Heartbeet in the News: The Stowe Reporter

Connor Henesy was featured in the Stowe Reporter this week, giving an interview about his experience snowboarding with Friends of Stowe Adaptive Sports!

Stowe Adaptive Sports: Catching up with Connor Henesy

Posted: Thursday, March 3, 2016 6:00 am | Updated: 3:06 pm, Thu Mar 3, 2016.

Connor Henesy is 29 years old. He has lived at Heartbeet Lifesharing in Hardwick for the past 10 years.

Heartbeet is an adult community where people with developmental disabilities live and work side by side with co-workers and volunteers.

Connor is an avid farmer and loves having meaningful work. He takes pride in providing milk and eggs for the people he lives with.

This is Connor’s first year snowboarding with Friends of Stowe Adaptive Sports. We caught up with him to ask a few questions:

Q. Connor, is this your first time snowboarding?

A. No. I have tried a few times with my friend Jonathan but this is the first time I am having lessons.

Q. Will you stick to snowboarding or do you want to try skiing next winter?

A. Snowboarding all the way! It’s so cool! (hang-ten hand gestures)

Q. Who is your adaptive instructor?

A. Eileen. (This is Eileen Sinopoli’s first year as an adaptive coach at Stowe Mountain Resort)

Q. What is the best thing about snowboarding for you?

A. That my instructor Eileen is so awesome!

Q. Do you enjoy any after shredding treats?

A. Hot cocoa, yum!

Kaylin McCarthy, who runs Connor’s house, said: “Connor’s enthusiasm for life knows no bounds. He greets each new day and activity with a refreshing energy that is a blessing to those around him. He hopes to be involved with the Special Olympics snowboarding team next year and wants to win a trophy.”

Friends of Stowe Adaptive Sports is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization that raises money all year to provide athletic scholarships to any Vermont resident with a physical or developmental disability. Funds are also raised to buy equipment and train instructors. To learn more about the Friends or make a donation: stoweadaptive.com or its Facebook page.

See this article on the Stowe Reporter website!