Dear Achievers,

Reminder the Award Banquet is 10 days away, please RSVP by Sunday June 9th if you’re planning on attending.   Also, I provided an incorrect address to the banquet, it should be 3754 Hamilton Street, Irvine CA

(if you get lost, please contact Pat at 949-295-6744)

On another note, the handcycling program through Ramp It Up is having their last get together for the season.  I’m planning on attending, hopefully you’ll be able to come and enjoy a ride with us.  See the information below, please  RSVP directly with Tom at tom@rampitup.org.

Hello Riders and prospective riders!

RAMP will host its next hand cycling event THIS Saturday, June 8^th, at Bolsa Chica State Beach from 10:00 – 1:00.  Due to summer crowds, this will be our LAST CYCLING EVENT ON THE BEACH UNTIL SEPTEMBER.  June is our most popular month, so be sure to let us know if you plan to join us.

RAMP has 12 handcycles, with eight different models in a variety of configurations to accommodate most riders. First-time riders, weekend warriors and elite racers are welcomed. You will find hot and cold beverages, snacks, fresh air and lots of enthusiasm.  Bring your own cycle if you have one, or use one of ours.  There is NO COST to participate.  We will be set up in the extreme north lot of Bolsa Chica State Beach adjacent to the bathrooms and concessions building.  Look for our black trailer and the rainbow of cycles.

There is limited free PARKING available in the beach lot near Jack in the Box at the end of Warner Ave.  The entrance to the State Park paid parking is to the south, off PCH.   A lifetime Disabled Discount Pass for 50% off CA State Park parking can be easily obtained for $3.50 at http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/737/files/dpr818a.pdf .  You will usually receive your pass in about a week.

Check out our website for more information – www.rampitup.org

PLEASE RSVP IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND so we can plan accordingly.

Hello Achievers,

Our award banquet will be on Saturday, June 15th, from 11:30am to 2:30pm at Pat Moynihan’s club house in Irvine.  The Address is 3652 Baylor Street, Irvine, CA 92614.

We’ll celebrate the great moments of the season, as well as announce the winners of our prestigious awards including Student of the Year, Member of the Year, and Fastest and Most Laps at Ski A Thon.  Our very own, and international renowned chef, John Lucas, will be handling the food so expect a 5 star lunch.   Please invite your family and friends, especially the ones that have donated to our organization. All we ask is that you RSVP by June 5th so we can plan on the amount of food that is needed.

Let’s end the season with a great party, see everyone on the 15th.

Desk of The President

The 2012-13 season is a wrap. Thanks to all of you, students, instructors, board members and others who worked so hard to make it happen. As we wrap things up on a very successful season, I am thankful that things went so well, and that we made it through without any major mishaps.

The May trip was the smallest trip I can recall, with one (rookie) student, Ryan Sinclair, and two instructors, Greg “GW” White and “Commander Steve” Reese. Ryan was joined by his parents Dwayne and Kim, and his dog Tippie. They are an incredible family and I look forward to them skiing with us in the future.

You should be receiving an election ballot soon for board positions for next year. Special thanks to two of our board members who will be leaving their positions, Bernhard Froemel and Patrick Moynihan. Though they will not be serving on the board any longer, they are both fantastic instructors who have made significant contributions to the group over the years. They will be replaced by Greg White as Secretary and Steve Reese as Director of Equipment. I look forward to working with them both on next year’s board.

Our next big event will be our Awards Banquet which will be held on June 15th in Irvine. Please mark you calendars for this event. Our Summit, the meeting in which the new board plans the upcoming season will be held either on June 22nd or July 13th, more info once we firm up a date. Though this is a meeting for our board, all members are welcome to attend. Also, if you have any suggestions for the board for next season, please let us know your ideas.

As this season winds down, I am once again thankful to be the president of this group. I never cease to be amazed at the dedication of our instructors, the inspiration we gain from our students, the awesome support we get from our donors, and how much fun we have in the process. We look forward to seeing you all at the banquet. Have a great summer.

Gary P. Konecne
Commander G
President, DSUSA-OC

Hello Achievers,

I can’t believe our snow season is already over; again, have to say one of the best seasons I’ve experienced.  To make sure you stay active during the summer, we will continue to share other events through other organizations.

This Saturday, May 11th is the next handcycling event, see below for additional details on the event.  Also, our very own Darryl “The Diver” Coit is sharing information on his diving group.  Be sure to read through the entiire email to review both events.

