Bart Adaptive Sports is now a part of
Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports - Welcome!
As of July 31, 2025, Bart Adaptive Sports Center has officially merged with and into Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports. Whether you’re an athlete and participant, volunteer instructor, donor, or supporter, everything you love about Bart Adaptive continues—now backed by a statewide organization committed to equity, access, and year-round recreation for people of all abilities.
Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports - Welcome!
As of July 31, 2025, Bart Adaptive Sports Center has officially merged with and into Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports. Whether you’re an athlete and participant, volunteer instructor, donor, or supporter, everything you love about Bart Adaptive continues—now backed by a statewide organization committed to equity, access, and year-round recreation for people of all abilities.
A Letter from Vermont Adaptive's Executive Director - August 1, 2025
Dear Friends of the Bart Adaptive Community,
On behalf of everyone at Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, I want to extend the warmest welcome as we officially come together as one organization.
As of July 31, 2025, Bart Adaptive Sports Center has become The Bart Center at Vermont Adaptive. While the name may be somewhat new, what makes the Bart community special remains unchanged—your spirit, your commitment, your deep connection to the outdoors, and the desire to ensure that everyBODY has the opportunity to access great recreational experiences and adventures.
Our shared mission to provide inclusive sports and recreation opportunities for people with disabilities is stronger than ever. This merger ensures that programs at Bromley Mountain, Stratton Mountain Resort and in the greater Manchester community not only continue, but thrive—with expanded access to equipment, locations and year-round opportunities across Vermont.
You’ll still see the same dedicated community of volunteers and athletes and some new faces as well. What’s new is the support of a statewide organization committed to honoring the legacy of Bart J. Ruggiere while building new connections, programs and possibilities together.
We’re excited to meet you at upcoming events and on the slopes, trails, and waterways. In the coming weeks and months you’ll hear more news, receive information and hear stories from people who thrive because of adaptive sports.
Please take a moment to explore more about what this means for you – we have set up many resources to get you started:
To participate in programs in the Manchester area this summer, email your interest to [email protected] or to Vermont Adaptive Program Director Felicia Fowler at [email protected]. Programs are on Tuesdays and Fridays through Aug. 22, 2025.
Thinking about Winter 2025-2026 programs already? Sign up here to receive the latest alerts for when Winter 2025-2026 registration opens!
Your voice, your stories, and your involvement matter deeply to us. Please reach out with any questions – we look forward to meeting you all!
With gratitude and anticipation,
Erin Fernandez, Executive Director
Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports
Dear Friends of the Bart Adaptive Community,
On behalf of everyone at Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, I want to extend the warmest welcome as we officially come together as one organization.
As of July 31, 2025, Bart Adaptive Sports Center has become The Bart Center at Vermont Adaptive. While the name may be somewhat new, what makes the Bart community special remains unchanged—your spirit, your commitment, your deep connection to the outdoors, and the desire to ensure that everyBODY has the opportunity to access great recreational experiences and adventures.
Our shared mission to provide inclusive sports and recreation opportunities for people with disabilities is stronger than ever. This merger ensures that programs at Bromley Mountain, Stratton Mountain Resort and in the greater Manchester community not only continue, but thrive—with expanded access to equipment, locations and year-round opportunities across Vermont.
You’ll still see the same dedicated community of volunteers and athletes and some new faces as well. What’s new is the support of a statewide organization committed to honoring the legacy of Bart J. Ruggiere while building new connections, programs and possibilities together.
We’re excited to meet you at upcoming events and on the slopes, trails, and waterways. In the coming weeks and months you’ll hear more news, receive information and hear stories from people who thrive because of adaptive sports.
Please take a moment to explore more about what this means for you – we have set up many resources to get you started:
- Sign up for Vermont Adaptive’s email (comes out about every two weeks).
- Be sure to like and follow Vermont Adaptive’s social media channels: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn YouTube
To participate in programs in the Manchester area this summer, email your interest to [email protected] or to Vermont Adaptive Program Director Felicia Fowler at [email protected]. Programs are on Tuesdays and Fridays through Aug. 22, 2025.
Thinking about Winter 2025-2026 programs already? Sign up here to receive the latest alerts for when Winter 2025-2026 registration opens!
Your voice, your stories, and your involvement matter deeply to us. Please reach out with any questions – we look forward to meeting you all!
With gratitude and anticipation,
Erin Fernandez, Executive Director
Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports
A Letter from the Bart Adaptive Board of Directors - July 17, 2025
Dear Friends of Bart Adaptive,
We have some very exciting news to share with you today. After several months of discussions and due diligence, The Bart Adaptive Sports Center has entered into a merger agreement with Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports – the largest year-round adaptive sports organization in the East. By joining forces with Vermont Adaptive, Bart Adaptive will be better positioned to serve our athletes and meet the growing demand for our programs. The details of the merger are summarized in the attached news release, which was issued this morning.
This merger will expand access and strengthen programming across Southern Vermont while, importantly, preserving the distinctive culture of Bart Adaptive. The spirit and legacy of Bart J. Ruggiere will be honored in ongoing programs, volunteer efforts and community storytelling. The Bromley program location will be called The Bart Center at Vermont Adaptive.
All current programs provided by Bart Adaptive will continue without interruption this summer. Going forward, participants will still see familiar faces and will benefit from better equipment and even more program offerings.
The 200+ Bart Adaptive volunteers, which are the heart and soul of our organization, can expect continuity in their favorite programs, with the added benefit of enhanced equipment, training and support. If you would like to get a head start and learn more, click here for details and fill out an application. We will have more information for you in the coming months. www.vermontadaptive.org/volunteers/
By aligning with Vermont Adaptive, Bart Adaptive will benefit from a dedicated staff of professional trainers, program managers, administrators and fundraisers - capabilities which will greatly enhance the effectiveness of our programming. Our loyal donors, who have supported Bart Adaptive for over 20 years, will still be able to designate gifts to support adaptive programs in Southern Vermont.
We want to close by thanking our staff, past and present, for their dedicated service to Bart Adaptive: Former Executive Directors Joe Hurley and Robbin Gibson, current and former program staff Betsy Hurley, Mariann Spear, and Rachel Bender, and key contributors Augie Young and Melissa O'Brien. For over 20 years, our staff has helped bring adaptive sports to Southern Vermont and built a strong community of volunteers and athletes.
As a board, we have been honored to lead Bart Adaptive and are looking forward to supporting Vermont Adaptive in the future!
Sincerely,
The Bart Adaptive Sports Center Board of Directors
Daniel Mon, President
Adam Heilemann, Treasurer
Eileen Sawyer, Secretary
Jeff Bell
Dr. Katherine Bentley
Rosemary Casey
Sam Good
Robin Hogen
Kelly Dauer-Hubschmitt
Steve Kerstein
Johanna O’Connor
Mark Odendahl
Dr. Kimberly Prins
Susan Rockwell