberboard mill in Columbia Falls. There are currently just under 600 people employed by Weyerhaeuser in the state of Montana.
To learn more about DREAM Adaptive Recreation and ways to become involved as a participant or volunteer, please contact the office at (406) 862-1817 or visit www.dreamadaptive.org.