Barbara, a long-time resident of Maine as well as an avid skier, is married to a husband with permanent physical disabilities.  She is a passionate advocate for providing individuals with educations and training in order to develop skills that provide enjoyment through outdoor recreation.

 

Maine Adaptive Sports promotes year round adaptive sports programming, free of cost to their athletes who have a wide range of physical and cognitive disabilities.  There are programs across a variety of both winter and summer sports like skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, climbing, cycling, golf, tennis and paddling. Participants range from children to adults, and include veterans, children with limb loss, and adults with MS.

 

Maine Adaptive is able to offer this free programming through a combination of efforts - adult and junior volunteers, partners and affiliations, member schools, funding from personal and corporate donations and scholarships, wills and bequests, annual campaign, community events, ski-athons and many other events.

 

Maine Adaptive started in 1982 with 8 participants and 2 seasonal volunteers.  There are now 7 year round staff a six locations.

 

 

From left to right Frank Emery (Left), Rotary,  Anita Emery (Center), Ski Race team, Maine Adaptive Sports,  Barbara Schneider (Right), Maine Adaptive Sports