Gene Gamber
Recreation/Development | 2013
Hometown: Breckenridge, Colorado
School Name: Breckendridge Outdoor Education Center
In 1985, when Gene Gamber answered a call for volunteers to work the National Handicap Ski Championships in Breckenridge, Colorado, he had no way of knowing that this volunteer “job” would lead to a decades long vocation and avocation. Born in Pennsylvania, having grown up near Kalamazoo, in southwest Michigan, Gene wasn’t exposed to a lot of skiing but this new experience seemed to compliment the skills he had acquired by that age. Loading chairs on lifts, tethering skiers, interacting with people were all challenges that didn’t faze him.
Gene also took advantage of the reduced cost instructional classes and exams that were offered through the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (BOEC) to obtain his PSIA certifications at multiple levels and areas. After six years of volunteer instruction and education, Gene became the BOEC’s very first paid adaptive ski instructor.
Initially, Gene focused on instruction with skiers utilizing mono and bi-skis and outriggers. He continued to work with youngsters, wounded veterans and adults and develop new techniques and equipment to facilitate skill acquisition. After six more years as an adaptive ski instructor, Gene was named the Director of the Adaptive Ski Program at the BOEC.
Under Gene’s leadership, BOEC programming expanded throughout the USA, including to Arizona, New Mexico and other states. The BOEC also developed programming internationally in Argentina and Guatemala. Over the decades, Gene has been responsible for providing or overseeing the adaptive ski instruction for thousands of individuals with disabilities.
