2015 Otago Adaptive Snow Sports Awards Evening.

With the ski season having drawn to a close 3 weeks ago the awards dinner provided a perfect opportunity to remember and recognise everybody’s achievements.

The dinner was very well attended with 31 participants and volunteers being present.

With some fantastic stories being told and a brilliant array of food consumed attention turned to the serious business for the evening, the awards presentation.

The first award to be presented was a little light hearted, the two biggest turkey awards. These awards are traditionally given to the people who have fallen over or skidded with dramatic consequences.

However this year was different with both awards being given to Mia O’Keefe for her dramatic chairlift falls as well as her caught on camera fall on a challenging black run!

Next up was the more serious award of the best junior, it had been decided by the awards panel that the trophy should go once again to Kiringaua Cassidy for his impressive development throughout the season. He is surly one to watch for the future!

Following the presentation of the junior award was the serious business of the senior for 2015.

This award was given for the impressive skill development that Henderson Best has been working on this year. Her improvement has been remarkable and is a lesson to us all about how determination and hard work can pay off!

The penultimate award was for the skier who had added the most enthusiasm and energy into the program. The award went to Hunter Edgecombe for his infectious enjoyment as well as his impressive aptitude for skiing.

Finally the last award traditionally goes to the volunteer who has done the most to support the program. This is always a hard award to give as so many people give so much to the program.

It was decided that this year the award would go to Bridget Meyer for all her hard work over the past eight years. Without the enthusiasm and dedication that Bridget has put in to the adaptive program it could be argued that skiing would not have happened for so many of those who have been able to ski with the Otago Adaptive Program.

Bridget has taken a step back from the program but is still going to give a helping hand when it is needed.