The sun shines brightly on glistening snow. A group gathers near a tiny building on the ski slopes near Big Bear Mountain Resorts at over 8,000 feet elevation. Something unusual is happening. There are children in wheelchairs getting ready to ski. And helping those skiers is Raymond Shelden, Ph.D., chair and professor of chemistry at La Sierra University.

Shelden has been a volunteer of the United States Adaptive Recreation Center (USARC) in Big Bear Lake, Calif., for the past seven years. “I help children and adults who are disabled have a fun day on the slopes,” says Shelden. He saw an article in Riverside’s local Press Enterprise newspaper and called USARC to sign up.

“He’s great,” says Tom Peirce, program director for USARC. “Ray brings intellect, common sense and a focus on safety. He has a great degree of exuberance and will undertake anything I throw at him. Ray’s capabilities allow me to put a great deal of faith in him.”

Disabled skiers are placed in either a bi-ski or a mono-ski and volunteers assist individuals on the chair lifts and the slopes. Both skis have bucket-like seats with a series of closing straps that secure a skier. A mono-ski is attached to a normal ski and allows the use of arms. A bi-ski has two short and fat specialized skis.

“Over time I have learned why the program is called adaptive,” Shelden says. “I have learned to adapt equipment, teaching styles, schedules, communications and my agenda.”

Shelden’s favorite experiences include a lady with neurological problems who had never done anything like this in her life. She was very afraid, but after skiing she told him, “This has been one of the best days of my life. Now I have the courage to try other such things.”

Another good experience took place early in 2005 when Shelden was skiing with a 5-year-old girl. At the end of the day, her father said he thought he would never ski with his daughter.

Skiing with Shelden one day in March was Jessie Graham, a 10-year-old boy with cerebral palsy from Huntington Beach, Calif. His parents and brother watched from the bottom of the slopes. “We like to push Jessie outside of his comfort zone,” says Dale Graham, Jessie’s father. “He has been excited and talking about skiing. He is quiet and won’t say anything, but he is really excited about it.”

“Regardless of the disability, all have a good time,” says Shelden. “Kids love the snowball fights. It’s a great time that they love to brag about. Of course, we make the snowballs for them."

“Seeing God in this was difficult at first,” Shelden recalls. “Imagine kids with handicapped faces contorted, heads drooping, drool. I just want to be God and make them whole. The first day I had to walk up the slope and talk to God. I have since learned that I am God’s love for four to five hours. I show God’s love, what God has been to me. I take care, have a fun time and listen to them. Some of them cannot talk well at all. Sometimes all I get is one sentence a lift ride. I have learned the values of positive reinforcement. This program has made me more patient and more positive.”

“This shows me how extraordinary this group of volunteers is,” says Peirce. “They love skiing, outdoors, adrenaline and freedom. What drives them is not the perks. Few take advantage of them. It is much more altruistic. We’re lucky to have these people.”