Spring is a time of renewal. This statement is as true this year, as it was in the last. It’s been said more times than we can count now, these are unprecedented times. We, who are part of a network of organizations, that are pushing the development and access to adaptive mountain biking, are finding ourselves having to adapt rapidly to this season of change. We find ourselves on fortunate ground here at Kootenay Adaptive. Both our Program and Infrastructure projects are still moving ahead with funding. This means that we are in a fortunate space where we can continue to employ 17 individuals through this crisis. While our infrastructure project remains on target, we find programming is taking a lot more creativity to get us through the worst part of the pandemic.
While we have yet to formally cancel any events, we will be postponing our spring line up, until fall. We continue to follow the Directive of the Provincial Health Authority and advice from a network of experts in the Spinal Cord Injury Community. We urge everyone who is interested to keep up to date via social media channels and our website. As news and updates become available, we will share how we will move forward with future events.
Your support during this time is greatly appreciated. The messages and emails we have received from you, have helped us push forward in our mandate for “barrier free adventure”. The parallels between social distancing and physical barriers to the outdoors are too strong to ignore. Provincial Parks and Trails are closing and the general public, without knowing it, is starting to feel how devastating it can be to lose nature. This is not lost on us, moving forward, we will continue to advocate for inclusion in the outdoors and push people to reflect on a new shared empathy.
During this time, we want to hear from you. What are your priorities towards outdoor inclusion? How can we help? How can you help us? Where are we getting it right and even more important, where are we getting it wrong? During this time, we hope you can find togetherness in virtual and phone connections. Find comfort at home and with your family. Most of all, remember that you are not alone, we urge you to pick up the phone and give us a call, chat adaptive mountain biking or just take us to task. Do you have a suggestion or programming idea you would like to share? Now is a great time to be a part of a developing sport.
I would like to thank all of our sponsors, past and present for being with us over the years, we deeply appreciate your support and are wishing you and your employees all the best in these difficult times. To our participants, we truly miss you and we cannot wait to be back riding the trails together.
Be kind to one another, it’s important to remember that we are all going a little crazy right now. Extend grace to yourself and others.
Mike Riediger