(Crested Butte, CO)—March 2, 2009 -- For the second time in two years, the Adaptive Sports Center (ASC) and Crested Butte Mountain Resort will be highlighted on the popular prime-time reality program Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The much-anticipated episode will air this Sunday, March 8, 2009 at on ABC, during sweeps month (check local listings for airtimes).
In early January, the Riojas family—consisting of Mary Ann Riojas and her four teenagers—flew to Crested Butte from Fresno, California for a dream vacation, accompanied by the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition production crew. Each day they participated in outdoor adventure activities with the ASC while their house was demolished and renovated by the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition design team and thousands of volunteers to be completely wheelchair accessible. Mary Ann, a former foster care child and welfare recipient, was born with no legs and one fully-developed arm. Anyone who interacted with the Riojas’ during their time in Crested Butte will agree that the family is truly inspirational and deserving of the title “Heroes;” Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’s year-long show theme for season six.
The Adaptive Sports Center is no stranger to having Extreme Makeover: Home Edition crews following their every move. In winter 2007, Patrick and Jeanette O’Donnell and their six children, five of whom have autism, enjoyed a five-day vacation with the ASC while their home was remodeled by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. When show producers learned that the Riojas family had a winter getaway in mind, they contacted the ASC to see about bringing a second family out to Crested Butte. The ASC was honored to play host to the show once again, especially when they learned that other than Disneyland, producers had not sent an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition family to any other vacation location more than once in the history of the show.
Community members are invited to join the Adaptive Sports Center for a special Extreme Makeover: Home Edition viewing party at the Majestic Theatre in Crested Butte on March 8, 2009 at 7 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call the ASC’s offices at 970.349.5075. Please be sure to visit www.adaptivesports.org on March 8 immediately following the show for exclusive information about and photos from the Riojas’ visit to Crested Butte.
Special thanks go to Crested Butte Mountain Resort and Outdoor Research for providing lodging, meals and winter clothing for the Riojas family, and to the Majestic Theatre for generously donating theatre space for the viewing party.
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About ABC-TVs Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," which has won back-to-back Emmy Awards as Best Reality Program (non-competitive), is entering its 6th season on ABC. The program is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. Anthony Dominici is the executive producer; and David Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA.
Adaptive Sports Center
The Adaptive Sports Center’s mission is to enhance the lives of people with disabilities by promoting and providing successful outdoor adventure activities and experiential education with the highest quality instruction and equipment available. The Center, located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, is in its 22nd year of providing life-enhancing outdoor programming to individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities and their families. For more information about the ASC, visit www.adaptivesports.org.
Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Crested Butte has been named as Skiing Magazine’s #1 Best Steeps, #8 Best Trees, #10 Best Powder, and Outside Magazine’s Top Places To Live Now, Sunset Magazine’s # 3 Top Dream Towns, SKI Magazine’s #20 Readers Survey Top Resort, and SkiNet’s # 3 Top Ski Town. Crested Butte was also named one of America’s Best Small Ski Towns by Travel + Leisure Magazine and Conde Nast Traveler’s #13 Reader’s Poll Top Resort and most recently, Crested Butte Mountain Resort was named Top 10 Family Ski Resorts by ShermansTravel on MSNBC. For more information about Crested Butte's lodging, conference, meeting facilities, and special packages, call Crested Butte Vacations, (800) 600-2803 or visit the website at www.skicb.com
Todd Walton
Communications Director
Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Mt. Crested Butte, CO 81225
Direct: 970-349-2303
Fax: 970-349-2250