Mark O’Neill has devoted his life to helping those with physical disabilities experience the joy and freedom of outdoor sports.

He earned recognition for that passion during the 12th Annual Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards. O’Neill was one of 23 honored at the event in the Executive Mansion in Olympia on April 11.

“I join all Washingtonians in thanking these individuals who contribute tirelessly to benefit their communities,” Washington State Governor Jay Inslee said in a press release. “People who volunteer their time and energy are the backbone of our state. I encourage others to look for opportunities that not only provide valuable experience but also help strengthen our communities.”

During the winter, O’Neill works four ten-hour days at his job at Orcas Sewage Design, and for the rest of the week he goes to whichever mountain he is needed at to teach people with physical disabilities how to ski. He travels to Snoqualmie Pass, Stevens Pass, White Pass and Mount Hood, volunteering his time to train the physically and visually impaired. His life motto is “change the world, change people.”

O’Neill began volunteering for the Ski for All Foundation in 1978. After it expanded to include outdoor recreation for all seasons, it was renamed the Outdoors for All Foundation. He guesses nearly 70 percent of the people he trains are military veterans.

“I really like people,” said O’Neill. “I love their stories.”

O’Neill believes that humans can do pretty much anything – some just need to do it a little differently. One of his students, a young woman born with congenital amputations, will be competing in the upcoming paralympics as a swimmer. O’Neill taught her how to ski, which he says uses a lot of the same skills she has already learned as a swimmer. He also spoke of Dean, the severely wounded military veteran who came to O’Neill hating life. By the end of training with O’Neill, Dean was almost completely autonomous in the sit-ski.

Using a combination of more than 20 models of sit-down style ski equipment, O’Neill has helped people who were paraplegic, quadriplegic and visually impaired to ski. He says that many of his students come to him with a strong desire to learn and to work at becoming as autonomous as they can while skiing.

O’Neill was originally inspired to help those with physical disabilities because of people he knew growing up. His grandfather, Jack, lost an arm in a motorcycle crash but he functioned just as well. He also was inspired by a woman named Mary Fox, who was born with birth defects but didn’t let it negatively affect her life.

“Having those people in my life is very important,” O’Neill says about the students he works with and the friends he has made along the way. One of his skiing companions of more than 20 years is visually impaired.

It isn’t just helping those with disabilities that O’Neill loves about what he does. He thoroughly enjoys being outdoors, primarily skiing and other winter sports. He says the best way to volunteer is to do something you enjoy doing in the process.

“Do something you really love. It makes a huge difference,” said O’Neill. “That’s why I am doing this. If volunteering becomes work you don’t pass on the love.”