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Discover SCUBA – If you ever wanted to try putting on a tank and breathing under water this is a NO COST opportunity.  The event will coincide with training for Handicapped SCUBA Association instructors so you will be in very capable hands. The event will take place June 22nd at a pool in the Pasadena area.  If interested contact:

Mel Pasley   president@dvsp.us

****

Hello Riders and prospective riders!

Our spell of “May Gray” should be past by the time RAMP hosts our next hand cycling event THIS Saturday, May 11^th, at Bolsa Chica State Beach from 10:00 – 1:00.  May and June are our most popular months, so be sure to let us know if you plan to join us.

RAMP has 12 handcycles, with eight different models in a variety of configurations to accommodate most riders. First-time riders, weekend warriors and elite racers are welcomed. You will find hot and cold beverages, snacks, fresh air and lots of enthusiasm.  Bring your own cycle if you have one, or use one of ours.  There is NO COST to participate.  We will be set up in the extreme north lot of Bolsa Chica State Beach adjacent to the bathrooms and concessions building.  Look for our black trailer and the rainbow of cycles.

There is limited free PARKING available in the beach lot near Jack in the Box at the end of Warner Ave.  The entrance to the State Park paid parking is to the south, off PCH.   A lifetime Disabled Discount Pass for 50% off CA State Park parking can be easily obtained for $3.50 at http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/737/files/dpr818a.pdf .  You will usually receive your pass in about a week.

Check out our website for more information – www.rampitup.org

PLEASE RSVP IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND so we can plan accordingly.

- Tom Gregory / RAMP

From the President………..

Once again I am reflecting after our March trip, and once again I am thinking about how this trip was one of the best, one for the record books, and how lucky I am to be your president.  Kudos to Zachary Josh Ergish, a PSIA Level III instructor with Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra, who led a stellar clinic for our certified instructors on Friday. Vice President Craig Kirkpatrick, Monica Bradley, Mark Jankowski, George Michael Watts and myself were joined by Second Lady Denise Kirkpatrick and Director of Education Karey Kusuhara. Zach put us through our paces and we not only had a great time learning how to be better instructors, we also were able to improve our own skiing. I was so impressed with Zach that he was given Commander G’s Special Award (which he wore to the pot-luck) and was named an honorary member of The Achiever’s.

I cannot remember a trip where I saw more cooperation and collaboration with our instructors. Here is an example:  One of the most difficult aspects of skiing for anybody is getting your equipment dialed in. When you are a mono-skier, that level of difficulty is magnified by a factor of about a million. (OK maybe a little exaggeration here). Kudos to rookie mono-skier Aaron Bloom for his patience in dealing with equipment issues and for what he was able to accomplish in just two trips with us. I walked by the trailer at one point, and it looked like a Nascar garage. I saw Darryl Coit, Nahu G, Brent Kusuhara and Greg White working hard to get a ski dialed in, and on Sunday morning I saw Aaron making impressive turns while being trailed by Ron “Chief” Roberts. It seemed like everywhere I looked I saw students and instructors doing something that made me proud.

This trip was also our annual ski-a-thon, special thanks to Brent for setting up the course, Danielle Weiler for being an outstanding camera woman and for all who participated. The following is a message from John “Chef” Lucas, Director of Fundraising.

For the Prez message- Hello DSOC Students and Instructors-Thank you again for your efforts during last week’s amazing Ski A Thon! Due to your efforts, we have nearly raised our entire goal of $5000, landing just short at $4855. A special “thank you” goes to a few fundraising superstars-Nathan Zelaya  and family, Rebecca York, Patty Oslund and Jamie Payne all contributed a significant amount to our $5000 total. Thank you again to everyone for their efforts! The Ski A Thon pushed DSOC closer to our 2013 fundraising goal of $15,000, but much work remains to be done. Currently, year to date we have raised $7130, leaving the club short by $7870. We will need to continue to pull together to reach this goal, so any outstanding donor “follow up” would be greatly appreciated and will help the club complete the trailer and equipment upgrades we have slated for 2013. Again, your fundraising efforts and donations are greatly appreciated! Thanks again! John Lucas, Fundraising Chair.

I apologize if there is anyone I should thank that I have missed. As I said before, I can’t remember a trip where I saw more people in this group working together in the service of our students. I wish I knew why I love skiing so much, why when I go on a trip I can never wait for the morning, how we all work so hard and it doesn’t seem like work at all. The passion that I feel for this group is only amplified by the commitment I see in each and every member. Thanks for all that you do. Keep those fund-raising dollars coming in. Two more trips on the books. Lets finish the season strong.

