It is the adventure of a lifetime, made possible by CRIS (Community Recreational Initiatives Society) Adaptive Adventures and West Kelowna Firefighters, dedicated to giving those with varying physical, cognitive, mental or sensory abilities an experience they would not otherwise get.
“Fire in the Mountains is just all about changing lives,” said Shelley Buchanan Gilmore with CRIS Adaptive Adventures.
Since 2014, the firefighters have been partnering with the charitable society to take applicants on dream adventures such as mountain biking, kayaking, white water rafting or hiking.
“We make sure they get up there comfortable safe and they experience something they otherwise wouldn’t be able to do,” said Nathan Pike, West Kelowna Fire Captain.
“And when you get to the top of the mountain and you see the look on their face and they look down on something they had only dreamed of it makes the whole trip worthwhile.”
The trip is made financially possible by fundraising done by the fire department and the West Kelowna Tim Hortons.
“It’s very costly depending on where we are going, how many days, the individual client and their needs — it can cost us from anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 to pull a trip like this off,” said Buchanan Gilmore.
This year’s trip will look a little different for whoever is selected because extra precautions will be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as wearing masks and other personal protective equipment to protect all participants.
Applications are being accepted until Aug. 17 at adaptivetravel.ca
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