We have just passed Superbowl season, and it occurs to me that sports so often reflect life. You can do all the right things, make the best choices you can, even benefit from a little luck here and there, but a winning result is not always guaranteed. Circumstances beyond anyone’s control can act as a disruptive force: a freak blizzard in a football game, a season‑ending ankle injury on the soccer pitch, an overeager fan swiping away a surefire catch in the outfield.
Life is filled with joy, love, friendship, and caring, as well as those unanticipated health curveballs. For those of us who have lived within the general population without major difficulties with our health, those curveballs can be truly devastating—a spinal cord or head injury, a degenerative ocular disease, or a multitude of chronic illnesses.
The U.S. Census Bureau reports that 45.8 million Americans have a disability. But there is a large group of people who have a new disability. For example, 80,000 people a year sustain severe head injuries. There are 25,000 new diagnoses of Multiple Sclerosis each year. Yet another child receives an autism diagnosis, or a parent or spouse is diagnosed with dementia.
For these individuals, life changes dramatically for them and their families. And for those people with disabilities, there is a thin and delicate line of support that any change can severely impact their quality of life. Funding can be cut for adult services, a school district can reduce the budget for a single special education teacher, or a wheelchair can break. Just like that, the game plan shifts, and there is a whole new set of rules to live by.
For nearly a century, this has been the reality that Crotched Mountain Foundation has been a part of. From the early days of supporting people suddenly infected by polio to our expansive work today supporting children and adults with disabilities across the region, we have witnessed what setbacks, obstacles, and disadvantages can mean for a person and their family.
The major learning from those decades of experience? It takes a total team effort to find success. From nurses, clinicians, and physical therapists to our current adult case management team, as well as the teachers, staff, and professionals in school districts supporting students with disabilities throughout New Hampshire (and beyond), camaraderie in common cause represents the best path forward to make a lasting difference in the lives of people of all abilities. We do this because we all live within the human condition, and we are all better when we support each other.
And, of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our most important ally: you.
Your generous and faithful support ensures these vital programs and services continue changing lives. Thank you for all that you do, and as we look to the impact you will have in 2026, there is only one word to describe you and the likeminded supporters of Crotched Mountain and our evergreen mission: champions.
Ned Olney
President and CEO