The Deep Creek Lake Lions Club successfully held its 53rd annual Blind Ski Program from January 19 through February 11, 2026. This year’s program welcomed 13 families, 18 visually impaired skiers, and 26 of their family members.
The families came from Garrett County, other counties throughout Maryland, Delaware, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia. The program has been growing. Mike O’Brien, Lions Club Zone Chair and Deep Creek Lake Lions Club Blind Ski Project Chair, stated that “The program has been growing over the past few years, and this year we unfortunately had to turn away several families due to lack of housing.”
The program is more than just teaching skiing. It is an opportunity for families to share information, open up opportunities for the families, and a reminder of what can be achieved when barriers are removed. According to Dr. Sheila Amato, volunteer and Teacher of students who are blind/visually Impaired (TVI) at Garrett County Public Schools, “the program opened a world of independence and confidence for our students and their families that many thought were out of reach.” She also stated that “Beyond learning to ski, the students gained a profound sense of ‘I can do this,’ which they are already carrying back to the classroom.”
Chris Perkins, father of a visually impaired skier, stated, “My wife and I skied numerous times before we got married, but never thought about skiing again after kids. We definitely didn’t think we would be able to take our visually impaired teen daughter, Corinne, skiing. Seeing her ski in the hands of caring, expert skiers from the Deep Creek Lions Club was intensely soul-nourishing.”
