BIGFORK — Fun times were being had this week in the Flathead as DREAM Adaptive Recreation put on their 16th annual watersport week at Echo Lake near Bigfork.
DREAM Adaptive Recreation works closely with people with disabilities in northwest Montana to make outdoor activities more accessible.
“So much fun!” said DREAM Adaptive Recreation participant Lesly Green.
Is there anything better on a hot summer day than ripping around on the water?
“It was bumpy and splashy!” added Green.
Green and her four siblings enjoyed water skiing across Echo Lake showing off their new skills.
“It’s incredible, they get to do things that they normally wouldn’t do, and the experiences, just enjoying things that typically they wouldn’t get to,” said Lesly's mother Melissa Coppock.
Melissa enjoyed seeing her five children having fun on the water.
“The smiles that have been on the kids’ faces is amazing, the thrill and the joy and just the staff here are fantastic, and everybody is treated fairly and equally, and no disability is turned away.”
More than 30 DREAM Adaptive Recreation participants and their families have been out on the water on any given day this week thanks to countless DREAM adaptive staff members and volunteers who make it all happen.
“God we’ve been doing it for many, many years and it just gets better every year,” said volunteer Chuck Baker.
Baker — who has been volunteering with DREAM Adaptive for more than 10 years — says the lessons learned through outdoor recreation are invaluable for DREAM Adaptive participants.
“Joy to the world man, just to everybody, they’re out doing stuff and learning stuff, they’re going to take it and build off of it in their daily lives and everything they do in their life,” said Baker.
DREAM Adaptive Recreation Executive Director Julie Tickle said memories made on the water will last a lifetime.
“Everyone has the right and deserves to experience the thrills and the challenges and the life lessons that outdoor recreation provides, so it’s really our mission to break down barriers to the great outdoors,” said Tickle.
Tickle said this year's watersport week was made possible thanks to partnerships with Backcountry Xperiences, Flathlead Lake Luxury Lodging, the Thompson Family and others.
