Over 1000 hours of ski lessons for the rehabilitation of physically or mentally challenged children have been held in the mountains of Sochi this season

This year, 135 children and adults from 40 regions of the country became participants in the program in the mountains of Sochi. As EcoTourism Expert came to know, the founder of “Dream Ski” Natalia Belogolovtseva said that last season 65 percent of the classes were paid for at the expense of funds raised as part of a traditional charity match with the participation of Russian hockey stars in the Rosa Khutor Ice Palace. It takes place at the resort every year.

The total amount from the sale of tickets amounted to more than a million rubles; it was doubled by Vladimir Potanin, the president of Nornickel, at his own expense. As a result, almost 2.4 million rubles were transferred for the implementation of the program, Natalia Belogolovtseva specified.

Skiing today is one of the most effective ways to rehabilitate people with disabilities.

Thanks to them, passive mobilization of the spine occurs, underestimated muscle memory is activated, and mental connections are rebuilt. As a result, even children with cerebral palsy eventually begin to stand and even walk, nonverbal children with autism begin to talk and show emotions, children with the Down syndrome learn to concentrate. Greater success is also achieved by people with visual and hearing impairments. Over the six years of the program, more than 8,000 people with disabilities have become participants.

Today, the All-Russian program of therapeutic sports “Dream Skis” is presented in 36 regions of the country, in 100 sports centers with 600 instructors. In total, this season 12.5 thousand hours of classes were held in different regions of the country.