Ron Agostini: Disabled but not disappointed on slopes

Ryan Finley of Oakdale feels the wind on his cheek as he takes his tethered ride down the mountain. The sensation is enough to draw a scream that pierces the serene environment.

A scream of sheer joy.

“It was out of happiness,” said Matthew Tilford, director of programs for the Society For Disabilities. “You could hear him from a few runs away.”

Finley, 19, has been afflicted with Sturge-Weber Syndrome, a rare neurological and skin disorder, since birth. He has no use of his right arm, and all physical tasks are difficult for him. But when he’s at Dodge Ridge gaining speed in the frigid glory of winter, he embraces only one thing:

Freedom.

“I like the snow. It’s fun,” he said. “Gets cold sometimes.”

That’s a small price for Finley, one of many participants of all ages who have looked forward to the society-sponsored ski trips to Dodge for more than 25 years. Volunteers and donors have been paid back by knowing they’ve helped those less fortunate.

“It’s personally rewarding. You bring everyone up there and you see the joy,” said Marci Boucher, executive director of the Society For Disabilities. “At our fundraisers, I always say, ‘I love working here.’ ”

Her Modesto-based organization has enhanced the quality of lives in the Valley for 67 years. The society covers all forms of recreation: water ski, bicycle camp, a day on the farm, bowling, soccer and a prom. Its target is the disabled: quadriplegics, paraplegics, amputees and those coping with mental illnesses, autism, cerebral palsy and the hearing and visually impaired.

The society also runs a loan closet of adapted medical equipment within Northern California, including walkers, wheelchairs, bedside commodes and hospital beds.

Sign-language classes are available, and the organization tightens its attachment to the community by running three local thrift stores.

But during winter, adaptive skiing jumps to center stage. One of its leaders is Tilford, 27, a paraplegic who’s viewed the plight of the disabled from all angles.

He skied at Dodge Ridge as a child but, two weeks before his graduation from Grace Davis High, a truck in which he was a passenger flew off a 600-foot cliff near Lake Don Pedro. Though he was put in an induced coma for a month, he survived. Today, he conducts his office duties in a wheelchair.

Tilford’s experience no doubt escorted him to this vocation. In fact, he takes part in the adaptive ski program he organizes.

“We teach people how to ski. It takes them to a place where they don’t usually go. You get to experience the outdoors in a natural way,” Tilford said. “I know how great the program is, and I know how our participants fall in love with it along with their families as well.”

The society takes about 14 disabled skiers on each trip. It’s about halfway through a six-trip program this winter, a long one thanks to the abundance of snow. More outings are scheduled, and more information is available at www.societyfordisabilities.org.

Boucher said the organization operates on an annual budget of about $1.1 million. Help, both volunteer and financial, is always welcomed and needed. A major fundraiser for the skiers is the annual Snow Fest at Dodge Ridge on March 19.

One of the beneficiaries is Finley who, huddled in his sit-ski, celebrates a lifetime experience.

This story was originally published February 2, 2016 at 4:25 PM with the headline "Ron Agostini: Disabled but not disappointed on slopes."