A Letter From Board Chair Mike Fry
Dear Teton Adaptive Community,
I write to you today from a place of joy and gratitude. Joy in the knowing Teton Adaptive continues to turn obstacles into opportunities for people living in and visiting the Greater Teton Area, and gratitude for everything we have – our programs and participants, our community, and our supporters. Teton Adaptive is in the quality-of-life business, and believe our mission serves our community by offering individuals with disabilities the chance to optimize their well being with access to recreation in the playground of the Tetons.
Our programs and our participants reside at the core of Teton Adaptive. We understand the stability of the organization and the consistency of our programs are critical to growth and long-term success. As our 2023 impact report will show, Teton Adaptive’s programs and the participants they support remain very much intact and strong. Additionally, the 2024 winter programs are well established, and continue to advance alongside skilled adaptive instructors and innovations in technology which help individuals maximize their independence and autonomy while skiing. Beyond the coming winter season, Teton Adaptive is working on fun ways to collaborate with our local partners to provide a variety of summer program offerings.
Teton Adaptive maintains several amazing partnerships in the community who have aligned interests in the health of our community. A newly formalized partnership with St. John’s Health will allow our fleet of summer equipment to expand, increasing our ability to cater to individuals with more complex disabilities. It will also boost the summer staffing capacity over the next two years so we can increase our ability to serve more individuals. The leadership at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is actively working with us to re-optimize the structure of our relationship and ensure that individuals with disabilities are set-up for success and ease of access with biking, skiing, and climbing out in the Teton Village.
The success of Teton Adaptive depends on the contributions of many. To our donors, volunteers, and especially our participants, thank you! Your unrelenting faith in Teton Adaptive’s mission is nothing short of inspiring. It drives us to continue building on the experiences of the past 18 years to reach as many people as possible. Teton Adaptive is currently in a state of transition. Change can be uncomfortable, frustrating, and even scary. Change can also be enlightening, empowering, and exciting. Regardless of the emotion of the moment, Teton Adaptive will continue to adapt with change and use this moment to bring the next evolution of this wonderful organization.
I invite you to reach out to me or my fellow board members with your questions and feedback. As the Irish poet W.B. Yeats said, “there are no strangers here; only friends you haven’t met yet.” I welcome the opportunity to get to know you and better understand what drives your passion to support Teton Adaptive. Until then, I wish you and your families all the best this holiday season and in the coming year.
Happy Holidays,
Michael Fry
Board President, Teton Adaptive
mike@tetonadaptive.org
Teton Adaptive Board Chair Mike Fry with his son
