RUMFORD — The River Valley Rotary Club Fellowship hosted speakers from the Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation at the Jan. 29 meeting.
Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation promotes year-round education and training for individuals with disabilities in order to develop skills, enhance independence and provide enjoyment through active recreation.
The name was changed from Maine Adaptive Ski to be more inclusive as a year round nonprofit organization assisting physically and mentally challenged people enjoy year round sport activities.
Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation is funded through grants and donations. There are three paid employees, assisted by volunteers.
In 1982 Maine Adaptive was housed at Sunday River’s South Ridge Lodge with eight participants, two volunteers and one part-time staff member. Today, Maine Adaptive has its own 4,300-square-foot slope-side facility at Sunday River.
Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation has gone from one winter sport to five winter sports and five winter locations; has grown from eight participants to over 400 annually; has expanded from two volunteers to over 450 volunteers annually; and has created a full summer program of golf, cycling, paddling and tennis.
It has created a wheelchair tennis program; taken the cycling and kayaking programs to Acadia National Park in order to reach more people in the Bangor area; and has teamed up with Salt Pump Climbing Gym to create an adaptive climbing program.
The organization is open to financial donations and volunteers who would like help and make a life-changing difference in lives.
To make a monetary donation, call 207-824-2440 or visit https://www.maineadpativesports.org/Adaptive sports.
The River Valley Rotary Club donated $250 to Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation. Rotary President Randy Therrien presented the check to Deb Maxfield, director of marketing, and Barbara Schneider, executive director, along with Dick Lovejoy, fellow Rotarian and longtime Maine Adaptive Sports volunteer. Also pictured are members of the Hope Association.
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