Some of them are just daredevils.

They can't wait to get off the jump.

I've seen kids go to the top and sit there for 15 minutes, scared to death to take off.

and I've gone out and sat on the bar with them ready.

Yep.

just to give them some support and then they take off and they can't wait to come up and do it again because it's so much fun.

Confidence, courage and character is what we teach.

my name is J.R.

Patee, and I've worked with the jumping program for about, 12 years now.

The jumping program, which is a small portion of the Nordic Ski Association of Anchorage.

and they do incredible work with maintaining the ski trails here in Anchorage.

Which is, as far as I'm concerned, one of the highlights of all of Anchorage.

The first time I volunteered with them, was probably, I'm going to say 2005.

I say volunteer.

It sounds like a this great and wonderful thing.

I just, I can't ski race, I like to be part of it, too.

Right.

Ooh.

currently now I have become a official, nationally ranked, ski jumping judge.

Unfortunately, they can't get rid of me now.

I have so much fun.

Some weeks I'm doing 40 to 50 hours a week.

Other weeks it's nothing.

The human body, I find, is just is designed to work.

It's not designed to sit.

I like to sit as well as anybody else.

But I also like to get out and move.

I think the biggest thing we can do to support kids is give them activities things that they can look forward to.

something to keep them busy.

to get involved, you just have to, go out and reach out for various things and see something will get Ahold of you.

And hopefully the community is a better place because of it.