Last month, some 200 world-class athletes from across the U.S., Canada and Norway descended on the Fort Kent Outdoors Center for the U.S. Biathlon National Championships.

Among those at the starting line was a 60-year-old athlete with an above-the-knee amputation on a sit ski, who hailed from an unlikely hometown: Florida. Despite his base in the Sunshine State, he got hooked on the sport thanks in large part to VAST, Veterans Adaptive Sports Training, the New Gloucester-based nonprofit which helps veterans access a wide array of all-season sports, free of charge.

Back in 2018, the athlete met VAST founder Kristina Sabasteanski at the Move United Ski Spectacular, an adaptive sports festival in Colorado. Sabasteanski taught him to cross-country ski using a stand-up position, then by using a sit ski, and ever since he’s been traveling to VAST’s annual biathlon training camp to prepare for the national competition and fulfill a bucket-list wish. The camp is one of dozens of programs offered by VAST since it was founded by in 2012 Sabasteanski, a former U.S. Army and National Guard veteran, two-time Olympian, and occupational therapist. Last year alone, VAST served 311 veterans, their activities ranging from skiing to mountain biking to archery.

VAST is just one of the mighty and growing number of organizations across the state that is working to make Maine’s incredible outdoor sports and recreation opportunities accessible to all, all year long. The Adaptive Outdoor Education Center offers an abundance of programs, from rock climbing to sailing, for those who are living with disabilities, plus camps and programs for caregivers at its sites in Brunswick, Carrabassett Valley and Dedham.

Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation, based in Bethel, is the largest year-round adaptive recreation program in Maine, and started in 1982. Last year alone, Maine Adaptive worked with nearly 450 kids, adults and veterans, offering more than 2,500 experiences free of charge, from paddling to golf to tennis to alpine skiing and snowboarding.

Enock Glidden, Maine Adaptive’s community relations specialist, is also an accessibility ambassador for Maine Trail Finder, as well as a nationally recognized athlete, adventurer, motivational speaker and advocate for others with disabilities. Born with spina bifida, he uses a wheelchair. Glidden writes a blog for Maine Trail Finder that identifies barriers on trails that can be eliminated to make them more accessible.

In Brunswick each July, the Amputee Association of Maine hosts the Gorham Savings Bank Maine Adapted Open golf tournament, welcoming dozens of athletes from across the country. In the Belgrade Lakes region, the Travis Mills Foundation hosts recalibrated veterans and their families to its retreat, where they can relax, enjoy the outdoors and try activities like archery, tennis and paddling.

Given that 16% of individuals in Maine are living with a disability — that’s a higher proportion than nationally — the work that these organizations are doing is critical. At the Maine Sports Commission, we applaud the work that the dedicated legions of staff members, volunteers and supporters of these organizations are doing to remove barriers like cost and transportation. They’re providing critical resources such as gear, instruction, community, support and camaraderie to ensure that those in Maine who are living with disabilities can access the myriad physical and emotional benefits that go along with sports and recreation. We are excited to see more people within Maine and beyond discover these exceptional organizations.

To be sure, there is much more work to be done to break down barriers that stand between Mainers and our sports and recreation opportunities. As we continue to promote Maine as a destination for sports events and recreation and encourage healthy and active lifestyles, the work of these organizations is a hugely important piece of the puzzle.