Intellectual Disability Awareness Week will take place March 21 to 27, 2021.  I thought we would take a look at some of the programs in La Peche that have felt the great impacts of Covid 19.  I had the real pleasure in visiting the CADS program at Sommet Edelweiss to chat about the hardships of 2021. 

CADS-NCD Sommet Edelweiss has been active since 1979.  Serving more than sixty snow enthusiasts for the weekends in January and February, the CADS-NCD Sommet Edelweiss program offers more than 3,500 hours of outdoor recreation to the disabled community of Ottawa-Hull and La Peche region. The program is 100% volunteer based. Each disabled participant is partnered with at least one and sometimes two volunteers.  100 volunteers participate in the program and it is a worry on how the pandemic will continue to affect this wonderful program.

Skiing is a vital part of these participants lives during our Canadian winters.  Not only does it offer a physical release, but it gives a social experience, friends, comradery, and a healthy outdoor outing.  The restrictions of the pandemic forced the CADS programs in the Outaouais region to be cancelled.  The impacts are great, to the all the participants/athletes, the volunteers and the parents/loved ones.

A visually impaired participant, named Tatjana speaks on the joys and freedom skiing gives to her.  It is experiential programs like this that can truly impact one’s lifestyle.  It was a real pleasure to listen and witness the freedom that this sport has given to Tatjana.

New volunteers are always welcomed.