The Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre will play host to the annual Ski For Light Canada event planned from Feb. 5 to 11.
This annual event, which Vernon hosted a decade ago, is an outreach program for largely visually impaired skiers.
Skiers and their visual guides or helpers from across North America and Europe will make the trek to the North Okanagan for a week of cross-country skiing, which will also include some racing events.
Ski For Light was an outreach initiative started with the support of the Sons of Norway, the idea of a Norwegian skier named Erling Stordahl, who had some sight as a child but became totally blind as an adult.
The idea came to Stordahl in a Norwegian community where, during an army exercise, military vehicles had passed through leaving deep, wide tracks in the snow.
Stordahl jumped into one of the tracks to try and ski it without fear of colliding with anything.
“It was an experience I will never forget. I followed the track to the end, approximately 10 kilometres,” he recalled.
“I felt a physical and mental relief. I felt like I had regained part of my eyesight. I felt like a part of nature. My immediate reaction was that I must share this wonderful experience with my visually impaired friends.”
Dennis Lee, helping organize the event along with his wife Alice, Randy Schellenberg and Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre Troy Hudson, said he expects about 100 participants to arrive in Vernon, all staying at the Village Green Hotel and busing up daily to the nordic centre site.
Besides the skiing, there will be social activities each night and a windup banquet and awards presentation for the cross country races.
“We will have three races and medals are presented, and some people take that more serious than others, but the main thing is to have a fun, social atmosphere,” said Lee, who was involved in organizing the previous Ski For Light hosted by Vernon in 2008.
He said the skiers break down into three categories—visually impaired, totally blind and physically disabled.
“It is satisfying personally to help people with physical limitations to ski. It is very reciprocal as an experience. You get back as much as you give,” said Lee.
He said a level of trust must exist between skier and guide.
“You learn how to communicate and be precise on your instructions to someone speaking as few words as possible,” Lee said.
A 2.5 km and 5 km race will be held on Saturday, Feb. 10, in conjunction with Sovereign Lake’s annual Jess4Kids fundraiser.
The fundraiser is held in honour of Jessica Eaman, an avid cross country skier since childhood with the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club, who tragically lost her life in a motor vehicle accident in March 2012.
The Jess4Kids fund provides funds to children and youth who would to otherwise be able to afford cross country skiing or snowshoeing opportunities.
To volunteer with the event, contact Lee, 250-542-6634, or Schellenberg (rischell@shaw.ca) at 250-308-7969.
