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Adaptive Spirit Paralympic fundraiser makes successful return to Vail, auction raises $160,000

Paralympian Ralph Green races in the Adaptive Spirit annual event in Vail on Saturday. The annual spring fundraiser for adaptive snowsports athletes returned to the slopes of Vail after three years away.
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The Adaptive Spirit Annual Event made its return to Vail over the weekend after a three-year hiatus.

An annual spring event, Adaptive Spirit was canceled in 2020 and was held virtually in 2021.

Attendees found good snow conditions for the on-snow portion of the event, which included a ski race.



Adaptive Spirit event founder Steve Raymond, left, with panelists Jana Arbanas of Deloitte (right) and Christina Sasone of Dish (center).
Trekker Photography/Courtesy image

The conferencing portion of the event was held at the Grand Hyatt in Vail at the base of Chair 20.

Organizers of the telecom industry mixer/Paralympic snow sports fundraiser said the return to an in-person event in 2022 bodes well for the future of the Vail fundraiser.

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“It was a great success this year, everyone was so happy to be back in person,” said Colette Carey with Adaptive Spirit.

The silent auction at the Adaptive Spirit annual event in Vail over the weekend raised $160,000 for adaptive snowsports athletes.
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In addition to hosting panels of telecom industry speakers, the event hosts fundraising opportunities.

At the silent auction alone, $160,000 was raised in Vail in 2022, Carey said.

“100 percent of that goes to adaptive snowsports athletes,” Carey said.

An Adaptive Spirit kids race was held at Golden Peak on Friday.
Trekker Photography/Courtesy image

Carey said organizers don’t yet have a final tally on how much was raised in total throughout the 2022 event, which ran from Thursday to Saturday, but organizers are already making plans for a return in 2023.

“We have nearly half of our current sponsors back for AS2023 — with all eight top-level platinum sponsors returning,” she said.


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