The latest news for you

MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE

December 2018

All Access is a season-long program that offers adaptive ski or snowboard instruction for school age individuals with a physical, or cognitive disability.

Our Special Olympians gear up to ski/ride at the Regional Games and State Games. The events that we will compete in are designed to accommodate every ability level of athlete interested in competing, broken into three different ability levels of advanced, intermediate and novice. The three events athletes will participate in are the Downhill, Slalom and Giant Slalom. This training and race program is dedicated to improve the athletes’ physical, social and psychological well-being through positive and successful experiences in competition.

Reservations and advanced booking are required for both programs.

Learn more here.

STARS New Office Offers More Space for Participants and Their Families

Steamboat Adaptive Recreational Sports now has a year round home at the base of Steamboat Ski Resort for the organization’s mountain operations.

The new STARS location is located on the ground level of the Gondola Building and features additional program space for participants and their families. This location also provide us more space at the base as well as a convenient drop off location for clients. We look forward to seeing you this winter!

The Power of Possible: Big Things Happen when you give to STARS

For Andrew W., STARS is where he found his passion snowboarding. Veteran Big Mike feels blessed to be involved with STARS, and for Steamboat students, STARS means joy.

STARS makes big things happen for people with disabilities when you give.

“Each gift we receive is important to our program,” said Julie Taulman, Executive Director of STARS.

“We are so grateful for every gift and use it to help people like Andrew, Big Mike, Steamboat students and the hundreds of other people we serve.”

At STARS, we believe that through adaptive recreation, we can positively impact the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families.

Thank you to all of the generous people who made this year’s Yampa Valley Gives Day a tremendous success! STARS received $69,225 that day to support our programs. This is the most important donation day for STARS, but we will continue to receive important donations throughout December.

There is still time to join hundreds of people who contribute to show the Power of Possible. Visit, steamboatstars.com to make your donation today.

Congratulations to Our Testimonial Winner, Mike Bennett!

"My name is BIG Mike Bennett and 2019 will be my 4th year in a row attending a ski camp through STARS. I’m a disabled Veteran of 21 years of service. I was injured in Afghanistan with 19 years of service and did another 2 years of service in a wheelchair. I was invited by a nonprofit foundation to go monosking in Steamboat Springs through the STARS program in 2015 and immediately fell in love with STARS and their amazing volunteers.

Being 6”10 300lbs it was a challenge for STARS to find equipment that would accommodate me. After attempting to monoski with an amazing instructor (Wes Dearborn), we quickly realized I was too big for the equipment. That’s when I was introduced to the Skibike (shroombob) and I was instantly hooked! Ski biking is now a huge part of my life and I owe it all to the wonderful volunteers and staff at STARS. Thank you so much for opening a whole new world for me. Blessed would be an understatement!" - Mike Bennett

Generosity Abounds as STARS matches $100,000 Challenge Grant

STARS raised over $148,000 to match a $100,000 challenge grant from the Craig-Scheckman Family Foundation (CSFF). New gifts and increased pledge commitments made over three months counted toward the match.

“We are grateful to the staff and Board of STARS for the incredible work they do to make our community more accessible to youth with disabilities,” said Sara Craig-Scheckman, Executive Director of CSFF. “The STARS Ranch will be a true asset to Routt County and, by having its own facility, STARS will be able to increase programming and opportunities for yout h with special needs and their families.”

STARS has raised $5,182,000, or 91% of the $5.6 million goal for phase I of the STARS Ranch. With construction underway and an opening scheduled for early 2020, there is an increased urgency to complete the fundraising.

STARS Ready for Outstanding Winter Season

As STARS gears up for the winter season, we sat down with Assistant Program Director Trevor Hildebrand to learn what it takes to prepare for our winter programs.

How is the season going this year?

This winter season is off to such a great start at STARS! We have had an amazing group of instructors join us for early season training, and we have just over a week left before we dive right into the holiday rush.

What is the focus of the early season training?

We are really focusing on safety and education on how to use adaptive equipment and working with people with different disabilities. It is obvious that what we are teaching in the clinics is really taking shape for our instructors as they are able to carry knowledge from one clinic to the next, and apply it in different scenarios!

How extensive is the training?

To date, we have had 1,114 hours of training with 92 instructors who have attended a clinic. We still have several more clinics before the holiday rush.

What does it take to run the STARS winter programs?

We can’t do this without our incredible instructors, and we love all of the time we get with them on the hill preparing for the season! Thank you to everyone that has been a part of STARS on and off the hill!

Last winter, we served over 335 clients in our winter programs and we expect even more this winter. We really rely on our passionate and dedicated trained instructors to be able to successfully operate our programs.

2019 STARS Mountain Challenge Registration Opens Jan. 2, 2019!

STARS Mountain challenge is a community celebration on Saturday, March 2, 2019. It’s a special time when Olympic and Paralympic athletes, supporters, volunteers, and participants are gathered together for fun on mountain challenges. Whether as a team member, a sponsor, or individual who provides pledges – we hope you will consider supporting us in reaching for the STARS!

Participating in the Challenge is as easy as 1, 2, 3! Create a team of four to ten friends, join a team or be your own challenger and we will connect you with a team! Registration for the Mountain Challenge is $50 per person and registrants must each raise a minimum of $250. The Mini Challenge is $25 per person and a minimum $75 must be raised per person. Registrants will receive a shwag bag as well as prizes to go above and beyond!

STARS Mountain Challenge will take place on March 2, 2019!

Operation Round Up Makes a Big Impact for STARS

The Yampa Valley Electric Association (YVEA) and the Operation Round-Up Board of Directors awarded $10,000 to the STARS Ranch this November. Operation Round Up is a program YVEA offers its members to make an impact in the communities they serve by supporting non-profit organizations.

“Yampa Valley Electric Association members who choose to round up their electric bill are providing a tremendous amount of support to non-profit organizations in Northwest Colorado and Southern Wyoming. Supporting the communities that we serve is exactly what Operation Round Up was created to do, small change that changes lives,” said YVEA General Manager Steve Johnson.

Operation Round Up is a program where members choose to round up their electric bills to the next dollar. The small change collected from each bill is put into a fund from which donations are made to 501(c)(3) organizations.