OUTDOORS NOTEBOOK: Adaptive skiing, special needs ice skating and more

Published 10:00 am Thursday, January 11, 2024

Oregon Adaptive Sports is looking for adult volunteers to assist handicapped skiers and snowboarders with lessons. Training and lift tickets are provided.

“We are always looking for volunteers (and) interested participants,” said Joe Jackson, of OAS.

Volunteers should be strong intermediate skiers or snowboarders or better.

Andrew Gast, general manager of the Mt. Ashland Ski Area, said people who have lost the ability to participate in a sport they once enjoyed get a huge emotional boost by getting back out on the slopes, with the help of OAS.

“For a small ski area our size, there’s no way we’d be able to provide those services,” he said.

More information is available at oregonadaptivesports.org/. Contact Jackson via email at joe@oregonadaptivesports.org.

Ashland parks department seeks volunteers

Volunteer opportunities are available with city parks and recreation departments.

Ashland’s parks department, for one, is looking for volunteers to help with a range of activities, including help at the ice skating rink, help fixing up bicycles for distribution to the needy and help with eradicating invasive plants such as blackberries from parks.

To volunteer at the Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink, 95 Winburn Way, no skating experience is required. To help with bike maintenance, all skill levels are welcome, from 9:30 a.m. to noon Thursdays at The Grove, 1195 E. Main St. Help also is needed for an annual bike swap April 27.

No experience is needed to join the Invasive Species Removal Task Force to help clear unwanted plants from parks. Training and tools are provided. Work parties go out throughout the winter and spring.

Groups and organizations also may “adopt” a park or trail. About 20 groups currently participate.

To apply or learn more, contact Suliaman Shelton, the city’s volunteer and event coordinator, at 541-552-2264 or go to ashland.or.us/Volunteer.

Ice rink provides sessions for people with special needs

Ashland’s Rotary Centennial Ice Rink is offering sensory-friendly skate sessions for skaters, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who can benefit from a quieter, calmer and slower-paced experience. Staff provides a relaxed, supportive atmosphere while limiting noise and activity.

The rink, located across the street from Lithia Park, also provides a slow-skating experience dubbed “frozen tots” for less-experienced skaters who may be intimidated by larger crowds. Ice scooters are available for younger skaters who meet the criteria. Novice skaters are encouraged to “wall crawl” to find their balance.

For more information about the rink, call 541-552-2258 or go to ashland.or.us/IceRink.

Oregon Tourism Commission is surveying residents

The Oregon Tourism Commission, also known as Travel Oregon, is conducting an online resident sentiment survey to assist the organization with its efforts. The survey asks Oregon residents their perspectives about tourism across the state.

To participate, go to bit.ly/3t60L2k. Results will be presented at the 2024 Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism, held March 11-13 at the Salem Convention Center.

Oregon Heritage Commission seeks area representative

There is a vacancy on the Oregon Heritage Commission for someone from the Southern Oregon area.

The 18-member commission, which champions funding and support for activities that preserve and interpret Oregon’s past, conducts quarterly meetings at sites around Oregon.

The next meeting is Jan. 21-22 at the Cannon Beach Historical Society. The agenda includes presentations from heritage groups in the region and an update on the 2024 Oregon Heritage Vitality Study.

To apply for the vacancy, visit oregon.gov/gov/Pages/board-list.aspx.