Helping Veterans and First Responders Find Healing Through Skiing and Snowboarding
Palisades Tahoe is a proud supporter of the Military to Mountains program, which introduces veterans and first responders to the healing effects of skiing and snowboarding after nine weeks of personal training. This program has been active for several years and has supported 165 veterans since its inception in 2015.
In 2014, at a check presentation in Dallas, TX, CEO and Founder of the High Fives Foundation Roy Tuscany was introduced to David Vobora from the Adaptive Training Foundation and retired US Marine Corporal Jacob Schick. Each having a passion for hard work and drive, Vobora and Tuscany discussed ways the two organizations could work together. The next year, Military to the Mountains was born with Corporal Schick as the program’s sole participant.
“The goal of the program is to offer wounded war-fighters an opportunity to tap back into their physicality by pushing through mental and physical barriers,” said Vobora, Founder and CEO of the Adaptive Training Foundation. “Experiencing the mountains for the first time post-injury redefines their limits and ignites a new passion to take ridge lines they no longer thought were possible.”
At Palisades Tahoe, these military personnel are given the chance to experience the thrill of skiing and snowboarding in a beautiful and supportive environment. Military to Mountains is more than just a program for physical activity: it is a way to tell the stories of U.S. Veterans and first responders who choose to embrace goal setting and athleticism as a way to enjoy life and all of its challenges.
2023 marks the eighth year for the program, and in that short period of time, Military to the Mountains has grown from one Veteran (Schick) in 2015, to 10 in 2016, to 22 in 2017-2020, and the expansion to a Colorado chapter with a total of 37 annual participants from 2021 on. The consistent growth of the program is a direct reflection of the positive impact that it has on the lives of the injured US Veterans participating in Military to the Mountains. Military to the Mountains is 100 percent free for participants, with the program covering anything from transportation and lodging to training and outfitting participants with the right equipment and apparel.
This March, Palisades Tahoe hosted these participants for several days of skiing and snowboarding. Our mountain community views the Military to Mountains program as an inspiring initiative that helps participants push through their physical and mental barriers and rediscover their physicality. We look forward to seeing the positive impact it has on the participants in the years to come.
2023 PHOTO GALLERY
Photos courtesy of the High Fives Foundation
