Winter Adventure Opportunities for Every Child

Here at Upside Over, we realize that not every child has the opportunity to be an award winning triathlete. Some children are fighting for their lives and would only long for normalcy and a pain-free childhood. It seems like the right time for us to share our knowledge of a very special program here in upstate New York that we are proud to support and encourage others to support as well. The topic of today's entry is the Adaptive Winter Sports Program at the Double "H" Hole in the Woods Ranch in Lake Luzerne, NY. It is a 320 acre camp one hour north of Albany, NY. It is just one of many of Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camps around the country for special needs children suffering with chronic or terminal illness.

The Double H Ranch is a non-profit that provides year-round Outdoor Adirondack Adventures for children living with a chronic or life-threatening illness. It has an amazing residential summer camp. Each child, ages 6-18, is encouraged to reach their full potential here, despite any setback they may face. The Adaptive Winter Sports Program began in 1998 when the Ranch decided it needed to provide children with the unique opportunity to experience the thrill of outdoor winter activities. About 350 children and their families now benefit from this program each winter. The beauty of it is that it is COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE. Children can participate in Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, family sleepover weekends, off-site challenges/races, and a closing ceremony. Families that have typically applied for this program have had a child with a chronic or life-threatening illness such as a neuromuscular impairment, cancer, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia, HIV/AIDS, blood disorders, visual impairments, congenital heart disease, neurological disorders, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, anthrogryposis or many other serious illnesses. All applications are reviewed by the Medical Director before being approved.

A typical day at Double H includes families arriving at the Ranch in the morning for a day of winter sports. Each child is assigned a volunteer instructor and equipment is provided. The mountain has a chairlift and two ski trails in addition to miles of cross country trails. Families may sit in the lodge and monitor their child's progress! Not only do children relish the chance to glide through the snow, but they relish the opportunity to be with peers who have also endured hardships and pain and have spent too much time indoors in hospitals.

We want to commend the staff and volunteers of Double H for providing kids with such an amazing experience and want to remind everyone to be thankful of their health and well-being in the New Year. Thank you for reminding us to live each day fully. Thank you for putting smiles on children's faces.

If you would like to know more about Double H, you can go to www.doublehranch.org.