When Dottie Maitland established DREAM Adaptive Recreation 40 years ago, no one could have imagined how many lives would be touched.  

“To carry that vision forward today, is truly humbling,” said Julie Tickle, executive director of DREAM, as the organization had a special reunion celebrating their 40th anniversary last week.  

“When I was first hired as executive director, I received a handwritten note from Dottie, welcoming me and sharing the story of how DREAM was founded,” Tickle said.  

Tickle said she felt instantly connected to Dottie, who sent the letter from her home in western New York, just a half-hour from Tickle’s hometown.  

“I could feel her passion, dedication and pride radiating from the letter, from miles away. I took that as a good omen. I got to work, just as Dottie had done decades before,” Tickle said.  

Dennis Jones, who established the ski program, and Jerry Mahugh, longtime volunteer who helped start summer programming with the introduction of water sports, and Sherri Carlson, who forged new paths as former executive director, as well as several other volunteers and board members, past and present, all joined for the gathering last week.  

Over the years, more than 100 people have served as board members, welcoming thousands of participants, volunteers and donors into the DREAM family. Today, DREAM has eight year-round and seven seasonal staff members. They help serve over 400 participants annually through the support of about 200-300 volunteers, who make possible about 1,500 lessons and opportunities each year. 

“That’s the legacy we honor today. A legacy of people coming together to make the outdoors accessible to everyone, through programs, access projects and advocacy,” Tickle said.  

Stuart Ferber has been participating in DREAM for 20 years, first with skiing, and then seeing through the introduction of biking and water sports. 

“To experience the joy that a lot of my friends had growing up, is really impactful for me,” Ferber said. “What DREAM means to me, is inclusive movement for all people.”  

Ferber explained that DREAM opens doors not just for himself and people with disabilities, but for his family, and other’s families, and the volunteers and staff coming together. 

Abled or not, challenges are not always seen, he said.  

“At the end of the day, we’re all people. We all have a heart. We all deserve to be heard and included. 

“Thank you, Dottie, for not only founding DREAM 40 years ago, creating access and empowerment for people for mental and physical disabilities, but also for bringing us all together [now,]” he said.  

Ferber said that Bruce Gibson, a former director of DREAM in the 2000s, recently passed away. He said that Gibson helped him establish confidence as a young kid.  

What started with skiing with Gibson 20 years ago, has grown into the most incredible summer for Ferber this year, he said. 

Ferber was one of two interns for DREAM’s first ever internship program. The job further reinstalled confidence in him, as he had to be prepared to do a little bit of everything, from event and volunteer organization, to running errands – all good experience that has propelled him to his next opportunity, a new job in Nashville, Tenn.  

“You know, we all have ideas,” Maitland said after Ferber. “We plant the seeds, and we never know if they’re going to grow. How lucky, in my elderly years, that I am able to look back and see the growth of DREAM.” 

DREAM began in 1985, when Maitland found it unjust that a disabled person could not participate in a tour for a touring company she was working for.  

Maitland told a story about creating a challenging obstacle course to raise money and awareness. When people doubted her event’s strategy, she explained that liability or finances were not her top priority. 

“If you have a mission, you do it,” she concluded.

Maitland said Dennis Jones was a role model.  

“[Dennis] said we were going do a program on the mountain, and we’re going to call it Ski Dreams, and we’re going to make it happen,” she said.  

“But my dream was always to have something year-round, so I am so excited to see where this has gone today,” she added. “I sit, and I look around, and I see people that were so instrumental in making this happen. It’s everyone... When we got to heaven, all of our disabilities are gone, and we’re just enjoying each other’s friendship.”  

Dennis Jones agreed.  

“What Dottie said is true,” he said. “We must have spoke to 40,000 different people to get a skier up on Big Mountain. But we stuck with it.”  

“Remember, we can do these things if you want to. But nobody else can do it for you. You have to do it.”