For the past two years, we’ve been able to introduce a number of high school students to snow skiing with the help of Skyline Adventures. The young men were from countries where they’d never experienced snow before—Burma, Sudan, Somalia, Congo. All of them love sports, but their families would never be able to afford to pay for a day of skiing. It didn’t take the guys long to love the snow. Here is one story:
Tinga, who had come to Kennewick only 6 months earlier, wasn’t sure what to expect when we took him skiing the first time. He told me he was scared the first time they took him on a chair lift, but he still came back 3 weeks later, excited to try again. After school was shut down, we didn’t have a chance to visit until I called him in May. He was hoping I was calling to invite him skiing, and I had to explain that the snow was gone until January.
Tinga and the other young men have spent a summer without the usual fun that we all look forward to. The isolation has taken away their school sports, too. For many kids, it means they lose confidence in themselves, and forget that they can overcome great challenges. The opportunity to ski with Skyline Adventures provides an opportunity not only for great fun, but also build the resilience they need to face life’s great challenges. Thank you to Bill and all the volunteers who have worked with our kids.
Theresa Roosendaal, Director
Family Learning Center