Live It! Love it! Foundation

Freewheel Whistler is back and registration is now OPEN!! The camp will take place in July 11th-24th in Whistler BC and is open to individuals with spinal cord injuries who are looking to find balance, connect with their peers and engage in some exciting adventure activities in the beautiful Whistler British Columbia.

Spots are limited so register soon!

MORE INFO:

The Freewheel Whistler Camp is an adventure retreat for the young at heart who have recently sustained life changing spinal cord injuries.

Mission

The mission of Freewheel is to empower youth who have recently sustained a life changing spinal cord injury by providing exciting opportunities for adventure and outdoor recreation,  peer mentorship and a safe and fun environment to discover the potential for active living with a disability.

Purpose

The purpose if Freewheel is to provide a sense of balance and a kick start back to life after a life changing injury.   We aim to provide an environment of support, community,  leadership, sharing and fun to help overcome the challenge and fear that we are faced with when navigating life with a disability. We hope that every camper returns home with a sense of potential, accomplishment and a network of friends and professionals to rely on for support when they need it.

Activities

The camps vary from year to year, and includes activities such as adaptive kayaking, canoeing, rowing, ziplining, handcycling, trailrider hiking,  yoga, bungee jumping, rafting, atv-ing, rock climbing,  peer mentoring, meditation, journaling, cooking classes,  mental training and leadership workshops. All activities and workshops are led by qualified instructors and guides to ensure safety for all participants.

Basecamp

The base camp for Freewheel is situated in the fully accessible Whistler Athletes Village on the edge of the Cheakamus River in the Whistler valley. Wholesome and nutritious camp style meals are provided on site and workshops will take place in a serene mountain environment.

Eligibility

All levels of mobility are welcome.

Cost

This camp is fully subsidized by Live It! Love It! and our supporters.

Dates

Freewheel Whistler will take place from July 11th to 14th 2013.

Check in is 2:30pm on Thursday, July 11th 2013 and we will wrap up at 4:00pm on Sunday, July 14th 2013.

Registration is OPEN! Go to:  www.liveitloveit.org/events

Check out the videos from Freewheel 2011 & 2012

Live It! Love It! Is currently looking for sponsors for Freewheel 2013. To find out more check out Sponsorship Opportunities or email izzy@liveitloveit.org.

Hey LiLi, it’s Emily!

As you know, a few weeks ago, I was in Whistler for the 2013 Haywood Nationals. I had such a great experience with my team members, as well as friends from other ski clubs. All together I raced 4 races; 700m sprints, 2.5 km, 5 km, and 7.5 km as the longest distance. Collette Bourgonje, national team member, was able to make it to the event, which made it exciting both for me racing, and for my coaches watching, they said.

Looking back, I would say that the 5 km distance was my best race. It started early in the morning so that the snow would be firm and icy… which means fast. When I finished, I knew that I had crossed the line first, with a lead, but I wasn’t sure if the gap was big enough to take first place. In sit skiing, every athlete needs to be assessed according to their disability. I am an LW12, which means that my time is 100%. Some other athletes at the event were LW10′s- at 86%, which means that I have to be at least 14% faster. During the week, I realized how huge this aspect of the sport is and how it makes it different from able body, even more. It was hard to know just how hard to push myself. For the 5 km I just put it all out there and it turned out it was enough for first place, which was really exciting and made it the performance I’m most proud of. In the other races, I placed 2nd for the 2.5 Km and 7.5 Km, and 1st in the 700 m Sprints.

Each race day, we woke up pretty early, depending on start times. Most days we were out on the trails before 9 am, when the sun would come up over the top of the mountains. By that time our skis had been waxed with the top of the line powders and hi-fluoro’s, thanks to Black Jack Ski Team, the BC Ski Team and our local coach. These guys lowered their VO2 Max while in the containers of toxins, to help us ski fast… I was almost worried I would loose control when I switched from my warm up skis to my race skis.

Aside from actually racing, we had off days and “official training days”, too. The trails were crowded with skiers, and it was great to be out in the sun with the Revy team.

On one of our off days, we drove up to the trails and watched the Junior Men and Women’s sprint races. They were pretty exciting to watch and we could definitely learn something from their technique.

Another day, about 8 sit skiers at the event went for a group ski. Being out with other people who do exactly what I do, made me feel so content. I learned a lot from watching how others take a hill, from advice they gave me, and from trying to give them advice too.

I also participated in a workshop held by Fast And Female, an organization that works to promote young females in sport, started by Chandra Crawford. There was about 20 group leaders or ambassadors, that shared their knowledge with the 200+ girls who attended. They each shared their story about how they worked their way up to the top in the skiing world. It was inspiring and encouraging, for sure.

