The Far West Ski Foundation awarded two grants at its December Meeting. The Board of Trustees approved grants of $1,000 each for the Great Basin Outdoor School under its Sustaining Snowsports mission and NubAbility Athletics Foundation, under its Rehabilitation and Renewal mission.
Great Basin Outdoor School
The Great Basin Outdoor School has been providing seasonal year-round outdoor learning adventures to local youth for over 25 years in the Reno-Tahoe area. Their winter ecology and snowshoe programs foster safe and respectful use of our public lands and introduce students to a brand new recreational pursuit they can enjoy for the rest of their lives. Many of the children who participate are from underserved communities without the financial means or transportation to reap the physical and psychological benefits of just enjoying the outdoors.
In January they offer a series of 3-day Tahoe snowshoe camps for middle school children, and winter ecology and snowshoeing as day class field trips throughout the month of February. Snowshoeing is a great first step toward skiing, boarding, and other snowsports which abound throughout the Tahoe Sierra. The grant will provide funds for student scholarships and new snowshoes. For information regarding this innovative program, visit: https://www.greatbasin-os.org
NubAbility Athletics Foundation
The NubAbility Athletics Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering limb-different and amputee youth through sport. Its Snow Sports Camp is in its seventh year offering adaptive ski and snowboard experiences. This year’s camp will be conducted February 12-14 at Soldier Mountain, Idaho. This project is important because winter sports present unique technical and financial barriers for limb-different youth, often preventing first-time access.
NubAbility’s methodology centers on skill development, mentorship, and athlete ownership. Campers are introduced to skiing and snowboarding through structured instruction that emphasizes safety, technique, and confidence building. This creates a pathway for campers to become lifelong skiers and snowboarders who remain connected to the snowsports community. Learn more about this remarkable program at: https://nubability.org.
Congratulations to both these nonprofit organizations for the outstanding contributions they are making to sustaining snow sports through their youth programs. The Far West Ski Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, and donations of any amount are greatly appreciated to support our snowsports missions. To make a donation, go to: https://farwestskifoundation.org.