At the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Outdoor Recreation Summit in Baltimore on October 30th, Deep Creek Lake Lions Club President Chris Nichols delivered a presentation on two of the club’s most impactful initiatives: the Blind Skier and Blind Camper programs.
Speaking to a packed room of outdoor educators, government employees, owners of experience-based businesses and recreation advocates, Nichols emphasized the transformative power of outdoor experiences for individuals with visual impairments. “When a child who’s never seen a mountain learns to ski down one, or when a camper who’s never sat around a fire gets to tell stories under the stars—it’s not just recreation. It’s liberation,” he said.
The Blind Skier program, now in its fifth decade, brings visually impaired youth from across the region to Wisp Resort each winter. With the help of trained volunteer guides and adaptive equipment, participants learn to ski with confidence and independence. The Blind Camper program, held each summer at the club’s McHenry-based camp, offers a week of accessible outdoor fun—from swimming in Deep Creek Lake to crafts and campfires.
Nichols shared stories from past participants, highlighting the fact that while the programs are based around recreation, they help the participants build important life skills. “We repeatedly hear from the parents that participants in the Blind Skier and Camper programs come home with more confidence and enthusiasm for tackling life’s challenges,” he noted. “While it may seem like we’re just having fun, these kids are discovering that they are more capable than they and society first thought.”
Nichols also gave credit to the local community for helping to make the Programs happen. “Our high school volunteers really take the energy and engagement of these programs to the next level,” said Nichols, “They really connect with the program participants in a way that older volunteers can’t. And, it gives an opportunity to our younger volunteers to experience the value of service to others at an earlier age.” He went on to discuss the importance of local businesses such as Wisp Resort, which donates the lift tickets and equipment rentals. “Without the support of our local businesses and contributors – especially those who donate boats for our annual auction – we wouldn’t be able to hold these programs at all,” he noted.
The presentation was part of a broader summit focusing on building businesses based on outdoor recreation and expanding access to Maryland’s parks, trails, and waterways. In its second year, the Maryland Outdoor Recreation Summit provided the opportunity for recreation enthusiasts, leaders, and business owners to network, collaborate, learn, and enjoy the outdoors together. Over the course of the event, attendees bolstered existing relationships and built new connections with partners from around the state with the goal of strengthening the growing outdoor recreation community in Maryland.
The Deep Creek Lake Lions Club, founded in 1973, has long been a champion of service and inclusion in Western Maryland. Its work with the blind and visually impaired reflects the Lions’ international mission, but with a distinctly local heart.
For more information or to volunteer with the Blind Skier or Blind Camper programs, visit deepcreeklions.org.
