Although three out of every thousand people in the United states are blind, there are few programs committed to integrating the blind into our society. A major obstacle to rehabilitation of the visually handicapped is ferreting them out of their passive, cloistered living situation. So many wards of the blind feel that blind people cannot do, cannot learn, cannot participate in the activities of the normally sighted. By contrast, the drive to lead an active life is expressed in the words of the blind founder of BOLD, Jean Eymere, who said: "If I have to just pass through this life, I will give up; I want to do what everyone else does."
BOLD's motivating force is the psychological and physical stimulation derived from free, independent motion. Skiing is an ideal vehicle for the blind to move independently and freely, possibly for the first time. It affords them the same risk, pleasure, challenge and excitement that sighted people also experience. Pioneered by a blind man, BOLD has tested parameters within which blind persons are encouraged to launch themselves into the guided, free motion of skiing. The feeling of the wind and snow on one's face, the sensation of the bumps in one's knees, the sound of one's skis skimming across the snow - all combine to induce an important psychological breakthrough for the blind. THEY CAN DO!
BOLD was not the first to put the blind on skis, but BOLD is the first to offer the blind a well designed physical program giving them an active, participatory role in society.
Encouraged and aided by friends, Jean began fulfilling his commitment by teaching himself to ski again. Along with instructor friends, Jean experimented with various techniques of teaching and guiding until he could once again ski successfully. This relearning experience also convinced them that they could teach other blind persons to ski. They found that established teaching techniques need only slight modification to accommodate the problems of blindness.
Next Jean Eymere and his friends approached other instructors with their idea of bringing blind people to Aspen for the skiing experience. The instructors met the challenge and volunteered their time and expertise. Aspen ski schools cooperated by permitting instructors to teach at no charge to the student, and mountain managements offered a 50% reduction on lift ticket costs to the blind skiers. They held a clinic for the volunteer instructors to teach them the method and to advise them on working with the blind visitors. With a donation from the local Lions' Club, the program's original sponsor, BOLD hosted seven blind teenagers, from the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind in Colorado Springs, for one week of skiing. At the end of that first season, the theory that the blind could learn to ski had been successfully proven.
Through considerable unsolicited press coverage, the story of Aspen BOLD became known. CBS did a three-minute public interest special that is still being shown on national networks. WKAR-TV in East Lansing, Michigan produced a 15-minute sound film on the blind skiing program as a public service. Newspapers across the country, e.g. the Boston GLOBE, the Louisville COURIER- JOURNAL, the Santa Barbara NEWSPRESS, the Portland OREGONIAN, and the San Rafael INDEPENDENT JOURNAL published stories about Aspen BOLD. The immediate result of this publicity was a flood of inquiries from across the country from parents of the blind and from the blind themselves. Over succeeding years, the program was publicized on an even larger scale. In November 1974, John Denver, while hosting Johnny Carson's TONIGHT SHOW, concluded the program with a brief description of BOLD and showed excerpts from a BOLD film. In Brecken- ridge, Colorado, during the 1974-75 ski season, Aspen BOLD gave a demonstration of downhill skiing by the blind in conjunction with a RACE FOR LIGHT sponsored by Lions International and the Norwegian government, a cross-country event for blind skiers from the entire United States and Norway. Television and press coverage was massive and included Charles Kerault and his CBS ON THE ROAD show. A New York TV show, THE BIG BLUE MARBLE, filmed a weekend of skiing by two blind children. Jean Eymere went to New York to appear on TO TELL THE TRUTH. United Airlines carried a feature article in its periodical MAINLINER. An enthusiastic blind participant in the Aspen program had an article published in the widely circulated BRAILLE FORUM. Warren Miller, a leading producer of ski films, has included shots of Jean Eymere skiing in his 90-minute spectacular to be released during the 1975-76 season.
The BOLD program was organized so that it could accommodate more blind skiers. For each inquiry a form was provided requesting names and addresses, degree of blindness, general state of health, possible travelling companions, and the amount the blind person could afford to pay for a week of skiing. Officers of BOLD found that most visually handicapped people are in a significantly lower economic position than sighted persons of similar age and background. It was realized that Aspen BOLD would have to assume a much greater financial responsibility in order to avoid the propagation of a program exclusively for the wealthy blind. Therefore BOLD increased fundraising efforts in an attempt to defray part of the cost of food and lodging for the blind skiers. Through the efforts of a few volunteers, 20 blind people skied with Aspen BOLD during the second year. The figure rose to 30 in the third year; during the 1973-74 ski season there were 76 blind skiers, and 40 during the 1974-75 season.
Since its inception, Aspen BOLD has been administered by a volunteer staff. Jean Eymere has been successful in obtaining cooperation between the Aspen Skiing Corporation and Ski School and the Aspen Highlands Skiing Corporation and Ski School, whose presidents both endorse the program highly. Now a volunteer instructor from either corporation can teach a student on a choice of three mountains, with half-price lift-ticket charges to the blind skier. Local ski rental shops have demonstrated their enthusiasm by donating equipment to the blind and handicapped.
Donations and contributions have multiplied since the first year. In addition to the annual donation from the Aspen Lions Clubs, other charitable organizations have also been generous. Individual contributions have increased steadily as more people recognize the success and value of BOLD. Additional volunteer workers have joined the program and have helped to raise the needed money. For example, on Christmas 1973 an Aspen BOLD raffle netted $4600. for the skiing program.
