DREAM Adaptive Recreation, a local nonprofit that began as a group of people advocating for adaptive sports and accessibility, has grown up and is celebrating 40 years of working to make Montana’s outdoor spaces more accessible for all.  

Dottie Maitland, Larry Dominic, Jane Lopp, Dennis Jones and others founded the organization to advocate for people with disabilities. DREAM served as an advisor during the creation of accessible trails in Glacier National Park, like the Trail of the Cedars, and at Woodland Park in Kalispell.   

Later, the organization’s focus shifted to programming. Each year, DREAM, with a staff of five full-time and two part-time employees, serves nearly 400 children, adults and veterans with disabilities. Over 200 community volunteers give 7,000 hours of service.  

“From the start, DREAM was about more than just recreation -- it was about equity and opportunity,” said DREAM Executive Director Julie Tickle. “That legacy continues as we lead not only in adaptive programs and infrastructure, but in driving social and systemic change that makes the outdoors more inclusive for all.”

While perhaps best known for its winter programs, alpine and Nordic skiing, DREAM offers programs year-round, including mountain biking, paved-path cycling, fishing, paddleboarding, kayaking, and watersports like water skiing and wakeboarding.  

DREAM offers private adaptive cycling/mountain bike lessons, mountain bike trail rides each Tuesday evening in June and August and will host its second of three paved path group bike rides on July 14.  

Paddleboarding days at City Beach, Somers and Lake McDonald are big fun with kayaks, standard and adaptive paddleboards. Their family watersports days on Echo Lake in mid-July offer a wide variety of motorized and non-motorized activities. 

The programs provide direct access, instruction, and equipment for people with disabilities to experience the outdoors in a safe and empowering environment. While crucial, it is just one part of what DREAM provides.  

“Our programs are still very much a central part of DREAM, but the holistic approach is also helping people get their own equipment so that they don't always have to plug into our programs, because they should have a bike or a kayak or something, that they can go out with their family and friends,” Tickle said.  

DREAM’s mission is much bigger than sport skill development. DREAM offers opportunities for individuals with disabilities to build confidence, expand their independence, and create important community connections, skills Tickle says will impact their daily lives and the lives of their families as well. 

IN RECENT YEARS, DREAM has channeled more energy into advocacy, which has always been at the root of the organization.  

Tickle said she gets messages each week, requesting advocacy or awareness building. She is considering a new hire to present disability trainings and participate in outdoor access projects to “lend a voice to the disabled population and give them a seat at the table.”  

DREAM representatives often attend Whitefish City Council meetings to advocate for the accessibility of projects, and they provide educational services to other nonprofits.  

“We're working with Glacier Institute on helping their programs and their staff make all of their educational programs more inclusive,” Tickle said. “We recently connected with the team at Land to Hand, another nonprofit, to support their efforts in creating inclusive spaces and using thoughtful, person-centered language when talking about disability.”  

The advocacy and educational aspects of DREAM have far-reaching impacts because they encourage people to consider accessibility when making new parks or trails and to think about important community members -- people with disabilities.  

Another facet of DREAM is its work on access projects.  

“The access projects are those physical manifestations of working with Flathead Rivers Alliance -- going and assessing put ins and takeouts of the river ... looking at parking, bathrooms, trails to get from those places down to the river,” Tickle said. “And saying, ‘How would someone that uses a mobility device navigate these areas?’”   

She said they prioritize the sites, determine which could be up and running quickly, and perform cost analyses.  

“If DREAM just offered programs, that would be great. But in my mind, it's only a piece of the puzzle,” she said, adding that advocacy, education and access projects have a powerful effect. “All of that put together is going to help open the outdoors and make our community more inclusive.”  

Tickle said roughly 15% of the national population has a disability, and the disabled community is one that anyone can join at any time. Many DREAM participants have had a life changing accident or illness that requires them to do things differently and regain confidence in their abilities.  

“We don’t know what tomorrow brings,” she said.   

Tickle does know the future for DREAM includes a new headquarters building located on a ski in/out parcel donated by Whitefish Mountain Resort. The Lesar Family Mountain Center for DREAM Adaptive Recreation will be a 14,000-square-foot facility with fully accessible space for day-to-day operations, group rooms, offices, a family lounge, lockers and a tech shop with storage for year-round equipment like skis, bikes and other recreational gear.    

“It’s a big part of our legacy and our future and addresses a critical need,” she said. “We’re in the lead gift phase of the capital campaign, where naming opportunities are still available.” 

The demand for DREAM’s services has grown faster than the organization can currently support with existing resources. Tickle said the programs often fill up, and several interested individuals must be placed on waitlists.   

“We are working diligently to thoughtfully grow our programs, and the new headquarters is part of our strategic plan to meet the need in the Flathead Valley and beyond,” Tickle said.