Quesnel’s rising adaptive skiing star Landon McGauley receives Empowerment Grant from the High Fives Foundation towards Paralympic goals!
A $1,170 grant will provide McGualey specialized adaptive ski setups for competitive adaptive ski racing
The High Fives Foundation is awarding 19-year-old Landon McGauley a board-approved Empowerment Grant in support of his long range goal to make the Canadian National Adaptive Ski Team and represent his country in the 2018 Paralympics inPyeongchang, South Korea. He is a current member of the Canadian Paralympic Development Team.
McGauley, a resident of Quesnel, Canada, suffered a spinal cord injury in 2010 as a result of a crash while competing in a high level downhill mountain biking competition. He has since focused his recovery efforts on competitive mono-skiing. This September grant will provide a Volkl downhill ski, and Volkl Super G ski, specialized bindings, and adaptive titanium outriggers to facilitate steering.
“The High Fives Foundation has been working with Landon for the past four years, and his goal has remained the same — to make the Canadian Paralympic Team,” said Roy Tuscany, High Fives Foundation Executive Director. “Landon has progressed so much from year to year, and truly has a great chance to realize his dream.”
“With how my racing has been going, I feel I am at the point where my equipment can really affect my progress,” said McGauley. “I believe I will see a larger progression with this new ski setup.”
Since the High Fives Foundation’s January 2009 inception, the Empowerment Program Service has assisted 89 athletes from 20 states in nine respective funding categories which include: living expenses, insurance, travel, health, healing network, adaptive equipment, winter equipment, programs and stoke (positive energy, outlook and attitude).
In 2015, the High Fives Foundation set a budget of disbursing $266,000 via board-approved grants through the Empowerment Fund. Since January, the Foundation has disbursed approximately $310,000 to 30 athletes, three organizations and three High Fives Foundation-hosted adaptive sports camps.
In the month of September the High Fives Foundation disbursed $24,261 in Board-approved grants to eight High Fives Athletes.
September Empowerment Athletes:
Lindsay Runkel from Westport, Conn.
Keith Gabel from Salt Lake City, Utah.
Kevin Cheung from San Bruno, Calif.
Nick Fairall from Andover, NH.
Sally Franklin from Denver, Colo.
Andrew Kurka from Homer, Alaska.
Landon McGauley from Quesnel, BC.
Brandon Pitzer from Portland, OR.
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About the High Fives Non-Profit Foundation: High Fives Foundation is a Tahoe-based, national 501.c.3 non-profit organization supporting the dreams of mountain action sports athletes by raising injury prevention awareness while providing resources and inspiration to those who suffer life-altering injuries. Formed as a way to “pay-it-forward” by the founder from his own recovery to help injured athletes, the Foundation has helped 89 athletes to date since its inception in 2009, more information visit www.highfivesfoundation.
