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How Turtle Ridge Foundation Helps Families Like the Nortons Discover a World Without Limits
The Norton family’s story is a testament to the transformative power of adaptive sports and the entire adaptive community. Their daughter, Erin, enjoys an active life year-round due in large part to the opportunities afforded by programs like Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, which is supported in part by grants from organizations like Turtle Ridge Foundation (TRF). A key grant from TRF contributed to the expansion of Vermont Adaptive’s state-of-the-art adaptive sports facility at Pico Mountain in Killington, ensuring people like Erin—who has both cerebral palsy and Down syndrome—have the resources they need to participate and thrive in outdoor recreation.
When you meet Erin Norton, you’d never guess she’s a skier. But not only does she love the sport and all kinds of outdoor recreation, it’s when she’s skiing that her passion is expressed through the way she skis—fast, fearless, and full of life!
At almost 30 years old, Erin uses a wheelchair, needs assistance with daily activities like eating and getting dressed, and is non-verbal. Yet on the mountain, none of that stops her!
And this is all possible because of a community of people who believe that adventure belongs to everyone—adaptive athletes, their families, instructors, and volunteers.
This is the story of one family whose life has been transformed by that belief.
A Family Split Between Home and the Hill
More than 20 years ago, skiing meant something very different for the Nortons.
Emmett and Helen—both lifelong outdoor lovers—took turns staying home with young Erin while the rest of the family skied.
“Up until Erin was 10, one of us always stayed home,” Emmett remembers. “We thought that was our reality.”
But one cold day at Sugarbush Resort changed everything.
A Vermont Adaptive coordinator took one look at Erin and said, “We’ll get her out.”
They put her into a bi-ski for the very first time.
It was five degrees. The snow guns were blasting. By the time they reached the Mt. Ellen baselodge, Erin’s eyebrows were covered in ice.
“Okay, we need to go inside,” Emmett told her.
Erin waved her hand—a well known signal to her family. She wasn’t about to go in. She wanted more.
From that moment on, the Nortons understood: the possibilities for Erin were limitless..
She simply needed access.
From One Ski Day to Fifty
Vermont Adaptive taught Emmett and Helen everything—from how to pilot a bi-ski to how to travel as a team. Their volunteer instructor, Will Ploof, has been with Erin for 19 years.
What began as one cold test run has turned into 40–50 ski days every winter. Not only that, but now they’re a family that skis together, every season, with a community of lifelong friends. It also created a new sense of identity and confidence for Erin.
On a sunny, warm March day at Pico Mountain a few years ago, Erin and her family received an unexpected gift – a new bi-skis completely fitted for Erin’s needs, which her parents, and eventually friends and family members, would be able to pilot, wherever and whenever they wanted. The gift was made possible because of the relationship Vermont Adaptive has with its partner organization, Move United, and their sponsor, The Hartford. Each year The Hartford grants equipment to various individuals and families, and looks to Move United to provide those names. Move United, in turn, approached Vermont Adaptive for suggestions of a recipient.
Move United and The Hartford were extremely generous and awarded a grant to Vermont Adaptive for $30,000, allowing us to secure new bi-skis,” said Kim Jackson, director of communications and marketing at Vermont Adaptive.
“When they asked us for an athlete they could surprise by gifting a ski, Erin and her family immediately came to mind, when Move United presented our grant and skis that March, they also surprised the Nortons with the ski. It was an emotional day for sure!”
It was difficult for Vermont Adaptive to keep the secret under wraps from the Nortons, however. That March day, however, things fell into place for them.
“We finally understood why they kept stonewalling us when we tried to buy one,” Emmett laughs. “They already knew Move United and The Hartford were giving it to her.”
The World Opens Up—Year Round
Because of Vermont Adaptive and TRF financial support, Erin doesn’t just ski. She bikes the rail trails in spring, paddles on many Vermont lakes in summer, bikes again in fall, and participates in year-round programs that keep her active, engaged, and connected.
For her parents, who are now in their 70s, this isn’t just recreation: “It keeps us young,” Helen says. “It lets us live the life we never thought we would have. We don’t want anyone to think they can’t do this—because you can.”
Why Partnerships and Scholarships Matter
Adaptive sports are expensive. The equipment, the training, the specialized volunteer skills—it all requires ongoing investment.
For example, a single adaptive bi-ski can cost as much as a used car. An adaptive mountain bike soars upwards of $20,000. Volunteer instructors train for months. And many families simply cannot afford the fees associated with outdoor programs, even with partial support.
That’s where Turtle Ridge Foundation grants create real, life-changing impact. In 2024, Vermont Adaptive dispersed more than $230,000 in scholarships to participants. They never turn anyone away based on the ability to pay, and can do that because of support from organizations like Turtle Ridge.
Through TRF’s partnership with Vermont Adaptive and other like-minded organizations, families receive support, volunteers receive the training and equipment they need, and athletes like Erin get to experience independence, joy, and the great outdoors. This collaboration allows communities to grow stronger through shared experience, ensuring families who once felt isolated now feel supported, welcomed, and encouraged.
Helen put it best: “Without organizations like TRF, we wouldn’t be doing what we’re doing as a family. I just know it.”
More Than a Donation—A Lifeline of Possibility
It’s not just about skiing. It’s about giving someone who is non-verbal a chance to express pure joy. It’s about giving aging parents the strength—and the tools—to keep exploring with their daughter. It’s about creating friendships, confidence, belonging, and the feeling of wind on your face as you fly downhill at 44 miles per hour (Erin’s personal record). It’s about the possibilities that exist for everyone.
The Power of Your Support
When you support Turtle Ridge Foundation, you make moments like Erin’s first ski run—and her hundredth—possible.
Your support helps build adaptive sports facilities and purchase expensive adaptive equipment. It helps fund the necessary year-round programs and provides training for instructors and volunteers. Most importantly, you help create a world where no one is left on the sidelines. A world where families like the Nortons can live fully, adventure boldly, and discover joy in every season. And that is a gift with lifelong impact. Please visit our friends at Vermont Adaptive to learn about the life-changing impacts they’re making.
Please consider making an end-of-year, tax-deductible donation by clicking here. Please visit the Vermont Adaptive website here to read more impactful stories like this one.
