A GRASS ROOTS ASPEN EXPERIENCE

I just got home from another trip to Aspen. Sorry for the delay in blog posts ☺ I’m feelin a little under the weather. UGH! I hate being sick!

I took a couple weeks off from my LA life to teach skiing and play in the snow with friends in ASPEN! The 12-hour drive is killer and working on the mountain everyday and partying every night can wear a girl out! BUT skiing down the slopes on a warm, sunny day with the wind in my hair reminds me of how fortunate I am to live the life that I lead. I get to live at the beach and play in the mountains without a care in the world (well, maybe a couple, but not too many to keep under control)! I have friends to laugh with, family to love and people who believe in me and support me. I’m a lucky girl!

The mountains wake up something inside of me. I think they can be an amazing place to heal, nurture and change people for the better! A couple years ago, I volunteered to teach skiing to inner city children with a FABULOUS program called A GRASS ROOTS ASPEN EXPERIENCE. Not only is it an amazing program that helps thousands of children, it touched and changed me and my ASPEN experience forever!

ASPEN is known for the glitz and glamour. It’s an ultra expensive outdoor playground for the rich and famous (Maria Carey, Will Smith, Kate Hudson and Jack Nicholson are among the many celebs often spotted on the slopes), BUT it is much more than that for these teenagers that are brought to ASPEN each year.

A GRASSROOTS ASPEN EXPERIENCE is a program designed to save lives by empowering young people to make positive choices. At-risk teens from all over the United States come to Aspen learn to ski and snowboard. Each is pushed to step outside their comfort zones with challenging physical activities in a supportive group environment. It is evident that each gets a boost in their self-esteem and their personal development, which hopefully can give each of them the courage and confidence to confront the obstacles they face at home.

Usually, I work with young kids (I teach skiing to 2 - 10 year olds) so I was a bit nervous to work with inner city teens on the mountain. I teach using little people accessible terms (like pizza for a snow plow and french fries for parallel skis), but when I saw how excited they were and that they were more nervousness than I was, I couldn’t help but be open and excited to work with them.

I worked with a young group of girls who hadn’t skied before. I talked pizzas and french fries and they picked it up little by little and laughed while taking in the experience. They got frustrated, but supported each other. They were so open like little sponges soaking in the love and support from everyone on the mountain.

Each evening, the program conducts “rap sessions” where the kids share their stories and struggles from home. For me, this was the most amazing and touching part of the program. All the instructors were invited to listen and participate. I would cry along with the kids (I am a BIG crier) and support them with hugs at the end. The amazing GRASS ROOTS coordinators would help them fight through the pain to find a way to transform their day’s successes on the mountain into confidence and courage to confront their obstacles at home.

Each year, kids who might never have left their troubled neighborhoods confront and conquer their obstacles on the mountain and return home with the confidence, ability and determination to achieve goals they never thought possible.

I for one will never forget my involvement in this FABULOUS program and wish all the best to each of the teens that participate from year to year. A GRASS ROOTS ASPEN EXPERIENCE is a FABULOUS program!

For more information please visit www.ayexp.org