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White, Mandler to Receive History-Maker Awards (Note: The History-Maker Award salutes individuals or groups which have made contributions of historic proportions to the advancement of winter sports in the Intermountain Region. It is presented annually by the University of Utah Marriott Library Ski Archives' Advisory Board, whose mission is to preserve the history of winter sports in the region.) Meeche White, Co-Founder National Ability Center Meeche White What started as a humble plan cobbled together in Meeche White's Park City living room in 1985 today has the National Ability Center helping ensure adapted skiing is available for individuals with physical and/or developmental disabilities on an international scale. The center is headquartered at a 26-acre Park City ranch and has become a national role model for similar endeavors. It is the second largest adapted sports program in the world and was instrumental in launching special ski programs in Sierra Nevada, Spain; Predazzo, Italy; Poznan, Poland. Further, it is working with instructors in Australia, Mrica, Mexico, and Russia. In Utah it has satellite programs at Brian Head Ski Resort in southern Utah, at Deer Valley Resort and The Canyons in Park City. As the center's co-founder and executive director, Meeche's goal is to serve those with disabilities and their families through the development of lifetime skills by providing them affordable sports and recreational experiences in a natural environment. "The objective of these experiences is to build selfesteem, confidence and physical development," says Meeche. "But doing so, our students - regardless of their age -enhance their active participation in all aspects of community life." She says the center promotes the concept of ability through integration, public awareness and education. Its motto is "If I can do this, I can do anything." Through Meeche's dedication and perseverance the program has grown from providing 45 adaptive ski lessons in 1985 to 25,000 lessons in more than 20 different sports last year. Its budget has grown from $1,200 (all the money Meeche and her then-husband, Peter Badewitz, had between them in 1985) to more than $3.3 million. Included in Center's phenomenal growth is the development of its ranch in Park City that includes indoor and outdoor horseback riding arenas, ropes course, indoor climbing wall, accessible lodging and playground. All good reasons for receiving the 2009 HistoryMakers Award. Peter Mandler, Founder Wasatch Adaptive Sports Peter Mandler "Our programs provide numerous forms of therapy and build confidence and self-esteem for children and their families with special needs," says Peter Mandler, founder of Wasatch Adaptive Sports (WAS). "We provide an outlet to combat certain feelings such as depression by providing a fun social environment to ensure our students are comfortable in their surroundings. We enhance quality of lives." That modus operandi has served Wasatch Adaptive Sports and its participants very well. Founded and headquartered at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, the program has grown from having a few group sessions in 1977 to providing nearly 16,000 individual lessons last year. *-----------------------* |
