Corvallis Sister Cities Association partners with Uzhhorod, Ukraine
In 2025, after learning about the tens of thousands of amputations that have resulted from the war in Ukraine, I designed and administered a program of adaptive skiing through Corvallis Sister Cities Association (a 501c3 organization), which has had a sister city relationship with Uzhhorod, Ukraine for over 30 years. I wanted to introduce 3-track and mono-skiing so vets could ski completely independently. We collaborate with Veterans Alliance, a national Ukrainian organization based in Ki’iv. Another organization began work in Ukraine at about the same time as ours, and adaptive skiing is spreading very quickly across the Carpathian Mountains.
Our program brought 5 amputees and two certified Ukrainian ski instructors to Oregon in 2025 to learn (and learn to teach) 3-track. One of the instructors returned this year in January to learn mono-ski and bi-ski. During the 2026 ski season in Ukraine, the veterans who learned in the United States all skied, many more took lessons to learn 3-track skiing, and a few double amputees even learned learned mono-skiing.
We have sent some more outriggers, but we still need more. Kris (our Ukrainian instructor) is teaching other instructors and wants to get outriggers to their ski areas so there will be adaptive lessons available at areas all over the Country.
In addition to outriggers, we also need bi-skis, extra seats in good condition, skis for bi-skis, and short bi-ski outriggers.
I have seen both the physical AND mental conditions of the amputees vastly improve with skiing. There is not much money left in the adaptive skiing program budget, so I am hoping we can get donations and used equipment to the Ukrainians. Thank you for your consideration.
Below is a video of the program in Oregon last year.
Carol Paulson
Corvallis Sister Cities Assn. Adaptive Skiing Project
https://sistercities.corvallis.or.us/uzhhorod-ukraine/
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