Move For LASP
Move for LASP
32 Years Later, Bill Lounsbury’s Legacy Lives On
When longtime Holiday Valley Ski Patrol member Bill Lounsbury lost his right leg to osteosarcoma cancer in 1982, he was back on the slopes eight weeks later. His fellow patrollers gifted him outriggers, allowing him to teach himself to ski on one leg. With his infectious personality and determination, he quickly became an inspiration to many, and a goodwill ambassador on the slopes.
Upon Bill’s death in 1988, donations in memoriam were collected and sent to the ski patrol. Collaboratively his loved ones, friends, fellow patrollers, and the management at Holiday Valley founded the Lounsbury Adaptive Ski Program (LASP) that September. Created in his honor, LASP has benefitted hundreds, if not thousands, through recreational therapy. Bill’s outriggers were donated as the first pieces of equipment.
“Obstacles were mere speed bumps in his path to living life to its fullest,” said Bill’s daughter, Kara Lounsbury Elias. She continued, “In a nutshell, LASP is the embodiment of all that my father enjoyed about skiing and life. It’s a place where dedicated and committed volunteers bring to life the joy of achievement, giving their time and talent to students who, in return, inspire and give back in immeasurable ways.”
LASP’s mission is to provide a high-quality, safe experience to anyone who desires to participate, regardless of their ability to pay. Critical to the program’s long-term impact and sustainability, fundraising efforts support a planning approach that ensures the adaptive program is fully funded and accessible to a wide variety of individuals. It also enables the Board of Directors to plan futuristically, invest in specific areas of their work, and support vital operational expenses. Individual donors are the core of LASP funding.
Five years ago, Kara reached out to then-LASP Program Director Mary Ellen Racich with her desire to help the program. Since Kara lived out-of-state, volunteering on the slopes was not an option. However, research led her to discover the Giving Tuesday movement, a one-day online fundraising initiative that takes place each year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. This discovery transpired into the first LASP Giving Tuesday campaign in 2016. It complemented a Disabled Sports/USA Chapter Grant, which was later awarded to LASP.
“As the Giving Tuesday movement expanded, so has my approach to fundraising,” Kara said. “What started off as a simple 24-hour fundraiser has morphed into a week-long interactive peer-to-peer effort, capitalizing on small dollar donations and the power of social media. One person giving $20 is great, but if they can get 10 of their friends to also donate $20, then suddenly a season-long youth scholarship is fully funded.”
Given the unique circumstances of this year’s Covid-19 crisis, Kara is working diligently to include participants of all ages and abilities while promoting wellness and physical activity. “Giving Tuesday emphasizes opportunities to give back to communities and causes in safe ways that allow for social connection and kindness, even while practicing social distancing,” she said.
Below are a few ways donors can get involved in LASP fundraising, as well as learn more about Kara’s plans for future fundraising efforts:
#Movefor LASP – Held December 1-7, this virtual event which will launch on Giving Tuesday aims to leverage fundraising through social media, combined with physical exercise. Participate indoors or out; a special virtual kick-off event is being hosted by Bradley Poole Health & Fitness; all forms of physical movement are encouraged.
The end goal is to raise $5,000 for youth scholarships, no-cost youth adaptive ski clinics, purchasing and maintaining specialized adaptive ski equipment, training and certifying volunteer ski instructors, and hosting the annual Veterans Ski Day for disabled military veterans.
Kara encourages local ski clubs, ski teams, youth groups, service organizations, and individuals to participate. “By forming a crowdfunding team, they can really help make this event a huge success; event sponsors are welcome, too!” she said. To learn more or to sign up, visit www.givebutter.com/moveforlasp.
EVL GIVES - A collaboration with The Ellicottville Skatepark Project that is still in the works! This hyperlocal marketing campaign encourages people to give back to organizations they care about in Ellicottville. More details to come!
Monthly Giving Program – Also still in the works, Kara is working to create a monthly program which allows supporters to donate. She believes small, affordable monthly gifts really add up and make an incredible impact over time.
Capacity Building Grant - Lastly, Kara’s long-term fundraising goal is to write a capacity building grant to support the program’s infrastructure, to help LASP better fulfill its mission.
To date, LASP Giving Tuesday campaigns have generated over $9,000 in donations from 80 supporters in 11 states and the District of Columbia. Donations range from $5 to $500, with an average of $88 per donation.
The Lounsbury Adaptive Ski Program is currently recruiting volunteer ski instructors. For more information, visit www.lounsburyadaptive.org; interested parties should contact Sue Whistler at laspski@hotmail.com.