TASP couldn’t exist to serve the needs of the disabled members of our community and the Western Slope without help from friends like you! Your charitable gift directly supports the TASP mission by providing student scholarships, instructor and volunteer training, adaptive equipment and incredible experiential opportunities for our participants!

Your gift can go a long way in providing the following:

$50 – Funds a ½ day ski lesson for a child with autism
$250 – Pays for a day of skiing instruction for a student with visual impairment
$500 – Pays for a season of training for a Special Olympic athlete
$1,000 – Provides funding for a regional school group to go on a raft trip
$2,500 – Funds an inclusive week of adventure ski camp for a disabled veteran
$5,000 – Pays for an adaptive hand-cycle or mono-ski

RUN, WALK & ROLL at the Blisters and Brews 5K Run benefitting Telluride Adaptive Sports in remembrance of Felix Snow!

Race Schedule:

Saturday, September 14
7:15 - 8:00 a.m. - Registration Open *Note - we cannot accept any registrations after 8 am
8:30 am - 5K Race Start
9:30 am - Award Ceremony
10:00 am - Free Yoga Sessions

ABOUT TASP

Telluride Adaptive Sports Program is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing top quality therapeutic recreation to individuals with disabilities in order to promote independence and personal growth.  Our participants range in age from four to 94 and may have physical, emotional, and cognitive disabilities. Our team of professionally trained instructors and volunteers assess student needs, set up appropriate adaptive equipment and provide instruction or guiding services. 

CHALLENGE, INSPIRE, EMPOWER

THE RACE

Beginning and ending in Telluride’s Elks Park, Blisters & Brews provides runners with a safe, beautiful way to kick off their Saturday in downtown Telluride. The route and start / nish area have been planned to enhance the running experience and highlight the beauty of the heart of Telluride. The race route climbs up the river trail giving racers the opportunity to take in the beauty of the Bridal Veil Falls on the way up and a gentle decline for the way back down to town and ending at Elks Park followed by live music, free beer and free Blues & Brews Yoga Sessions to bring the pre-Grand Tasting zen to a maximum.

The course begins Elks Park and climbs up the bike path to Pandora Mine and returns along the same route. Racers will follow Colorado Avenue east and pick up the river trail, climbing to the Pandora mine. Racers will turn around and enjoy cruising down to the nish at Elks Park. Two aid stations will provide water electrolytes and snacks. 

FELIX

Felix Snow’s life was lemonade. He had plenty of lemons – likely more than most of us could have handled. He lost the use of his legs after a car crash, but rather than bemoan the hand he was dealt, he faced his changed life with courage, humor, and passionate engagement. When he passed away earlier this year, the Telluride community reeled with sorrow. Felix was a xture at many of Telluride’s festivals and Blues and Brews was no different.

He served with Festival Communications Director, Luci Reeve, who admired him for his intelligence and charisma. “Felix was such a people person. He helped people. He also kept people in line. You cannot argue with a man in a wheelchair.” Festival Director Steve Gumble calls Felix “larger than life,” and few would argue with that assessment. He was wicked smart, bitingly funny, and that voice! Oh, that voice. His resonant baritone got him work in voice acting, and when he laughed the world laughed with him.

Telluride Blues and Brews has partnered with Bootdoctors Paragon Outdoors for the second Blisters & Brews 5K Fundraiser Race on Saturday, September 14, beginning and ending in Elks Park, in the heart of Telluride. The race will raise money for the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program in remembrance of our dear friend, Felix.

Steve said it’s the perfect way to honor someone who gave his heart, soul and energy to the festival and to the community at large. “He was such an integral part of our community,” Steve said. “He fit in with our family vibe and wanted to help out however he could. We loved him.”

CHALLENGE, INSPIRE, EMPOWER

Our team of professionally trained instructors and volunteers assess student needs, set up appropriate adaptive equipment and provide instruction or guiding services.

Welcome to the Telluride Adaptive Sports Program, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing top quality therapeutic recreation to individuals with disabilities in order to promote independence and personal growth.  Our participants range in age from four to 94 and may have physical, emotional, and cognitive disabilities.

During the winter, we accomplish our mission of empowerment and challenge mainly through our adaptive ski school, providing tailored and individualized lessons daily throughout the season.  In addition, specialty programs, such as a Special Olympics race team, backcountry hut trips, and military oriented camps take place all winter long.  Our participants, whether a first time stand-up skier, or a veteran trees and bumps mono-skier, benefit greatly from our professionally trained instructors who are able to properly assess the student, incorporate appropriate adaptive equipment, and provide instruction or guiding services.

Summer finds TASP offering an even larger breadth of opportunities from off-road handcycle adventures set in the dramatic Moab desert, to rock climbing amongst the snowcapped peaks of Telluride.  Just as with winter programming, TASP proudly provides scholarship opportunities to those in financial need and supports local communities by providing regional-specific programming and opportunities.  As a further commitment to the community and our mission of inspiring, TASP conducts disability awareness trainings for local school aged youth in order to promote awareness and educate the next generation about the limitless potentials of adaptive recreation.