One + July 2011 - (Page 51)

Seeing how the business owners, residents of Snowmass Village, fellow soldiers and others at the conference went out of their way to ensure that everything was accessible demonstrated an indescribable display of human kindness. The Blind Downhill Skier One special needs attendee was Gulf War vet Lonnie Bedwell. Fourteen years ago, Bedwell was shot in the face and blinded in a hunting accident. Bedwell attended his ﬁrst Winter Sports Clinic in April, and under the guidance of a volunteer instructor, he learned to ski. Bedwell’s ﬁrst runs took place on bunny slopes, but after a few hours, he decided that he wanted to test his newly learned skills on more challenging runs. As Bedwell and his instructor rode the ski lift for his ﬁrst full-mountain run, Bedwell was told that he had the option of being guided down the mountain via a rope tied around his waist or he could ski freestyle while the instructor provided voice instructions. Bedwell chose the latter. Over dinner after his ﬁrst day on the mountain, Bedwell shared his ﬁrst ski experience with other veterans. They asked how he managed to navigate down the side of a mountain with only the aid of voice commands. Bedwell said the key to success was developing trust, that the instructor would provide the right instructions and that he could execute as directed. As Bedwell shared the details of his ﬁrst ski experience, he urged everyone—from amputees to those in wheelchairs—to give the sport a try. Many heeded his advice. “The courage that I saw from all the participants was inspiring, humbling and an honor,” Bedwell said. mpiweb.org 51 http://www.visitcos.com/meet http://www.visitcos.com/meet http://www.mpiweb.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of One + July 2011

One + July 2011
Contents
Energy of Many
Impressions
Paradigm Shifts, Part II
Web Watch
Agenda
Thoughts+Leaders
Ask the Experts
Recognizing Community and Organizational Excellence
Overheard
Art of Travel
The Prism Effect
Top Spots
Connections
Irrelevant
Using New Tech for Old Purposes
So You Think You Can Dance
Don’t Use Tech You Don’t Understand
Are You In It to Win It?
Anything is Possible
Night of the Radishes
Well Played
When People Come Together, Magic Happens
Size Matters
Building a Better FAM
One Bar at a Time
MPI + CSR
Industry Insights
Your Community
Making a Difference
Until We Meet Again

One + July 2011