Your President

Gary “Commander G” Konecne

Hello Achievers,

Signup for the April trip is DUE next Monday, March 25th.  We will not have a general meeting this week so please send your trip form to our group mailbox, dsoc.trips@gmail.com.  Mammoth is expected to get another dump this Wednesday, so plenty of snow for another trip.

We had a great turn out for March, can we do it again for April?

Hello D.S.O.C. Students and Instructors-

A few fundraising updates…..

Ski A Thon

We’re are just over a week away from our biggest fundraiser of the year, our very own annual Ski A Thon. It’s a great opportunity to make some progress in the club’s “wish list” of equipment and should be a fun time for all.  Let’s make a final fundraising “push” this week so we can meet our lofty goal of 20K! Please don’t hesitate to reach out this week if I can be of any assistance.

Tustin Senior Center Garage Sale

April 20th from 8am to 12pm-Flyer attached.

As a suggestion, household items and electronics sell the best. I’d be happy to store your items in my garage if you can’t make the event but have a donation. Please let me know if you need to drop off items or are interested in helping during the day of the event.

IGive.com

Another easy and fun way to raise money for the group. Just follow in instructions on the website and be sure to indicate your with the ”DISABLED SPORTS USA-ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER”.

Thanks again for all you do for this amazing organization!

John Lucas

Fundraising Chair

Hello Achievers,

Those wishing to attend the March ski trip, please plan on attending the General Meeting this Wednesday, Feb 20th, 7pm at Pat Moynihan’s house.  If you haven’t done so, please turn in your membership, liability release/waiver, and trip forms.

This is by far our most popular trip, we have the Ski A Thon, slalom course races, and Crazy Hat Contest.  The snow was epic for the last two trips, so I know Mother Nature will pull through again for the March trip.

If you are planning on attending this trip, you can either attend the general meeting to turn in your paperwork, or send the paperwork to DSOC.TRIPS@gmail.com.  The deadline for the paperwork is next Monday, February 25th.  We will not be able accept requests if paperwork is not turned in by the deadline date.   

Address: 3652 Baylor Street, Irvine, CA 92614

Time: 7pm (if you get lost, please contact Pat at 949-295-6744)

From the President………..

Once again, another epic week-end at Mammoth Mountain for the Achiever’s on our February trip. A total of 8 students and 16 instructors were met with awesome snow and weather conditions for the entire week-end. Though I feel somewhat like a broken record, I have to say that the snow conditions for this week-end, like last month, were as good as I have ever seen in 13 years of skiing at Mammoth.

Congratulations to Aaron Bloom, first time student who made the trip with his dad Brian. Aaron did a fantastic job working with Greg White and myself on the mono-ski. Despite working through various equipment issues, the three of us were able to collaborate, along with Darryl Coit,  Brent and Karey Kusuhara and other instructors to get his rig dialed in to the point he was able to make some turns down St. Anton on the last run of the day on Sunday. Aaron has a great attitude, was patient with us as we dealt with various issues and I believe has the potential to progress to the highest levels of mono-skiing. His father was also great, and I look forward to both of them skiiing with us in the future.

I was extremely proud of the effort put forth by all of our students and instructors on this trip. Mikki Ozawa and Lisa Martin did a stellar job working with Racquel Dicepa along with Bernie “Broken Boot” Rosenbloom who was doing a great job impersonating a Venice Gondolier. Bernie and rookie instructor David Espinosa scared me to death by taking Brent Olson down a run called “Woodie Woods” (in the trees between Sesame Street East and West). Despite my concerns, they were able to make the run safely, and a good time was had by all. The Patti Twins; Pattie Huber and Patti Oslund did great work with Jamie Payne, while Craig and Denise Kirkpatrick took Gordon Chan through his paces. Finally the Three Amigos, Darryl Coit, Nahu G and Phong Le were escorted by “Chef” John Lucas, Patrick “Mumbles” Moynihan and Steve Reese, who is in serious need of the nickname. Finally returning instructor Eileen Murphy spent Saturday and Sunday fulfilling her training requirements in clinic with Karey.

Special thanks to “The Presidential Protective Detail”,  along with Jim Payne and Patti Olsund for generous ski-a-thon pledges and to all of you in this group who make it such a pleasure for me to be your president. And though I seem to say this all the time, I am always amazed at the quality of the people who make this organization what it is, how much we like each other, and what an absolute gas it is to be on the mountain.

The March trip is just around the corner, keep those ski-a-thon pledges coming, and let’s hope for a great turn out for the remaining trips we have for this season.

Your President

Gary “Commander G” Konecne