"They grow up here in Colorado and it's fortunate they get a chance to come up here in their backyard and play in the snow," Randy Okra, Erishai's father, said.
His daughter is taking part in a program created by the Denver Parks and Recreation Department to find a cheap way to teach inner city kids how to ski or snowboard.
"We do this because a lot of these kids don't get the opportunity to come up in the mountains," Julie Brown, outdoor recreation coordinator with Denver Parks & Rec, said. "For many of these kids, they've never been west of Wadsworth."
They take kids to learn to ski or snowboard at Winter Park, which is still owned by the city of Denver. So, in a way, this program is an extension of Parks and Rec.
"For a lot of people, you know, we've got both parents who are working. We've got transportation issues," Brown said. "This is an avenue where the parents feel like it's a safe venue for their kids to come up."
Each child pays $30 for the program. That includes transportation, lift ticket, lesson and rentals.
Erishai says she enjoys learning to ski for the first time.
"I think it's important so we could learn and know how to do different stuff," Erishai said. "I was kind of nervous and I was kind of scared, too."
Brown says every kid should get a chance to experience a part of Colorado.
"I think a lot of us take for granted that if you live in Colorado you ski and snowboard and for these kids, they haven't," Brown said. "This is our opportunity to share that."
Click here for more information about the program.
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