DREAM Adaptive Recreation
Website
Organization Location
P.O. Box 4084 Whitefish, MT 59937
Description
MISSION:
DREAM Adaptive Recreation’s mission is to enhance the quality of life of individuals with disabilities by providing year-round outdoor adaptive recreational opportunities.
To view our 2023 Program Impact report, click here.
Programs
DREAM provides year-round programs that focus on leveraging each person’s abilities: Alpine Skiing and Snowboarding at Whitefish Mountain Resort, Nordic Skiing at Whitefish Lake Golf Course, Biking on various trails and pathways in the Flathead Valley, Paddle Sports and Motorized Watersports on Echo Lake and Whitefish Lake.
For each lesson and opportunity, DREAM provides trained staff and volunteer instructors, adaptive equipment, and/or adaptive teaching techniques as needed. Our goal is to create a safe, fun, and empowering environment for our participants to learn and grow. Every person is unique, and therefore our lessons and experiences are tailored to each person’s specific goals!
By the numbers: We serve over 325 individuals w/ disabilities through 1,250+ lessons & opportunities annually. Adding volunteers and family members, our impact grows to serving over 600 people each year!
Who Can Participate
Our program opportunities support individuals ages 5 to adults who would benefit from using adaptive equipment and/or adaptive teaching techniques. We primarily serve those with physical, cognitive, and sensory disabilities. Participants range from the never-ever looking to learn a new sport or to experience a new adventure, to the more advanced athlete looking to try new equipment, refine their skills, or reach loftier goals.
We offer unique programming for active duty Military and Veterans with a disability, and partner with the Kalispell Vet Center and Whitefish Veterans Support Team to increase our reach. Outdoor recreation is a great way to foster connections and encourage healing for our nation’s heroes.
DREAM programs have a focus on inclusion therefore we promote adding family, friends, and community members into the mix whenever possible.
Promoting Inclusion
Inclusion: It is our belief that all community members should have access to the benefits of outdoor recreation. People with disabilities should be able to fully participate and be represented in all aspects of our community.
Breaking Down Barriers: In addition to providing adaptive equipment and adaptive instruction, we provide our lessons at highly subsidized rates and offer additional financial aid scholarships as needed.
Access projects: DREAM partners with organizations such as the National Parks Service and The Forest Service to ensure outdoor recreation spaces in our community are accessible and using universal design principals whenever possible. This allows community members with disabilities to access outdoor recreation spaces outside of DREAM programs. Some recent and current projects include:
Working w/ the Flathead Rivers Alliance increasing access to river put-ins and takeouts along the three forks of the Flathead River
Trail accessibility review in Glacier National Park, specifically on middle-country trails, and providing training on different all-terrain mobility devices
Collaborating with the Forest Service and Gateway to Glacier Trails on the Cedar Flats project, ensuring the multi-use trail system is functional for three wheeled adaptive mountain bikes
Contact
Contact email - [email protected]
Phone - (406) 885-9539
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dreamadaptivemontana
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dreamadaptive/
Upcoming events
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- Returning Volunteer Annual Update Meeting
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- Wax Night Fundraiser at SunRift Brewing
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- Volunteer First Year Orientation - VIRTUAL
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- Returning Volunteer Annual Update Meeting - VIRTUAL
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- Whitefish Christmas Stroll
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- The Snow Ball - 2025
Past events
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- Participant Registration Open House
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- Annual Meeting
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- Volunteer First Year Orientation
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- PSIA-AASI Returning Volunteer Annual Update Meeting
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- Volunteer First Year Orientation
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- Participant Registration Open House
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- Returning Volunteer Annual Update Meeting
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- Winter Volunteer Season Kick-Off Party
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- Winter Volunteer Season Kick-Off Party
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- Community Tap Night-Tamarack Brewing Company
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- First Year Volunteer Orientation - Alpine Ski, Ride, & Nordic
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- Great Fish Community Challenge Awards Celebration
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- Volunteer Registration Opens
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- Paved Path Group Bike Ride