PARADOX SPORTS

Grand Teton And Yosemite Veterans Trips

Paradox Sports is dedicated to transforming lives and communities through adaptive climbing opportunities that defy convention. They make the outdoors, specifically climbing and mountaineering opportunities, accessible to people with disabilities. This year, a grant from The VF Foundation fully funded trips for veterans to Grand Teton and Yosemite National Parks.

“These trips empower our participants, push their limits and open up places that many people never thought were accessible to them,” explained Becky Lindstrom, Development Manager. “With The VF Foundation’s support, we were able to increase participation and access for the 20 veterans who took this journey with us.”

One of the participants on the Grand Teton trip explained that the experience was much more than just mountaineering. He said that it offered the opportunity to “reset” and gain confidence, a renewed passion for nature and the courage to do hard things. He also said it reminded him of the importance of prioritizing his time. “This trip made me realize that we don’t have an endless amount of time on this earth and spending all of it chasing a paycheck or material goods doesn’t bring me much joy. Sitting on the top of a mountain or the side of a cliff does.” Participants say that gaining confidence in their climbing abilities has translated to bolstering confidence in other areas of their life.

Becky said, “With The VF Foundation’s support, we were able to stretch the dollars to include more veterans than we originally anticipated and the confidence we gained from running the Grand Teton trip on our own this year has made us officially add it as an annual trip for Paradox Sports.”