(birds chirping)
- My father was a military man, and so back in Vietnam
we traveled with our father and we stay at
different army base.
And one night we got attacked by what they call Viet Cong.
Everybody got killed, except I got injured pretty badly,
and they took me to American base hospital.
He wanted to adopt me back then, but he couldn't
because he was too young and he was single,
so he had his parents adopt me.
So he was working at that hospital as a medic
and he's the one that took me in and sent me to the State.
(somber piano)
I came straight here from Vietnam in December of '70.
I was in third grade.
That's when my parents put me in,
couldn't hardly speak English.
And I love gym, even though back then our leg
wasn't that good, you know?
But I was able to run, learn how to run in it.
I think I was playing soccer and one of the gym teacher go,
"Would you like to ski?"
And I said, at first I didn't know what
she was talking about.
I said, "Yeah, whatever it is, I'll do it."
(upbeat music)
- The ARCH Program is an adaptive recreation program
that is hospital-based.
We provide opportunities for children to participate
in various different types of outdoor recreational
activities.
The program has been around since 1967.
It has evolved from starting as being primarily
a winter sports program, to now also incorporating
sports throughout the year.
- Yay!
(clapping)
- And that's the overall goal of ARCH,
to just keep them out there and keep them as active
as they possibly can.
To enjoy the world, so that they feel that
I'm just another one out there enjoying the ski day,
the rock climbing day, the basketball, the biking,
whatever that they can do.
- [Ri] As a child I, you know, I didn't really want people
to know that I have an artificial leg.
But with the program you see that everybody got all
different kind of disability, and you then fit right in it
and you go, "Hey, this is cool!".
You know, I don't have to hide anything, you know?
And so I think it, it's really good to bring
all the kids togethers and all different kind of disability.
You don't have to be shy about it, you don't have to hide
anything.
- The psychological improvement and the motivation
in these kids is just amazing from this program.
- I also like to have the confidence to like know
that I can do this and say to myself like,
"I know I can do it. I know I can do it."
- There isn't a, "Well, I don't know if it's going to work."
It's a, "No, we're gonna figure this out."
(upbeat music)
- Oh, did it!
(uplifting music)
- I always wanted to compete.
Back then we used bamboos, you know, instead
of this plastic pole that we use for racing.
And they stick them to the ground and I say, how
what are those bamboo trees grown on a slope for?
And he go, "What?", and then he started laughing.
And ever since then he started making fun of me about
bamboo trees grown on a ski slope.
After that he said, "Come on, you're a racer.
I'm gonna make you a racer."
So from then on, you know, every every weekend
we go up there and all we do is train.
(uplifting music)
- [John] ARCH removes barriers in that
we really don't have any.
Every person comes in and we will do whatever we
need to do to accomplish what goals they have.
Sometimes we may refine those goals, but we'll do
whatever that we need to do to make it happen.
It's always that we're just working to get you out there
so that you're having fun, and we're pushing your abilities
as much as possible.
And I think we're pretty successful at that.
- [Courtney] I noticed a lot more confidence,
that I think he feels like because he has some limitations,
that he won't be able to do what the other kids do.
'Cause it's always about what he sees other people doing.
But with the program like this, that all just seems to
melt away and it's all about what can I do,
and how can I achieve my goals?
- [David] I've seen just that idea of "I can, and I will",
be fostered in him profoundly.
When he climbed his first wall, that there was a
definite spark of like, wow if I can do that,
I can pretty much do anything I want to,
and that's pretty special, as a dad.
- [Ri] I have four kids and they all grown up.
Start getting bored, then my wife go, "Why don't you go
volunteer with children hospital? Do something."
I say, "Hey, that sound like a good idea. I think I will."
(upbeat music)
- [Daytona] He's fun. He's funny. He's,
- [Ri] I am?
- [Daytona] He teases me sometimes, but nice.
- Are you saying that because we're on camera?
- Yeah. (laughs)
- [Ri] All my life as a young teenager, that we always
take, take, take from all that instructor.
I feel like it is time for me just to give it back.
And hoping one of the student that I pick up, you know
they would get that drive too and that want to do something.
Not just skiing, recreation, but want to compete
want to go beyond skiing.
- It's a good feeling, going fast, feels like flying.
- What go through your mind when, say for example,
like today on Larry's Hill, one of the steepest part,
you know, the blue?
You look at it and you go... what are you thinking?
What are you thinking? Come on, tell the the truth.
- I think it's steep and I'm gonna fall, but
- Yeah, but she made it through.
You spend weeks and weeks trying to get 'em
to do something, you know?
To go to a different run, or to try this, or try that,
and they resisting, resisting and finally they did it.
You go, "Whoa, you did it!".
- I think it gives kids a chance to like,
do something that they, that maybe some,
sometimes they can't do, but in a helpful way.
- When I see Andy on the wall, I have an enormous sense
of pride, because I know this is a kid who
has been through a lot of really difficult times.
And I know that he is overcoming some fears that he has,
some anxiety that he has, physical limitations that he has,
but he's up there and he's trying.
Because he knows that with the support of the volunteers,
and with this program, he can do it.
(bright guitar music)
(crowd cheering)
(clapping)
- [Jason] I think it's really changed
a lot of the kids that come in,
and they're cautious at first,
and then they realize, "Hey, I can do this."
And it's made me open my thought process
and looking at people's abilities, and hey,
there's nothing we can't do.
We're gonna tear these barriers down
and we're gonna make it work.
- It's something challenging and different,
but there is always a, "Will I make it to the top?"
I'm like scared of that, but when I do,
I'm, I'm really happy, so it's very fun.
- I hope it gives them a sense of accomplishment and pride
because their disability is actually opening a door
for them to be able to do things that
they could never do before.
- [Ri] I think ARCH have changed their lives, you know?
Especially the ones that come back year after year,
because they really enjoy it and they,
they find that it's really fun.
- [Courtney] I know that my son is doing something that
makes him feel proud.
And it's one thing as a parent to feel proud of
what your child is accomplishing, but knowing that your kid
is proud of himself, is something that is beyond words,
and that is thanks to ARCH.
- 55 years of helping kids out in this fashion
is something really special.
I mean, they've had some kids, generations of kids,
graduate outta here, and here's the 55 more years plus,
keep it going. This is awesome.
(uplifting guitar music)