On the last night there was a banquet for all the skiers, their family, the wax techs and the coaches. It was a great way to end off the season! I’m surprised by how fast this winter went by. Training and racing made it fun and kept me busy and active. I think most of all the week confirmed in my head that I will always continue skiing, whether racing or not, I love it.

Thank you so much to the Live it! Love it! team, for helping me get there, I couldn’t have done it without you guys! I hope you continue doing what you do for others in the community.

-Emily

Blowin the doors off Silverstar mountain in Vernon! Check out the video to see some of the campers ripping it up at our first annual ski camp! More photos to come!

Supported by Silverstar Resort and Save on Foods.

Jeff Scott is in a competition to win a brand new fully adapted van. Good new is you can help! If you follow the link you can read his story which he was challenged to sum up in 400 words. All he needs is your vote! It’s that easy and he’ll be able to drive himself around!!

If you click on the blue box to the left of where you enter your information you will be able to double up your votes. You can also double up your votes by voting on a wireless connection AND through a 3G network.

You can vote everyday until May 10th. Some of the best ways to remember?

1-make this page your homepage so when you open up the Internet you’re already there!
Or
2- set a reminder in your smartphone (if you have one)!

Thank You for your support! Every vote helps!!

Vote for Jeff here!

Broke down in Fredericton…

Out for a paddle

What do you do with your good ski if you’ve broken or lost it’s match?
Tired of talking about building an adirondack chair and never getting around to it? Or maybe you did, yet your skis are still piling up. Consider your problems solved. A very cool website started up. Broken Skis is uniting single skis with their respective mates, either another individual in the same situation (missing one ski), or with a sit skiers (they’re always on the hunt for single skis!). What’s extra cool about this site is that they make donations to different organizations. The Live it! Love it! Foundation is slated to receive their first round of donations! Slide on over to their site to check them out and/or donate some lonely skis!

Any activity you excel at, once you’re beyond a certain level, novice let’s say, it can be hard to go back and appreciate the same environment as challenging, even though you know at one point it was all that.
In the new light, it’s hardly worth the time. It almost becomes boring. I’m talking about Twinkle Toes. It’s a ski run on Hudson Bay Mountain. It’s got everything you look for as an 8 yr old learning to ride. Little snake runs on the side and through islands of trees in the middle, jumps everywhere the groomer wasn’t able to churn up some fresh corduroy and a rise at the end that forces you to point it and go faster than you’re comfortable. That or you walk or hop your way over it. 20 years ago, this run looked the same. The only difference might be the height of the trees.
I learned how to ski, and then how to snowboard here. I hit little jumps, bobbed and weaved in and out of the snake runs and ate shit because I was going to fast but didn’t want to walk, or hop, over the inevitably looming rise at the bottom.
I did this run with friends and family for many years. Then, I out grew the jumps, my boards got too long to fully appreciate the snake runs and the rise at the end seemed minor as did the speed required to clear it. Twinkle Toes, I’m sad to say, seemingly turned into a thing of the past.

That is until I returned to the mountain to learn how to sit ski. I don’t think the ever changing jumps, snake runs or the steadfast rise at the bottom have changed at all. The welcoming gradual grade is still there as well. It’s the perfect place to catch a little air and open it up to scare yourself. It feels like, on a run like this, there could be no wrong. Until you catch your downhill edge and fill both your ears with snow, as I did with my brother in law, who was behind me assisting, is now right next to me doing the same. It’s what any good captain, worth his weight in dried mangos, is supposed to do. Go down with the ship.

Big Thanks to Geoff, Lindsay, Dad, Rob, Michele

National Geographic has assembled a list of ten people whom have met or exceed their vision of what it means to be an adventurer. Josh Dueck has been humbled and honored to be in such great company and thrilled beyond measure to be acknowledged by the original stewards of our environment and purveyors of wonder. Learn more about the adventurers or place your vote now!

The Coast Hotel Joins Forces With Live it! Love it! Foundation

Exciting news for the Live it! Love it! Foundation as they have teamed up with the Coast Blackcomb Suites at Whistler. A portion of the proceeds from their accessible rooms will be donated to the foundation every time they’re rented out. Their support will help the Foundation continue to Empower individuals with a disability through Adventure.
How can can you help? If you’re in Whistler and in need of a comfy hotel, stop by the Coast and ask for one of their accessible rooms! Please, remember to give priority to those who need.

Thank you for the support!

If you’d like more info please contact

Jeff Scott
604-967-3484
jeff@liveitloveit.org
www.liveitloveit.org

or

Coast Blackcomb Suites at Whistler
604-905-3400
coast@coastblackcombsuites.com
www.coastblackcombsuites.com