A Lesson in Perseverance

​By Christine Holmberg, Executive Director

Autumn is officially here and in the Vail Valley the mountains resemble an artist’s canvas brushed with yellow, orange, green and the occasional splash of red thanks to the annual changing of the leaves.  As we move into Fall, we reflect over the past six months and the often turbulent ride it’s been.  What started off as a fabulous ski season for Foresight Ski Guides came to an abrupt halt at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.  While we all know more today than we did back in the early days of March there is still plenty of uncertainty that lies ahead.  What I do know is that we, Foresight Ski Guides, will persevere.

​Foresight began as the passion project of founder Mark G. Davis back in 2001 after he literally awoke one morning and discovered he had lost his functional vision due to complications of multiple sclerosis.  Mark quickly learned the adverse physical, mental, and social impacts that many blind and visually impaired individuals experience.  Having been a skier all his life Mark felt inspired to try guided skiing, a three-person system that includes the blind or visually impaired individual, a guide, and a shadow.  The guide uses verbal instruction to direct the blind or visually impaired person down the ski slope and the shadow follows to watch out for the group’s safety. Guided skiing was so empowering for Mark that he founded Foresight Ski Guides so that others with visual impairment could access that same transformative experience.  Our very founder’s story is a lesson in overcoming adversity, and we will all overcome it too and likely be better for it!

Mark retired last summer providing me with the incredible opportunity to lead this amazing organization.  But “Who is she?”, I imagine most of you are asking.  I’m Christine Holmberg, 15-year resident of the Vail Valley, mother of two teenage sons.  My passions are dancing, skiing, musical theatre, hiking, biking, laughing and goofing around with the aforementioned teenage sons and spending as much time as possible with friends and family, which isn’t enough these days!  My work history includes 7+ years as a television producer in San Francisco and Northern Nevada, 6-years in hospitality sales in the Vail Valley, 3 ½ years as a corporate event planner for a destination management company and 19 months with Foresight, first as Program Director and now as Executive Director.  Every job has been unique and challenging in its own way and though there were bumps, bruises, and yes tears along the way each taught me things about life and myself that I will forever cherish.  So, bring it on COVID-19.  If you think I’m going to let a global pandemic get in the way of the great work we do at Foresight I’ve got a message for you – No Way! 

We have some exciting things right around the corner for Foresight so stay tuned.  You might want to pull out and dust off those dancing shoes… just saying. 

Visualizing the Possibilities…