Goodbye 2020, Hello 2021

2020 is quickly coming to an end and for many it could not come soon enough.  To say the last nine months have been challenging is an understatement.  There is no need for me to rehash how life as we knew it has been turned upside down.  And how there is a faint glow beginning to appear at the end of the proverbial tunnel.  We all hope 2021 is drastically different from 2020 but only if it is better than what we just went through.  I am a glass half full kinda gal and I choose to remain hopeful that calmer waters are ahead.  Just how far ahead remains to be seen but we will get there… eventually. 
Thanksgiving has come and gone and despite feeling like there is not much to be thankful for this year there are a few reasons to say “thanks.” 

• Vail and Beaver Creek Ski Resorts are both open, operating, and bustling.  Skiers and snowboarders are out enjoying some Colorado bluebird days and even a bit of fresh powder here and there.  The ski season is off to a good start and all are hopeful the lifts will remain running ALL season long. 
• Foresight Ski Guides was given the green light to operate this season, with a few obvious conditions, and reservations from our visually impaired participants (VIPs) are coming in. 
• Most of our volunteer guides are excited to return and are ready to follow the necessary protocols to allow for a safe escape to the great outdoors for our VIPs (and themselves)!

Christmas and Hanukkah are fast approaching.  All around us homes are decorated in the spirit of the season and trees are draped in brightly colored lights reminding us to have hope that better times are just around the corner.
There are plenty of reasons to “LET the door hit 2020 in the *bleep*” on its way out.  I am as ready as anyone to ‘get back to normal.’  My heart goes out to anyone who has been negatively affected by the pandemic.  We have all been touched by it in one way or another.  But despite all the heartaches and headaches and inconveniences this last year has brought there are a few things I am grateful for.
I am grateful for my family and the strength, sacrifice, and commitment they have shown in the past year.  I am grateful for my Foresight family – all the guides, shadows, and board members that support me and this incredible organization.  I am grateful for all the teachers, chaperones, family members and friends who bring our VIPs to Vail and Beaver Creek each year so they can feel the thrill, excitement, and freedom of skiing.  And I am grateful for all our blind and visually impaired participants.  Their grit, determination and perseverance inspire me beyond words.
2021… Welcome.  It’s nice to meet you.
Happy holidays and best wishes for good health for you and those you love.
 
 
 
 
Thoughts from our Visually Impaired Participants (VIPs)
… In Their Own Words
 
Bill Johnson skis with Foresight Ski Guides every season, sometimes multiple times a season.  Bill participated in #FSGdancelikenobodyswatching.  Watch his story below.
 
Bill’s video
 
Chairlift Chat
Confessions from a Foresight Ski Guide – Greg Brozovich
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​Greg and Peter, Seattle, WA - August 2, 1995

Guiding Peter was instantly a life changing experience.  I was now interested in expanding my knowledge and acquiring the necessary skills to continue guiding individuals who are blind and visually impaired.  I joined NSCD as a volunteer ski guide and developed an affection for those on the “Sunday Blind Bus.”  The Sunday Blind Bus brought children and adults with unique cognitive and physical limitations to Winter Park for a day of skiing.
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Volunteering was a transformative experience for me. It continues to be a way for me to give back to the sport that has been a significant part of my life for nearly five decades. Volunteering enriches my life in so many positive ways. I am rewarded every time I meet, greet, and guide a VIP.  Their unwavering enthusiasm and willingness to challenge themselves is what keeps my passion alive and what keeps me committed year after year.