News
A-track-tive addition
Mike Manston
10/15/2014
Winter park gets special chair for ski program
Pictured: Bottineau Winter Park Manager Brad Knutson took the facility's new Action Track Chair for a test drive after it was delivered Monday.
The Adaptive Ski Program at Bottineau Winter Park (BWP) added another piece to its disabled visitors arsenal to enjoy all-season activities with the addition of a new Action Track Chair Monday.
Action Track Chair of Marshall, MN, delivered the newest addition to the Adaptive Ski Program at BWP Monday morning. The $14,000 chair was purchased with raffle proceeds conducted by BWP this past spring and summer. The new chair will enable disabled visitors to become mobile at the park, whether it be on nature trails or on the ski slopes. The chair can be self-operated or remotely operated depending on the level of disability of the user. Other pieces of adaptive equipment at BWP include mono-skis, bi-skis, snow shoes and paddleboats, according to BWP Adaptive Recreation Program Director Mike Cerkowniak.
“This just gives us another way to make our facilities more accessible to disabled visitors and another way for those visitors to get out into the outdoors,” Cerkowniak said. “We are looking at getting another chair sooner rather than later and we’re really going to be able to expand our program. It’s a chance to make our individuals in a wheelchair more independent.”
Cerkowniak said he has been working on obtaining a grant from the Veterans Administration to assist with the purchase of another Action TrackStander where the users may stand up while using the equipment. Keith Peterson, the North Dakota State AMVETS Commander from Bottineau, has also pledged his support to the Adaptive Ski Program at BWP that also includes the Wounded Warrior Program that is available to disabled military veterans.
“When I heard about this, I chose to pick it up and help here as part of the commander’s project,” Peterson said. “This is really a pilot program in North Dakota and it is getting bigger and bigger throughout the state and area. We want to give our disabled vets a chance to come here and enjoy the outdoors and this program could really go big.”
BWP is hoping to open for the season on Thanksgiving weekend, depending on the weather conditions. Cerkowniak said the Action Track Chair will be available for the public to see at various community events, including a veterans stand down program this week in Minot.
“We’re really looking forward to the rest of the year,” Cerkowniak said. “We’re probably the only people in North Dakota who want snow, but we want our disabled veterans program to really expand by word of mouth and this gives us a good start.”
Presently, Cerkowniak said that BWP only has one event planned for the winter ski season, a Military Appreciation Day for December 13. He said more events are likely going to be presented, but weather and snow conditions will determine the extent of those events.
BWP employees and other volunteers were on hand for the delivery of the new chair, including BWP Manager Brad Knutson, Cerkowniak, Peterson, Al Wondrasek and Larry and Mona Marchus.
Action Manufacturing produces two models, the Action Track Chair and the Action Track Stander. The company, which began manufacturing mobility equipment for disabled individuals came about when one of the founders of the company had a family member who experienced a disabling injury from an automobile accident. The company’s motto is “Helping the disabled to be enabled.” The chairs have a ground clearance of 3.5 inches and can reach speeds between 3-5 miles per hour. According to the company’s website, the chairs may be used on hard surfaces or off-road. It says the chairs will navigate through woods, on beaches, in campgrounds, on hiking trails, frozen lakes, shallow streams and in muddy and snowy conditions.