Loon Mountain hosts Disabled Ski Hall of Fame Ceremony

Lincoln, NH, (March 27, 2012) – New England Disabled Sports (NEDS) is honored to announce that founding member Dr. Robert A. Harney was recently inducted in the National Disabled Ski Hall of Fame. To bestow this honor, the Executive Director of Disabled Sports USA, , Kirk Bauer, JD, made the induction presentation.

Dr. Harney, an Orthopedic Surgeon based in the greater Boston area, has been instrumental in expanding New England Disabled Sports into one of the premier disabled sports centers in the country. New England Disabled Sports is located at Loon Mountain in Lincoln, NH. Dr. Harney has also provided national leadership and has served on Disabled Sports USA’s board for the past 20 years.

What began as a quest to teach a few lessons in the winter of 1986-1987 has grown into a year-round program offering skiing, kayaking, waterskiing, camping, biathlon and much more. All activities are led by a team of highly-skilled volunteer-coaches. Last year, over 3,000 lessons were provided to children and adults with various physical and developmental disabilities.

“Without Dr. Harney’s vision and determination, New England Disabled Sports would not exist,” stated current NEDS Chairman of the Board, Mike Drake. “Dr. Bob has led by example, and showed all of us that hard work and vision leads to great achievements.”

During his remarks, Kirk Bauer stated, “Under Dr. Harney’s leadership, Disabled Sports USA has grown to over 100 chapters, offering over 40 sports to individuals with disabilities in the US.” Bauer also praised Dr. Harney’s business acumen, saying “Dr. Bob’s business skill has greatly assisted DSUSA weather substantial recent economic challenges, and today, our organization is strong, well funded, and able to assist our local Chapters.”

On a national and international level, Dr. Harney’s hard work and respected voice has been a leading advocate in ensuring Paralympic Classification is fair and accurate. Over a 20-year period, Dr. Harney’s passion has helped countless numbers of elite Paralympians shine on a global scale.

To learn more, visit www.nediabledsports.org ; www.dsusa.org .

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About New England Disabled Sports: New England Disabled Sports is a nationally recognized non-profit organization, which provides year round adaptive sport instruction to adults and children with physical and cognitive disabilities. Our programs allow individuals with disabilities to enjoy a boundary-free environment, enjoy outdoor recreation with friends and family, as well as provide access to equipment and instruction that might otherwise be unavailable.

About Loon Mountain: Located in the heart of the White Mountains, Loon Mountain Resort is New England’s most-accessible mountain resort destination, featuring Superior Snow, Guaranteed New Hampshire’s Biggest Skiing on 2,100 feet of vertical with 61 trails, eight tree skiing areas, a full progression of award-winning terrain parks, superpipe and halfpipe. Services and amenities include Snowsports School; Children’s Center; Adventure Center offering zipline, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, and indoor climbing wall; day and night snow tubing; slopeside spa and accommodations. Located in Lincoln, NH, just two hours north of Boston and three miles from Exit 32 off Interstate 93, Loon is consistently rated as one of the most-accessible resorts in the East by readers of SKI Magazine. During the summer and fall, Loon features NH’s longest scenic gondola skyride, zipline, bungee trampoline, the areas’ largest climbing wall, Segway tours, and mountain bike rentals and tours. Loon Mountain Resort is located in the White Mountain National Forest and operates in partnership with the USDA-Forest Service. Loon is operated by Boyne Resorts, the largest family-owned four-season resort company in North America. The latest information, snow conditions, video and events are available at www.loonmtn.com .