DREAM Adaptive Recreation receives generous gift from Lesar family

DREAM Adaptive Recreation hosted an event last month at Whitefish Mountain Resort to kick off the initial phase of a capital campaign for a new building to house the nonprofit that will be located midway up Chair 9, on land donated by Whitefish Mountain Resort. 

David and Sherry Lesar, longtime local philanthropists, heard of the mountain's donation of land and came forward with a lead gift to launch the capital campaign for a building.  

“When we heard that this building was being planned ... we wanted to do something that was meaningful for DREAM and for the community,” Sherry Lesar said. “Tonight, I'm announcing that the Lesar family is going to provide the lead gift for making this dream come to reality. We are going to jump start this process with a major donation.”  

The donation is one of the largest single lead gifts ever made to a Flathead Valley nonprofit, according to the Whitefish Community Foundation. The new building will be named the Lesar Family Mountain Center for DREAM Adaptive Recreation. 

“DREAM Adaptive Recreation, like the other nonprofits here, creates a quality of life that is strong and lasting,” Sherry Lesar said. “DREAM not only helps people achieve skill levels but it gives them an opportunity to come together with family and friends over activities and it creates a quality of life.” 

The announcement moved the assembled guests to tears and it was met with a solid minute of applause. 

"I am deeply humbled and profoundly grateful for this extraordinary gift from the Lesar Family, whose unwavering support of our mission has been instrumental for many years,” said Julie Tickle, executive director of DREAM. “Their generosity not only reflects their compassionate spirit but also underscores the vital importance of creating inclusive access to the life-changing benefits of outdoor recreation.” 

Tickle said her initial interaction with David Lesar happened in 2017 when Lesar approached her during preparations for a paddle day on the lake with thoughtful questions about DREAM. Lesar asked what adaptive recreation program she would like to start if funding was not a concern. She had an answer ready -- mountain biking. 

Three weeks later, the Lesars donated three adaptive mountain bikes that got DREAM’s mountain bike program rolling. The program currently has nine bikes donated by the Lesar family. 

“It was an amazing opportunity to open up a whole new world for people with disabilities in our community,” Tickle said. “Biking is so freeing.” 

THE LESAR FAMILY Mountain Center for DREAM Adaptive Recreation is a much-needed resource for the growing organization. The new, 14,000-square-foot facility features fully accessible space for day-to-day operations, group rooms, offices, a family lounge, lockers and storage for year-round equipment like skis, bikes and other recreational gear. 

Tickle said Cushing Terrell and Dick Anderson Construction have worked to ensure the Mountain Center is accessible and inclusive to all users. The main floor has sensory rooms for people who benefit from a calm place to gather themselves. There is a family changing room and bathroom with an adult-size changing table and lift. Throughout the building, there is enough circulation space for many users of mobility devices to move without barriers. 

Lesar said the new building will help DREAM better meet the evolving needs of the community. For the last few years, DREAM's waitlist of participants interested in year-round programs has grown and the organization has worked diligently to increase its resources. 

DREAM provided over 1,500 winter and summer lessons and recreational opportunities for 329 unique participants last year, in addition to 256 lessons for military veterans and active-duty service members. Nearly 200 volunteers donated over 5,800 hours to meet the increasing demand for adaptive recreation in the Flathead Valley. 

“This transformative lead gift is the foundation upon which we will build a center that will serve our community for generations,” Tickle said. “I am eager to engage in further conversations with prospective donors about additional lead gifts for this landmark project and look forward to inviting our broader community to join us in this exciting endeavor over the coming year." 

The Lesars are vested members of the Whitefish community. Sherry has volunteered on several local boards and is currently in her ninth year on the Whitefish Community Foundation board. The Lesar Family Foundation has also made generous donations to several nonprofits, including a $500,000 matching grant, to form the Kids Fund Program in Whitefish which aims to prevent local youth from becoming homeless.  

DREAM, founded in 1985, operated out of a small, shed-like building in the Spruce Lot and a room in the base lodge at Whitefish Mountain Resort for years. Recently, it expanded its summer footprint from a storage unit to an office and small warehouse space on Baker Avenue, which is nearly full. 

AT THE LEAD GIFT ceremony, speakers shared their personal connection with the mission of DREAM. 

Nick Polumbus, president of Whitefish Mountain Resort, told the assembled guests his sister was born with Down syndrome and his mother worked to ensure she had every opportunity afforded to her other children. Polumbus understanding of the importance of inclusion on a personal and professional level, along with his knowledge of DREAM’s growth potential, led to the land donation.    

DREAM board member Lucas Stacy was a wilderness firefighter with a young son when he fell from a snowmobile and broke his neck. He said the accident caused him to feel lost and broken.  

“I knew that my life had significantly changed,” Stacy said from his wheelchair. “I had a 2-year-old kid. I had imagined a completely different life.” 

The life he imagined was one where he could give his son all the outdoor adventures he had enjoyed while growing up in Montana. He said he was heartbroken by the prospect of not being able to ski with his son. 

With his desire to ski, hard work, and help from the DREAM team, Stacy skied down the Chair 6 slope unassisted just three seasons later. 

“They gave me my entire life back,” he said of DREAM. “I can’t think of anything that I would have done before that I haven’t found some ... way to do with myself with my kid and he's getting the best Montana experience that I could ever imagine.”

    An artist's rendering of the Lesar Family Mountain Center for DREAM Adaptive Recreation. The year-round home for DREAM will be located near the base of Whitefish Mountain Resort. (Image provided)