The High Fives Foundation – Empowerment program service disburses board-approved grants to mountain action sports athletes who are recovering from a life-altering injury. In February, the Foundation’s Board of Directors Grant Selection Committee approved a grant for Reno Empowerment Athlete David Hewel totaling $3,745.
The February 2015 grant for $3,745 awarded to Hewel will be used toward personal training, massage, acupuncture and adaptive ski lessons. This is the first grant that Hewel has received from the High Fives Foundation.
Reno native Hewel was involved in a speed flying accident at Heavely Resort in South Lake Tahoe, Calif. in June 2014. Toward the end of his flight, Hewel was surprised by a strong gust of wind that sent him and his parachute into the air causing him to crash-land on his back. Hewel was immediately rushed to Renown Medical Center where he was told that he had suffered a burst-fracture of his T-12 vertebrae. This is when Hewel reached out to the High Fives Foundation.
Hewel was discharged from in-patient care at Renown Medical Center and immediately went into recovery mode. With the help of the February grant provided by the High Fives Foundation, Hewel will receive 30 sessions of personal training with Chris Cloyd of Performance Training Center by Julia Mancuso. Hewel will also receive five sessions of massage and acupuncture each, so his body can recover from his rigorous training regiment.
Hewel’s training will prepare him for adaptive ski lessons at Disabled Sports USA Far West at Alpine Meadows, Calif. in April 2015. Hewel is eager to get back out on the mountain, and the training leading up to his adaptive lessons will ensure that he does it in the safest and most effective manner.
Since the organization’s January 2009 inception, the Empowerment program service has assisted 70 athletes from 19 states in nine respective funding categories which include: living expenses, insurance, travel, health, healing network, adaptive equipment, winter equipment, programs and stoke (positive energy, outlook and attitude). In 2015, the High Fives Foundation set a budget of disbursing $266,000 via board-approved grants through the Empowerment Fund. In just two short months, seven High Fives Athletes have been awarded eight board-approved grants totaling $30,174.
In the month of February the High Fives Foundation disbursed funds to five Empowerment Athletes: Eric Zerrenner of Tahoe City, Calif., Ezra McPhail of Duluth, Minn., Bond Camp of Breckenridge, Colo., David Hewel of Reno, Nev. and Jacob Schick of Frisco, Texas. The Foundation’s Board of Directors Grant Selection Committee approved a total of $18,722. to be used toward the High Fives Healing Network, Programs, Winter Equipment and Adaptive Equipment funding categories.
SOURCE: High Fives Foundation.
