People across Canada gained some insight into a volunteer ski program for special needs children in North Bay, after watching the Rick Mercer Report Tuesday night.
Earlier this month, comedian Rick Mercer and his production crew spent an entire day with the Nipissing Trackers, talking to students and instructors about the program offered at Laurentian Ski Hill.
"I thought it was great. I was really happy because the focus was on the kids and the participants in the program, and the effect it had on the students," said Rick Taylor, program coordinator.
At one point during the segment, Mercer skied backward down the hill, guiding one of the young skiers, and was later strapped into a bi-ski, used by some of the children.
"The first thing he said was 'wow, this is snug.' The children are completely immobilized in it. We make sure they're secure. He (Mercer) got to experience the same thing that a child who uses a wheelchair experience when they go skiing. He and one of our students, Dylan, they had a great time on the hill. They went skiing together. Rick loved it. He thought it was amazing."
There is more to the program than learning to ski.
"Several of our children have learned to ski, but even those who haven't learned to ski, their social interaction has really, really come out. And their parents have told us that the difference they've seen in their children because of the program, is just phenomenal," said Taylor.
"We have one kid who came to us, and we had two instructors with him and they had a parasailing harness that they put him in, and the straps were over the instructors shoulder and the child had a harness to help hold him up because he was heavy, but he couldn't stand up, but they worked at it. That little guy is now skiing down the hill on his own. When his father saw him go down the hill for the first time, he was actually in tears. Now imagine how rewarding that is for his instructors. We always get so much more out of it than we put in."
The students are on the hill every Sunday, for a total of five weeks of instruction, but the time commitment by volunteers is longer.
"We have seven Sundays that the volunteers give their time to make the program happen, and the first two Sundays we do instructor training. We take people that like to ski and we train them how to interact with special needs children, and how to get them skiing safely down the hill. The key here is safety."
Parents say their children look forward to Sunday skiing. It is the highlight of their week.
"We have kids that every once in awhile you bump into them in the summertime, and they're excited to talk about skiing, and want to know when it will start up again. We've had kids, where we've taken them kicking and screaming onto the ski hill, and after five weeks, we take them kicking and screaming off the ski hill. They don't want to stop."
About six years ago, the decision was made to make the program a family affair, so siblings or parents aren't just watching from the sidelines.
"I decided that I was going to try and make it more of a family experience. So we allow one parent or sibling, to ski with the special needs child. It gives them an opportunity to ski down the hill with their son or daughter, brother or sister."
The total number of skiers in the program number 100, which includes the instructors, students, a parent or sibling.
Taylor would like to see the program used as a model in other communities.
"It is possible if someone was to take the initiative and see what resources they have and get a program going. It does take some effort, but it's not that difficult. I would hope someone who lives in another community would look at that show, and say 'maybe we could do something like that here.' Certainly, if they want information, they could contact us at [email protected]," said Taylor.
"We would give them information on how to get going and how to start it up and what kind of training they need. One of the best parts, of course, is that it's all free. It does not cost the participants anything, and that's huge because a lot of these families with special needs kids couldn't afford it. Everyone knows skiing is not a cheap sport to participate in, to begin with. "
Next year marks an important milestone.
"The fact it is going to be celebrating its 30th anniversary next year, speaks for itself as far as what the program means to the participants, and what the volunteers get out of it. It's not going anywhere," said Taylor.
"The generosity of the sponsors is at the heart of it also, without their support there would be no program. It's about the kids."
It took nearly a year to coordinate the taping, in what is Mercer's final season.
"I guess what we really got from this was exposure to the program, which I think is a great program. It's all about the special needs kids, and getting them skiing. If you have a special needs child, over the age of six, we'll take that child, regardless of the special need," said Taylor.
"I hope people now know that there is a little ski hill, in a little town in Northern Ontario, that has a huge heart and takes special needs kids skiing, and allows them to experience something that they otherwise, never would."
