Adaptive water skiing means fun for all on Lake Quinsigamond

Allan Jung, Telegram & Gazette
·1 min read
Vicky Kalinowski, right, of Webster, is pulled by a ski boat for the first time as Holland Aqua Riders' Samantha Naples of Holland keeps an eye on her during Friday's Adaptive Skiing at the Webster Water Ski Collective on Lake Quinsigamond in Shrewsbury.
Vicky Kalinowski, right, of Webster, is pulled by a ski boat for the first time as Holland Aqua Riders' Samantha Naples of Holland keeps an eye on her during Friday's Adaptive Skiing at the Webster Water Ski Collective on Lake Quinsigamond in Shrewsbury.

SHREWSBURY — Adaptive Skiing at the Webster Water Ski Collective, along with the Holland Aqua Riders, the Nipmuc Ski Club, and the Lake Quinsigamond Ski Club, held its second annual Lake Quinsigamond Any Age, Any Disability Adaptive Water Ski Event at the Donahue Rowing Center on Friday.

The event allowed more than 25 kids and adults ages 8 to 61 with various disabilities, including spinal bifida, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism and epilepsy, the chance to water ski on the lake aboard specialized equipment with trained and certified adaptive ski instructors assisting them.

Justin Stockhaus, 22, of Webster, is helped into the special chair for water skiing by his father, Ken, left, and Ryan DesRoches of Charlton, the director of Adaptive Skiing at the Webster Water Ski Collective. The collective conducted the event Friday on Lake Quinsigamond at the Donahue Rowing Center in Shrewsbury.
Justin Stockhaus, 22, of Webster, is helped into the special chair for water skiing by his father, Ken, left, and Ryan DesRoches of Charlton, the director of Adaptive Skiing at the Webster Water Ski Collective. The collective conducted the event Friday on Lake Quinsigamond at the Donahue Rowing Center in Shrewsbury.

Friday's event was the first of four Adaptive Water Ski events in Central Massachusetts that the collective is hosting this summer, with a goal of taking 100 participants out on the water.

Nick Sherman, left, of Marlborough, is guided towards the dock by John Marabello of Concord after a trip out on the water during Friday's Adaptive Skiing at the Webster Water Ski Collective on Lake Quinsigamond in Shrewsbury.
Nick Sherman, left, of Marlborough, is guided towards the dock by John Marabello of Concord after a trip out on the water during Friday's Adaptive Skiing at the Webster Water Ski Collective on Lake Quinsigamond in Shrewsbury.
Rachel Doyle, left, of Webster, leaves a nice wake behind her as she water skis with Gary Naples of Holland Aqua Riders during Friday's Adaptive Skiing at the Webster Water Ski Collective on Lake Quinsigamond in Shrewsbury.
Rachel Doyle, left, of Webster, leaves a nice wake behind her as she water skis with Gary Naples of Holland Aqua Riders during Friday's Adaptive Skiing at the Webster Water Ski Collective on Lake Quinsigamond in Shrewsbury.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Adaptive water skiing means fun for all on Lake Quinsigamond in Shrewsbury