Although Aspen BOLD began as a blind skiing project, the program has not been limited to the ski slopes. In the winter the blind have also enjoyed cross- country skiing and ice-skating. During the summer, Aspen BOLD hosts a number of blind visitors for a program that includes hiking, fishing, camping, horseback riding, rafting, canoeing, mountain climbing, kayaking, swimming, and cultural activities.
As Aspen BOLD continued to grow and become more well known, a number of blind people began to contact other ski areas nearer their own homes regarding the availability of ski programs. These areas, in turn, began to inquire of Aspen BOLD as to how they could adapt their ski programs to accommodate the blind. In response Jean Eymere and Aspen BOLD instructors visited six Colorado mountains in 1973 to teach other instructors how to work with blind skiers. Those from more remote areas came to Aspen to attend special clinics. It became evident that other ski areas were eager to meet the challenge of a blind skiing program.
Nationwide, interested, enthusiastic people began to request information and assistance from Aspen BOLD in forming their own local clubs. Once again Jean Eymere, accompanied by other BOLD members, traveled to a number of cities to aid in establishing local blind skiing programs.
As groups from additional cities continued to press Aspen to help them organize locally, the dimensions of Aspen BOLD began to change. The demand to expand Aspen BOLD into a nationwide program became unsuppressible. If the Aspen BOLD "can-do" theory could be implemented on a national basis, BOLD could prove to be a most important tool for the rehabilitation of the visually handicapped.
Thus BOLD, Inc. responded at the national level, by drawing on the expertise and experience of Aspen BOLD. Jean Eymere and participating members of BOLD traveled to various cities to help create new clubs. Benefitting from the Aspen experience, new programs in Chicago, PITTSBURGH, Syracuse, Vail, and Greeley (CO) are now offering exciting skiing opportunities to many blind skiers who had never been able to take advantage of Aspen BOLD. Other BOLD clubs that have joined the group are located in Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Kirkwood (CA), Rochester (NY), Waterville Valley (NH), Smuggler's Notch (VT), and Bachelor Butte (OR). Communities currently expressing interest include Fort Worth / Dallas, Minneapolis / St. Paul, and Seattle.
Chicago has had Sammy Skobel, blind roller derbyist, help with their program since 1973. Sammy was so exhilarated by the Aspen experience that he duplicated BOLD in Chicago, extrapolating from the Aspen program. Utilizing the Lighthouse for the Blind, the Federal Rehabilitation Office, schools for the blind, local ski clubs, and corporate interests, they have enrolled 62 Chicago blind students in a ski program that uses four local mountains on a weekend basis. The Milwaukee metropolitan area BOLD has also been very successful; during the 1974-75 ski season they had a total of 277 ski-days for the blind.
As a safety factor BOLD, Inc. designed a distinctive jacket to be worn by all blind skiers, instructors and guides affiliated with the program. These jackets are available to the local clubs for BOLD affiliates to wear each time they go to the slopes. In the absence of a jacket there are "Blind Skier" and "BOLD Guide" bibs available as an alert to others that there are blind skiers on the mountain. Additionally, all blind skiers are protected by BOLD, Inc. insurance for which BOLD pays a premium each day a blind person skis. Officers of BOLD, Inc. are now trying to obtain the cooperation of the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) to have a special certification for instructors who wish to teach blind skiers. Like Aspen BOLD, BOLD, Inc. is administered by a volunteer staff.
Total success of BOLD, Inc. on the national level is dependent on further education about the BOLD concept. It has been found that many people are skeptical about the possibility of teaching a blind person to ski. Others feel that perhaps the person with acquired blindness can learn, but never the congenitally blind person. Still others fear that skiing is too strenuous for the blind and would require unusual physical stamina. All of this, of course, is untrue. It has been particularly difficult to convince parents and wards of the blind that the visually handicapped can progress in this sport and can experience not only success in skiing but also the joy and excitement of moving freely. For promotional purposes BOLD, Inc. printed brochures and produced a film that expands on the blind skiing experience.
This film was completed in 1974 by one of the ski industry's most energetic and sensitive free-lance film companies. It shows blind skiers during their first few hours on skis and others who have progressed to parallel turns. Teaching techniques are shown as well as the satisfaction and excitement of the skiers themselves. Jean Eymere demonstrates the extent to which the blind can develop their abilities on skies. The film also includes several world champion skies who endorse the program and serve on BOLD, Inc.'s Advisory Board. With this film the directors of BOLD, Inc. have generated more enthusiasm and understanding from individuals and philanthropic groups who can aid local clubs, as well as wards of the blind who seek proof that the blind can, indeed, ski. Prints of the film have been shown all over the United States and are in constant demand. As an effective parent corporation BOLD, Inc. offers to an ever increasing number of blind people the mental and physical stimulation and self-confidence to participate more actively in today's society. Blind participants thus far span an age range from 11 to 55 years; they include some multiply handicapped persons, students, a number of veterans, and persons from a variety of professional and economic groups. Dedicated to their project, the volunteer staff of BOLD, Inc. continues, even with a restricted budget, in its efforts to bring a meaningful, independent life to the blind.