At Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, our community is built on connection—the kind that starts on snowy slopes and extends through every shared adventure, every encouraging word, and every season of growth. For Jimmy Keith, that connection began at age three at Sugarbush Resort’s Mt. Ellen base lodge, where he took his very first ski lesson.
Nearly 25 years ago, Vermont Adaptive’s program at Mt. Ellen was “kind of like a closet size,” Jimmy recalls, referring to the borrowed space Vermont Adaptive used in the base lodge at Mt. Ellen. “And now seeing it grow is kind of really cool.” Jimmy—sometimes James, sometimes Jimmy James, depending on your mood—has grown with us, too. Today, at 27, he volunteers alongside the same instructors who helped him learn to carve turns as a child.
About Vermont Adaptive
Vermont Adaptive is a nationally recognized nonprofit offering year-round sports and recreational programs to people with disabilities. Our mission is to empower individuals of all abilities through inclusive, accessible year-round outdoor recreation in dozens of locations across Vermont—whether that’s skiing, mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing, paddling, or hiking. Programs are open to individuals of all ages with physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral disabilities. We believe everyone should have access to the outdoors, regardless of their ability to pay.
In addition to our $2.5 million adaptive sports facility at Mt. Ellen – Murphy’s Annex at Vermont Adaptive – we also provide winter adventures at Bolton Valley Resort, Pico Mountain/Killington Resort, Bromley Mountain, Stratton Mountain Resort, and Saskadena Six. Summer and fall locations are statewide and include space at the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center in Burlington on the waterfront and bike path, many Vermont State Parks, numerous accessible trail systems, lakes, and rivers. We also serve Veterans through our statewide Veteran Ventures program. All lessons, outings and adventures are powered by passionate volunteer instructors, dedicated staff, and generous donors who share a belief in recreation as a pathway to independence, confidence, and community. Scholarships are available to anyone – we never turn away based on the ability to pay.
For Jimmy, his story reflects all of these same beliefs.
“When I volunteered, it was like a full-circle moment in my mind,” he says. “Because being someone that actually was taught here—and now I’m skiing and assisting and helping people—I’m really glad I’m doing that.”
Outside of Vermont Adaptive, Jimmy’s energy shines just as brightly. He works as a swim instructor to preschoolers and kindergarteners at his local YMCA. He’s training for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota as a competitive powerlifter, benching over 250 pounds. He’s also an actor—you may have seen him in the movie Champions alongside Woody Harrelson.
Yet no matter where life takes him, Jimmy stays grounded in the joy he found on the slopes with Vermont Adaptive at Sugarbush.
“My favorite part about skiing is that I love being outdoors. And when I ski, I don’t really think about anything,” he says. “I just think about the snow and being with my family and enjoying my time—and going super, super fast… but controllably fast.”
His connection is also personal: his sister, Sarah, was the program coordinator at our Sugarbush location and is now Vermont Adaptive’s volunteer and outreach coordinator. And after earning royalties from his film role, Jimmy donated some of the proceeds to Vermont Adaptive.
“I love to donate to good companies like Vermont Adaptive because I want other people to have a chance to benefit from where I benefited,” he says. “I’m still trying to donate a whole lot more, because it means a lot to me, and I want everybody who is new to it to enjoy it and make the family that I’ve made.”
Jimmy brings humor and heart to everything he does, and to everyone he meets. “Wherever I go, I make friends,” he says. “And I just want to be the best friend that I can to a lot of new people—and be there for my friends, my family, and Vermont Adaptive.”
At Vermont Adaptive, Jimmy’s story is one of many. Together, they tell a bigger story—one of community, inclusion, and the belief that everyone belongs outside. To learn more about Vermont Adaptive, become a volunteer or to donate, visit www.vermontadaptive.org.