what it means to them to participate in their Adaptive program to win a 15$ Apple iTunes card

The winner of our second contest has shared what it means to them to participate in their Adaptive program to win a 15$ Apple iTunes card

Congratulations Tanya Hickey, CADS NCD

My daughter, Braelyn, joined the program about 14 years ago. The joy it brought her warmed my heart so much, and I wanted to be alongside her to witness her experience. So I joined as a volunteer, in her third year. And then the Following year I became an instructor.
The last decade has brought me so many incredible memories and the meeting of so many inspirational people. But what completes my heart is spending that 90 minutes every week on the hill with my daughter. It is that special activity we share together. We laugh. We sing on the chair lift. And she coaches me down the hill by rocking forward to go faster and smiling from ear to ear.
My daughter has severe global developmental delay. She has limited vocabulary. She has limited gross motor skills. But when she sees the first sign of snow, her first words are, “go skiing with mommy?” She has a love of speed, and skiing gives her that feeling of the wind in her face and the crunch of the snow. It is her 90 minutes of “normal”.
I am so grateful that I have an activity I can share with my daughter, every year. And although we clearly love this time together, it wasn’t until it was cancelled this year, just the level of importance it had in our lives. My heart is missing the CADS puzzle piece 🧩 this year. 2022 is going to be extra special! ️

Tanya Hickey