A midsummer dream - Camp opens summer water sports to people of all abilities

The water was cool and the sun was shining Tuesday, when 19-year-old McKaynee Powell crouched in a cannon ball position as her feet were secured in water ski bindings. She looked over the horizon with a big smile, ready to make the leap above the water’s surface.

The Kalispell resident was participating in DREAM Adaptive’s summer water sports camp at Echo Lake in Bigfork. Between 60 and 70 people participated over the three-day camp held Tuesday through Thursday.

DREAM Adaptive’s summer camp offers people of all ages who have disabilities the opportunity to water ski, tube, wake board and kayak using adaptive equipment.

For guidance and support, DREAM volunteers Nan Smalley and Jeff Carlson, who were also on water skis, flanked Powell. The group held onto a triple-handled rope.

“Two experienced skiers put the inexperienced skier in the middle,” Smalley said.

The two outside skiers can pull away if the middle person wants to ski independently, Smalley added.

Parents and volunteers watched as Powell made two attempts to stand up on the surface. Far from the shore, the boat revved up for a third time. Waves curled away from the three water skiers as they were pulled forward. Onlookers on shore held their breath, and cheers rang out when Powell was on standing upright and skiing successfully. Eventually, Smalley and Carlson peeled away with Powell in the center, on her own.

Brought into shore by a personal watercraft, Powell’s smile hadn’t disappeared.

“Awesome,” she said.

Powell’s mother, Stephanie, said her daughter is adventurous, confident, athletic and willing to try any opportunity that comes her way. Her daughter is active in multiple sports; her favorites are basketball and skiing. This about the third year her daughter has participated in DREAM activities.

“It’s the opportunities they [DREAM participants] would never have, like the water sports. I mean she’s tubed, but something like this with adaptive equipment is not readily available and it’s really expensive,” Stephanie Powell said.

Cheri DuBeau, executive director of DREAM Adaptive, said the water sports have been offered for about five years. DREAM has offered adaptive skiing and other winter activities for decades.

DuBeau agreed that adaptive equipment can be cost prohibitive for people. The water sit ski costs roughly $1,200 and $1,500. Through DREAM, people with disabilities are able to use adaptive equipment and participate in year-round outdoor recreation.

“We’re supported by contributions, donations and grants. We don’t charge participants. Everything we do is free,” DuBeau said.

Shari Neubauer, board treasurer for DREAM, said it is local business donations — such as food and beverages for the summer camp — that allows the organization to focus funds on equipment.

“That’s really special for us to have that support; not only that, but to recognize there’s a strong community tie,” Neubauer said.

Neubauer got involved when her daughter, who was diagnosed with hypotonic cerebral palsy, learned to ski through DREAM.

“What DREAM did in taking her up to [Big] Mountain and teaching her how to ski — she’s able. You would never know she has a disability,” Neubauer said. “This built her self-esteem and quality of life all around.”

DREAM is already venturing into other sports. Neubauer said the organization purchased rock-climbing equipment with the goal to offer activities next year.

The organization also recently purchased an adaptive bicycle and is looking toward purchasing an adaptive golf cart.

Participant Tom Savage of Polson may have a sense of humor with a sticker on his wheelchair that reads, “Does this wheelchair make my butt look big?” But Savage understands the seriousness of the cost of adaptive equipment.

The 38-year-old retired six years ago from professional alpine ski racing. A couple of years ago, Savage purchased a hand cycle and is setting his sights on training for an Ironman triathlon.

He said the adaptive equipment ranges from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

On Tuesday, Savage was on the dock checking out DREAM’s water sit ski. He said DREAM provides people with disabilities the opportunity to try different adaptive equipment without making a big financial investment.

“This is my first time checking out [adaptive] water equipment. I might give the sit ski a try,” Savage said.

Also on the boat dock were a sit wake board and 28-year-old DREAM participant Amie Bartell’s favorite, the “Buzz Bomb,” a large inflatable tube.

The Buzz Bomb is what brought the Somers resident back for a second year. She talked about last year’s tubing adventure.

“There were four of us, and I did a back flip off the tube,” Bartell said, noting that she wasn’t hurt. “[I was] just laughing so hard.”

And that sums up DREAM: Making friends, having fun, trying new sports, and a lot of laughing — no matter what a person’s disability is.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.