SEWASP (pronounced "see-wasp") provides adaptive alpine skiing and snowboard lessons for people with disabilities in southeastern Wisconsin and surrounding areas.

 

SEWASP is a collaborative effort of:

• IndependenceFirst, Wisconsin’s largest non-residential independent living center,
• University of Wisconsin - Whitewater Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Coaching, and
• our participants, dedicated volunteers, and generous sponsors.

We began as a Zablocki Veterans Administration Medical Center recreation program in 1985. Through the years the program grew until, in 1996 with the support of Marquette Medical Systems Foundation, we established SEWASP, a unique community based organization. In 1998 we incorporated in the State of Wisconsin and became a chapter of Disabled Sports USA.

SEWASP is a not-for-profit 501c(3) non-stock corporation licensed in Wisconsin as a charitable organization and is a chapter of Disabled Sports USA. We rely on contributions to support all functions of our ski school. Our mission is carried out with an all-volunteer board of directors and volunteer ski/snowboard instructors. 

 

"Adaptive" refers to the modified equipment and teaching techniques used to enable skiers and snowboarders to participate safely and as independently as possible. Instruction is generally provided at Alpine Valley Ski Resort near East Troy, Wisconsin (southwest of Milwaukee on I-43), on Thursday evenings from January through mid-March.

• motor and physical (spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis (MS), spina bifida, etc.)
• cognitive (brain injury, mental retardation, etc.)
• sensory (blindness and other visual impairments, deafness and other hearing impairments, etc.)