On January 23, Bretton Woods played host to the annual Vertical Challenge for Brain Injury Awareness skiing event. Twenty-four teams met in New Hampshire to compete and raise money and awareness about brain injuries. Last year’s event raised over $20,000 for the Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire, a Ski Channel news article reported.
The Ski Channel reported that the event provides much-needed support to over 5,000 New Hampshire residents with brain injuries and stroke. Teams of skiers from around New Hampshire joined in the event. Each team gathered donations in a competition to make the highest financial contribution.
The One Sky Ski Gulls of Portsmouth, New Hampshire raised the most funds this year with $2,800 to bring this year’s event total to more than $18,000. The money will be used to provide support for brain-injured soldiers and their loved ones, Seacoast Online release.
The Ski Gulls team was made up of employees of One Sky Community Services of Portsmouth, a ‘private, non-profit agency that contracts with the state of New Hampshire to assist people with developmental disabilities and acquired brain disorders to live as independently as possible in their communities,’ the article noted.
The Vertical Challenge Web site detailed the two programs that receive support from the fundraising efforts. The Neuro-Resource Facilitation program and the Outreach Program will each receive a portion of the $18,000 generated by this year’s event. The Neuro-Resource Facilitation program reportedly ‘presents the best service options to enable: informed decision making, consumer choice, maximized independence, and continuous quality of life.’
The Outreach project provides information to families and brain injury sufferers both at the hospital just after the injury occurs and later when patients need help with the recovery process. The Vertical Challenge Web site reported that the Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire’s mission is ‘to promote awareness, understanding and prevention of brain injuries through education, advocacy and community support services that lead toward reduced incidence and improved outcomes of children and adults with brain injuries.’
References:
Gilbert, Dot, and Vertical Challenge for Brain Injury Awareness Staff. (January, 2010) ‘VERTICAL CHALLENGE for Brain Injury Awareness’ Retrieved on January 26, 2010 from the Brain Injury Awareness of New Hampshire Web sites:http://www.verticalchallengebianh.org/ andhttp://www.verticalchallengebianh.org/about_bianh.htm
Press Release. (January 26, 2010) ‘Ski Gulls raise $2800 to help soldiers with brain injuries.’ Retrieved on January 26, 2010 from the Seacoast Online Web site:http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20100126-NEWS-100129836
The Ski Channel Staff. (January 20, 2010) ‘How a ski team raises money for brain injury awareness.’ Retrieved on January 26, 2010 from the Ski Channel Web site:http://www.theskichannel.com/news/skinews/20100120/How-a-ski-team-raises…