Maine Resources

 

Adaptive Outdoor Education Center (AOEC): Adaptive Outdoor Education Center is a Maine based organization which is dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with disabilities through adaptive recreation and education programs. Also offers fully accessible hostel-style accommodations to people with disabilities and their caregivers in the Carrabassett Valley, Maine area, next to Sugarloaf Mountain. AOEC has a second location in Brunswick, Maine to serve the Southern Maine population.

 

Hunting & Trapping for Maine People with Disabilities: The Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife offers special fishing and hunting permits for the blind, disabled veterans, people with cognitive disabilities, and paraplegics. Certain permits are issued to residents with disabilities free of charge.

 

Maine Adaptive - Specialty Programs These adaptive sports programs are aimed at different groups of people with different disabilities and different backgrounds. They have specialty adaptive camps for veterans, people with visual impairments, physical and mobility impairments, and a sit-down ski-specific specialty camp held once a year. 

 

Maine Adaptive Sports & Recreation: Maine based adaptive sports organization with offices at Sunday River Resort and Sugarloaf Mountain. Maine Adaptive offers a variety of year-round programming, activities, and speciality event camps for people of all ages with disabilities. Lessons, equipment, and programming are available to participants 100% free of charge, regardless of a participant’s residency status or ability to pay.

 

Maine Adaptive - Summer Programs Maine Adaptive offers free programming and equipment rentals to all eligible people with disabilities. Summer programming includes cycling (two wheel and three wheel), mountain biking, paddling, golf, tennis, rock climbing, and pickleball.

 

Maine Adaptive - Winter Programs Maine Adaptive offers free programming and equipment rentals to all eligible people with disabilities, regardless of Maine residency status. Winter programming includes Alpine skiing, alpine ski racing, snowshoeing, snowboarding, rock climbing, and Nordic skiing.

 

Pine Tree Camp: Located in the Belgrade Lakes region of Mane, Pine Tree Camp is Maine’s only American Camp Association-accredited camp for people with disabilities. There are 10 different camping programs for children and adults with developmental and physical disabilities. The 285 acre property is fully accessible. Camping programs are available for ages 5 through 19+. They offer tuition assistance for most of their camp programs. Pine Tree Camp offers family, adult, & children’s overnight camp programs, 4 different day camp programs, as well as 2 different programs that cater to Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals in Maine. Their website outlines the different program options in greater detail. 

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Spark Dance Program: Spark is an inclusive dance program that is based out of Brunswick Maine. They host improv-based dance classes for people with all abilities and levels of experience. Serving Central, Southern and Midcoast Maine, Spark’s adult classes happen periodically (see the link for scheduling) and the classes are open to all people–with or without disabilities. Spark Inclusive Arts is the home of Danceability Maine, in partnership with Danaceability International. 

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Special Olympics of Maine: Special Olympics mission is to, “provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.” If you are a child or adult with an Intellectual Disability, you can become an athlete with the Special Olympics of Maine by clicking the link and reaching out via phone, email, or social media. 

 

VAST (Veterans Adaptive Sports Training): VAST is a program based out of Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, ME. VAST offers 14 different activities to veteran participants, all free of charge. The program is partially federally funded, and also runs on a dedicated group of volunteers.