 is Matt Sansing from DEV here at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic and I'm here with a very special guest, the 10th Deputy Secretary of Veterinary Affairs, Tanya Bradshaw. This is your first time here at the clinic and you had just the opportunity to mingle and meet with some of the participants. What is the atmosphere like in Snowmass Village? It is absolutely magical. Watching veterans interact with other veterans, being able to see them get fitted, being able to meet so many veterans who for the very first time are going to ski or snowboard and they are so excited and they can't wait to do it as well as those who've been here multiple times and who are so excited looking for their battle buddy and it's just been fantastic. Absolutely and we're only steps away from dozens of sit skis and other adaptive equipment and when you see all that it takes to make this event possible what really stands out to you? So what I'm blown away with is first of all they put me in one of those sit skis today and it was just absolutely so much fun and the dedication and how we have so much equipment for our veterans to make sure that we have what they need and to be able to have a wonderful time and the dedication of our VA staff. I've just been absolutely blown away at how much care and how much they just thoroughly go through each and every one of the skis and check them out wanting to provide everything for our veterans so they have a magical experience. Absolutely and this is a longtime partnership between the VA and DAV stretching back I think believe in 1997 and what is so transformational about adaptive sports for disabled veterans it really is like a transcendental experience they have here. Absolutely I think it opens doors and possibilities for veterans who have really you know dealt with some really tough challenges and the opportunity here for them to be able to ski to be independent to be able to have the tools that they need to learn a new sport be coached professionally it's just really eye-opening and so wonderful for them to be able to take those opportunities and take it home with them and know that really anything that they want to do they can be able to overcome. Absolutely and we have a record high of first time participants here at the Winter Sports Clinic and we want more first time participants here because more veterans means more victories so how can veterans get involved with the clinic? Highly encourage our veterans to reach out to their rec therapists and tell them that they want to participate it is absolutely magical and beautiful out here and I highly recommend it. Absolutely I've talked to many veterans here who got referred by their recreational therapist so if you're a veteran out there that is in recreational therapy maybe start the conversation and lastly here you know we may leave the clinic after this week but it never really leaves us and what are you going to take back to Washington DC? Just how dedicated our VA staff are how amazing DAV is working with our VA partners as well as our sponsors and able to have the world's largest Winter Sports Clinic right here in Colorado it's just been magical and amazing and I just can't wait to come back another time. Absolutely and beautiful make sure that you following up following along at WinnersportsClinic.org and check back at this channel for more videos this week. Thanks.