10 - Wednesday, February 1, 1989 - Capilano Chronicle RECREATION NEWS Disabled skiers take CEREBRAL PALSY doesn’t stop 13-year-old Jan-Fraser Coward from enjoying the thrill of skiing the North Shore mountains. Jan-Fraser, who lives with his family in White Rock, is one of 92 handicapped children and adults taking part in a ski program cur- rently happening on Grouse Mountain. . “He just loves it,’’ says mother Donna-Rae Coward... ‘‘He’s been waiting all year to go back again.” The Disabled Skiers Association of B.C. (DSA), founded in 1973, runs classes for mentally handi- capped, cerebral palsied, blind, deaf and. amputee skiers. The Grouse Mountain program has been in operation for about 10 years, and was this year sup- plemented with a new cross-coun- try ski class on Hollyburn Ridge. For her son, Coward says it is a chance to participate in an outdoor sport that doesn’t involve tackling or rough play. While Coward says there are a number of social and sport activities offered for handi- capped children, it is harder to find outlets for teenagers and adults. According to Jan-Fraser’s in- structor, North Vancouver's Jamie Dewar, ‘‘it’s a great time” for him as well. Dewar is one of the 135 volun- teers specially trained by the DSA to instruct handicapped skiers. The association also offers an instruc- tor certification course for the na- tional Instructor for the Disabled certificate. Dewar decided to volunteer after witnessing the enjoyment of his sister Diane, who began instructing the cerebral palsied skiers last year. “It’s really rewarding,’’ he said. He notes that even after the first lesson, the participants are ‘‘a lot more independent. A lot of the fear is gone.”” Jan-Fraser may have been a little nervous on his first day up, as he fell and tore ligaments in his knee during his last lesson last winter. But according to his mother, his reaction after the fall was not a reluctance to go back, but relief that the spill had occurred on the last day so he wouldn't have to miss any sessions. DSA activities continue throughout the year in the form of water skiing sessions, social events and preparation for the winter ski season. For more information about the association, call Susan Hughes at 737-3042. Charities to benefit from Grouse Mtn. marathon . WHILE MOST of the partici- pants in the upcoming 24 Hour Grouse Mountsin Ski Marathon will . be operating in teams, Graham Fallis of North Van- couver is one of the few intrepid individuals who plans to ski the entire 24 hours himself. The money raised by the event will be donated to the Disabled Skiers Association and the. Lions Society for Crippled Children. PAR TICIPAN TS TO SKI A STRAIGHT 24 HOURS AVID SKIERS ‘will ‘be taking to the slopes of Grouse Mountain ‘in:a marathon to raise money for handicapped . children. Coming up on the weekend of Feb, 4 and S is the 24 Hour Grouse Mountain - Ski- Marathon, spon- sored by Coca-Cola. Teams of six to 12 members — many in zany costumes — will ski continuously in a relay fashion for 24 hours, starting at 12 noon on Saturday. There will even be some ambitious individuals who will ski the whole 24 hours themselves. North . Vancouver’s Graham Fallis, 20,.is one of the hardy few who have decided to ski the full 24 . hours themselves, . without: team * members to spell him off. . Fallis, who will only rest for five . minutes each hour, expects the hardest part will be keeping awake and keeping his stamina up. .‘‘I’ll probably end up going down in the bushes a few times,”” he said. ‘‘But I'll finish ... somehow.”’ ~-Fallis hopes to raise between $500 and $600 for the cause. Participants . will. collect pledges based on the number of runs com- pleted. Of the money raised, 25 per’. is cent will go to the Disabled Skiers" Association of B.C. (sce article this page) and the remaining 75 per cent will be used to support the ongoing : programs of the B.C. Lions Society for Crippled Children. . The event last year raised $35,000, and Diana Davies of the Lions’ society says they expect to beat that total this year. The four categories. of skiers participating — team, media, cor- porate and individual — will each be vying for prizes and trophies based on the largest amount of money raised for the cause. : The Alpine. Cafeteria and the tram from the parking lot will re- main open during the entire 24- hour marathon. For information on pledging a team, call the B.C. Lions Society, for Crippled Children at 873-1865. JAN-FRASER Coward, 13, is one of many skiers who aren *t letting their _ disability get in the way of some fun on the slopes. Coward, wiht is cur- rently taking a program sponsored by the Disabled Skiers Association of | B.C., is given a helping hand by volunteer instructor Jamie. Dewar of North Vancouver. Grouse Mountain is pitching in by providing lift tick- ets and ski rentals to the students and teachers. | a Classified Ad’ ‘Caden | Receive a 25% Discount . when you use this coupon to place your ad. Your message reads: 1234 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29:30 nt ig | ADDRESS im 6 CITY CC. Mt Please check which paper you wish to advertise in: 1139.Lonsdale Shc Vancouver, B.C. 986-6222 Postal Code NO. Ex. Date :