Dreams Come True

NAME: Matt Houston (Veteran)
DISABILITY: Amputated leg
DREAM: Learn the art of woodcarving
and fly-fishing
DREAM REALIZED: July 23 – August 1

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Reaching for higher ground

A REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE BY SERGEANT JOSEPH DANES
I remember lying in a hospital bed. It was my daughters first birthday, but I had not seen her since she was three months old.

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Bert Gillette - BIO

Bert Gillette is a CTRS and the Higher Ground program coordinator for Sun Valley Adaptive Sports. Raised in a military family, Bert grew up as an Army brat in various locations nationwide.

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About Us


Our
Mission

“To improve the lives of people with disabilities through sports and recreation.” We do this by providing programs and services that help people develop the physical skills and self-confidence they need to enjoy all sorts of sports and recreational activities.

These programs and services also help people develop the social and life skills they need to interact or reorient themselves with family, peers, and their community.

What We Believe

We believe a person with any type of disability has the right to enjoy any sport, recreational, or social activity.

We believe in providing a trained and passionate staff committed to professional instruction, using state-of-the-art equipment in a safe, comfortable, and supportive atmosphere to create a caring community and a fun experience for all participants.

We believe in offering financial assistance to people who would not otherwise be able to afford sports and recreational experiences such as those we offer.

We believe in operating an organization grounded in nonprofit excellence, fiscal responsibility, and disabled best practices, and refining our objectives in a manner that best serves people with disabilities and our community.

Fast Facts


32 people

in Blaine County have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. For the state Idaho, the figure is 1,940.

382 children

have been diagnosed with some type of physical, emotional, developmental, or learning disability in Blaine County. For the state of Idaho, the figure is 28,751.

More than 25,000

Service members have been “severely” injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 10,000 of these have returned home with “very severe” injuries including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputated limbs, severe burns, and blindness.

Since October 2005, SVAS has:

* Increased program participation by 25% to 20,000
* Added 180 new volunteers
* Announced 40 new partnerships
* Increased its scholarship endowment 65% to $170,000
* Added 4 new staff
* Become nationally recognized by the Pentagon as a leader in adaptive sports


Sun Valley Adaptive Sports


Beginning its seventh year of opening new worlds to people with disabilities. Located in the heart of Idaho, Sun Valley provides a magical setting of majestic mountains, mighty rivers, and crisp, clean air. Program participants enjoy abundant sunshine as they swoosh down ski slopes on Bald Mountain, bounce through rapids on the Salmon River, or hike through beds of wildflowers on remote trails in the Sawtooth National Forest.

SVAS means fun! We want people with disabilities to experience the thrills of alpine skiing, snowboarding, Nordic skiing, whitewater rafting, kayaking, and rock climbing. We want people to enjoy the excitement of hiking, biking, running, martial arts, and skeet shooting. And we want people to discover the serenity of fly-fishing, yoga, theater, swimming, and hot springs.

SVAS has something for everyone. We offer programs for children, teens, adults, and veterans. We offer programs that cover a wide-range of disabilities-physical, emotional, developmental, and learning. Most programs are free or greatly subsidized. All of our programs offer more than athletic skills and recreational experience. They build self-esteem and self-confidence, and they inspire people to pursue their goals and aspirations. They also improve social skills, which helps people of all ages connect with peers and their local community.

Our friends who are looking for the best online casino offers (check their site) have presented special games for everyone that people with disabilities can have some more fun playing casino games. It is another special event which helps people feel excited.

SVAS programs are widely recognized as adaptive programs of superior quality and performance. Our board and staff are committed to nonprofit excellence and disabled best practices. We operate a fiscally responsible, operationally sound 501c3 nonprofit. We are a chapter of Disabled Sports USA. We use state-of-the art adaptive sports equipment. Our program coordinators, instructors, and staff recreational therapist are professionally trained and qualified. Some of our coaches and volunteers are world-class athletes. Safety is our top priority.


Testimonials