Mountains. Each trip customized to encourage participants to dig deep without experiencing the impossibility of success. With grant support from the Delta Gamma Foundation's Service for Sight program, ten athletes with disabilities-five of whom were U.S. Military Veterans-and a group of volunteers and guides worked together to show that perceptions of limitations become blurred with teamwork and determination. Session one was comprised mostly of female participants and focused on introductory mountaineering skills and backcountry travel. Lieutenant Colonel Kathy Champion, a participant from a previous event, served as a mentor "My mission is individual, who lost believe it is only really worth it when I for the group and positive source of encouragement for all involved. to use my gifts his sight from a rare can share the experiences with others and abilities to eye disease, had facing limitations in their own lives. My "You will never understand the freedom never before been encourage others mission is to use my gifts and abilities I felt at that moment in time on the in the mountains to encourage others to get out and push to get out and mountain," stated Champion. "It made me and required a themselves. When we reach beyond realize I am blind, not broken, and the only push themselves." significant level of ourselves, the world becomes a much limitations I have are ones I set on myself." communication and more pleasant place to play!" assistance to traverse the rugged terrain. Mary Winter, who used to race in In its second year, Summit Vision By the end of the week, this individual triathlons before a back injury and has become a premier event for The had gained a level of confidence that subsequent vision loss from surgical Ability Experience and the Adaptive enabled him to descend from the complications, made dramatic strides Sports Center enabling athletes with mountains independently from his guides and found a renewed sense of confidence disabilities to push themselves in the with only touch and sounds to lead him through her successes in the mountains. backcountry and empower them to live down-a truly emotional and inspirational active lives. However, the uniqueness "Despite my inability to see, I wanted to display of progression. of the event comes in the inclusive run down the mountain in celebration of Summit Vision was born out of a simple teamwork found inherently in the my ability to be ambulatory and capable conversation amongst friends. Lonnie structure of the program. The interaction of climbing this mountain," claimed Bedwell, the first blind individual to kayak between participants and volunteers Winter. "As I climbed into my sleeping the Grand Canyon, expressed his desire brings a deep level of camaraderie that bag at night, I reflected on the amazing to climb big mountains and bring others is only understood by those involved. As experiences I had only previously with him to find out what is possible. witnessed in session three of this year's dreamed about. They are all very real now "Selfishly, I love to push my own limits Summit Vision trip, the event is not about thanks to the awesome Summit Vision program! I was not ready for this life- to reach far beyond what is thought reaching the summit of the peaks, but changing trip to end and have SO many possible," says Bedwell. "However, I truly about working as a team to reach the summits within our souls! areas of excitement rekindled from year's past; I am speechless with the flood of As The Ability Experience and the memories and feelings. This adventure Adaptive Sports Center embark on the is the perfect opportunity to journal mountains in 2015, it is guaranteed that new accomplishments that format new with every step forward dreams. Life starts again!" will represent leaps in the effort to raise Session two occurred in late September awareness for the and presented a cathedral of fall colors abilities of all people. and smells allowing the group of inexperienced climbers many firsts. One UPDATE YOUR PIKAPP.ORG/SUBMITNEWS 25