We envision a nation where every wounded veteran can revel in the wholesome life they deserve.
Challenge Accepted was created to fill a void that exists within the field of adaptive snowsports for veterans with disabilities. There are many adaptive programs for beginner and intermediate-level snowboarders, but what about those who have achieved or regained expert-level snowboarding? As an organization, Challenge Accepted will take these veterans to the next level by bringing them into some of the greatest snow conditions that North America has to offer…and yes, this includes jumping out of helicopters!
The Mission of Challenge Accepted:
Empower veterans with disabilities to challenge the ordinary through extreme sports and find their full potential in every aspect of life.
For many veterans with disabilities, their last experience in a helicopter may have been being dropped into a hot zone or medevaced out of one. Challenge Accepted’s mission is to replace those memories with an extraordinary, extreme, and positive experience.
The primary objectives of the program will be using travel and small group cohesion to create opportunities for civilian reintegration, comradery, wellness and connections that veterans can take back home with them. There is a health and wellness requirement prior to the trip for all participants. Building and maintaining a healthy lifestyle focused on the whole health of mind and body prior to traveling to the program will empower each veteran to achieve their physical and mental best during the snowboarding experience.
When Vietnam veterans returned home from war, no red carpet was laid out. As an organization, Challenge Accepted plans to provide that red carpet and then some for every veteran we serve. Life is about moments, memories and kindness – so for every veteran who signed up to defend our freedoms and did not come home whole, they deserve opportunities to experience life to the fullest potential. Snowboarding in remote terrain, accessed by helicopters, is not an ordinary or a common experience that is affordable to many veterans, so Challenge Accepted seeks to make this possible.
.
Who We Serve:
Any U.S. veteran with a physical disability and/or invisible injury/mental health condition, who was honorably discharged, as well as any active service member with such condition(s).
Participate:
-All veterans must be able to snowboard at an Intermediate to advanced level. Veterans must have a minimum of 5 years of snowboarding experience and snowboard over 10 times per year.
-Qualifying disabilities include permanent physical disabilities or invisible injuries. Examples of qualifying disabilities/injuries are spinal cord injury, amputation, visual impairment, multiple sclerosis, stroke, TBI, PTSD, MST. Examples of diagnoses that do not qualify are arthritis, chronic pain, and osteoarthritis.*
-Veterans must have a minimum of 1 year of volunteer work within the community. Volunteer work must be current (completed within the past 1 year).
*All medical histories are subject to review by the program director and will be reviewed with each participant to determine eligibility. If you have questions about qualifying disabilities, please contact us at info@challengeacceptedusa.org
Our Team
The crazy minds behind giving veterans with disabilities another epic way to access wilderness and healing!
Mike Reilly
Co-founder & Director
Mike is a proud co-founder of Challenge Accepted. His passion in the adaptive snowsports world was ignited after his first adaptive snowboard lesson in 1998 with New England Healing Sports Association in New Hampshire.
Over the past decade, Mike has been instrumental in his volunteerism, snowboard instruction, and support for numerous adaptive sports programs across the nation. The partnerships listed on this site are an attestation of his professionalism, dedication, and unwavering love for veterans. Mike has family who served in WWI, WWII, and Vietnam. He has a deep felt gratitude for the sacrifices made by all who served and has made it his mission to repay a special debt to the USCG and Captain Roy Rainey who disobeyed a direct order on February 7, 1943 when he rescued 300 men who were sunk in the North Atlantic. One of those men that was saved was Mike’s grandfather, William M. Reilly. Mike’s debt may never be paid in full, but he will continue to roll out the red carpet and serve those who have served.
Lee Morris
Co-founder & Director
Lee co-founded Challenge Accepted to expand rehabilitation out of the traditional clinic bounds, to inspire veterans to push their extremes, and get back to living on the edge. She is dedicated to empowering veterans and making miracles happen.
Lee has been lucky to serve veterans for over 15 years as a physical therapist at the Department of Veteran Affairs Hospital in Boston, MA. While she recently relocated to California, caring for veterans is still at the center of her heart. Lee has family that has served in the Army, Navy, and Marines in WWII, the Korean War, Vietnam, and Afghanistan. She is a snowboard enthusiast at heart, addicted to striving for higher, harder, better and kinder. She has extensive experience in adaptive sports, participating in local and national events for disabled veterans as well as other volunteer work with community nonprofits for over 20 years. She holds certifications in PSIA-AASI and AIARE.
Greg Marche
Board Member
Kelly Cossaboom
Social Media Specialist
Kelly is the behind-the-scenes volunteer leading the social media party for Challenge Accepted!
Kelly’s passion for working with veterans and adaptive sports started back in her teens, when she would accompany her grandfather, Francis D. Keating (Army Veteran), to his physical and recreational therapy sessions in the hospital. This changed her entire career path from elementary education to therapeutic recreation. In the start of Kelly’s career at the Boston VA, she became the second Adaptive Sports Case Manager in the country. She was instrumental in helping to start a number of adaptive sport clinics, including Women Veterans Ski Appreciation Day and Waves for the Brave surfing clinic. Today, Kelly continues to volunteer and support adaptive sports clinics for veterans, both at a local and national level. She is passionate about helping veterans and their families find the healing powers of adaptive sports and community reintegration. Kelly is a credentialed CTRS and holds an Adaptive and Inclusive Training Certification.
Challenge Accepted is is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization
Tax ID number: 92-0656709
PO Box 93
20 Forest St.
Medford, MA 02155
