During the weekend of 24-25 January 2015, some 750 veterans, active duty and retired military, families and friends gathered at the Taos Ski Valley to feast, celebrate and recreate. Organized by disabled veteran Don Peters, founder of Not Forgotten, an organization dedicated motivate injured vets to participate in recreational activities to promote healing, and aided by the Taos Ski Valley (TSV), the Town of Taos, local VFW Post 3259, the Taos Milagro Rotary and others, the weekend was a smashing success. Here’s the full article and photos:
http://www.taosnews.com/sports/article_52fb2422-a896-11e4-854e-bf362f331e7b.html
Vets and families arrived from as far away as Florida and Washington State to engage in winter sports and camaraderie with fellow vets. TSV provided discounted lift tickets, lessons and free equipment rentals. The Grand Junction (Colorado) VA provided special adaptive ski equipment for the disabled vets.
Don Peters, seated, in the foreground
The success of the Not Forgotten/TSV Veterans Appreciation Weekend program is spawning other similar initiatives. Neighboring Village of Angel Fire is hosting its own version of the Appreciation Weekend on February 20-21-22 in Angel Fire, partnering with the Angel Fire Resort and local businesses and organizations. All veterans, families, and friends will be welcomed. Here is the info for that weekend. Come on up/down/or over from wherever you are now and meet and play with fellow vets:
http://www.angelfireresort.com/event/forgotten-outreach-appreciate-weekend/
Brinn is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and a retired lieutenant colonel. He now spends his time writing and skiing in the mountains of northern New Mexico with his wife and three sons.
Brinn Colenda 
Hey Brinn! Just found your site & will share with Mary Alice ( a young 90) and the fam. Dad’s Mermansk / Russian Red Star story is being included in a book on Navy Heroes due out this year. Glad to see you are still ” doin’ good” in the world!
Beverly Brinn
Landstuhl, Germany
Hi Beverly, Good to hear from you! Send me your email address at bcolenda@newmex.com