Nov. 26, 2025
When Veronica Gaspa stepped into skis for the first time this past February, she wasn’t alone. She was surrounded by new friends, instructors, and fellow athletes—all part of the Vermont Adaptive community at the annual Blind/Visually Impaired Athletes Winter Festival at Pico Mountain.
It was a day of firsts for Vee. “I had never been on skis,” she says. “And just to share that with people, and also just meeting people with other disabilities and other adaptations… There are really just so many ways to do one thing or to do one sport. So really, everyone can participate.”
That idea—that there’s no one way to experience the outdoors—sits at the heart of what we do at Vermont Adaptive. Whether it’s on snow or dirt trails, paddling on a quiet lake or hiking up the Green Mountains, our programs are designed with inclusion, choice and individuality in mind.
Vee first learned about Vermont Adaptive from another athlete at an adaptive event. A recommendation from a fellow participant led her to ski with Vermont Adaptive in winter and return this past summer for a tandem mountain biking session at a Vermont Mountain Bike Association Day at Stratton Mountain Resort.
“I’ve done a lot of tandem road biking,” she says. “Triathlons, 40-mile rides—but mountain biking is different. With any sport that I do not being able to see, I just really have to trust my guide, trust my captain, and Rob was a great captain. So really, just leaning into that and just trusting that communication—it works.”
Vee moved from New Jersey to St. Louis this fall to be with her fiancé and is in the wedding planning process. She is working toward becoming a teacher for the blind and visually impaired and was a home instructor for the New Jersey Commission for the Blind prior to moving, where she taught others how to live independently. Her time with Vermont Adaptive reflects the same values she brings to her own work: that everyone should have access to the outdoors and to the confidence that comes with new experiences.
As Giving Tuesday approaches, we invite you to think about what you can share—time, resources, encouragement, or a story about an experience you’ve had with Vermont Adaptive. Whether you choose to volunteer, donate, or spread the word, your support makes it possible for athletes like Vee to keep discovering new terrain year-round.
Watch and listen to Vee’s video on our YouTube channel.
