City hosts Shining Stars Aspen Winter Games this week
Austin Colbert/The Aspen Times
Aspen is currently hosting nearly 50 children with cancer or other life-threatening illnesses from all over the U.S. for the 22nd annual Shining Stars Aspen Winter Games. The events, running March 22-29, are a week of life-changing mountain magic with the Shining Stars Foundation, a news release states.
The Tabernash, Colorado-based nonprofit offers outdoor, social and recreational experiences for children with life-threatening illnesses.
The program will take place, as always, at The Inn at Aspen at the base of Buttermilk Mountain. Children will enjoy daily, one-on-one adaptive ski, snowboard, ski bike, or sit-ski lessons with certified instructors who also travel from all over the USA to volunteer. In addition to ski lessons, the kids will…
- Take a trip to T Lazy 7 Ranch for a snowmobile adventure to the Maroon Bells
- Enjoy shakes from the Star Bar, a milkshake pop-up staffed by students at AHS
- Flex their creativity at craft night, hosted by storied Aspen educator Bobbi Seelenfreund
- Perform at The Star Factor, an incredibly moving and inspirational talent night
- Hit the town in Aspen for a Disco Party at the Aspen Elks Lodge
- Race the clock through a downhill ski course at Panda Peak during Race Day
- Celebrate their newfound friendships, confidence and memories at a celebration banquet to be held at the St. Regis Hotel, complete with souvenir video comprised by an Emmy-award winning producer
Nyadoi is a 14 year old from Phoenix who attended the last Winter Games program in 2020. When reflecting on her daughter’s time in Aspen, Nyadoi’s mom Brittany said, “It honestly changed her life.”
She continued, “She came home shining and confident in a way that I have never seen before.”
“While we would never claim that our programs cure cancer, we have seen something special about the way the Aspen Winter Games affects the cancer fighters who attend. They return home — to chemotherapy and needle-pokes and hospital visits — with a renewed spirit, newfound confidence, and a community of kids all over the country for support,” Shining Stars Founder and CEO Kathy Gingery said in the news release.
All lunches and dinners are provided for the children by local organizations, caterers and restaurants, including the Basalt Lion’s Club, the Aspen Rotary Club, the Aspen Elks, Acquolina, Conundrum Catering, Brunelleschi’s, Jing, Mi Chola, Heather’s, T Lazy 7, Taster’s Pizza, Highlands Ale House, the Ritz-Carlton Club Aspen Highlands, and Home Team BBQ.
“It takes massive, collective, volunteer and fundraising efforts to make this event possible each year. Special thanks to our major event donors: Aspen Snowmass, the Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation, the Inn at Aspen, Home Team BBQ and Destination System, LLC,” the release states.
To learn more about how you can support this program or get involved, visit
http://www.ShiningStarsFoundation.org or call 970-925-7827(STAR).
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