Skating community keeps on giving


NEW YORK CITY, N.Y., GEORGIA FSC, ADULT BRONZE IRENE THAO, 8


STEPHANIE HAO, 25


HOSCHTON, GA., GEORGIA FSC, FREESKATE 6 At the Duluth Ice Forum in Georgia, ballet


teacher Lisa Polunin teaches skaters more than poise and posture. Her six-week Big Sister-Little Sister Program


fosters relationships and provides a caring com- munity. Stephanie Hao, easily the oldest in the class,


Dorothy Ray sits inside all the cards and letters that she calls the “Circle of Love.”


BRICK, N.J., SC OF WILMINGTON, ADULT SILVER On Oct. 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy pound-


DOROTHY RAY, 67


ed the East Coast, destroying countless homes and lives. Skater Dorothy Ray and her husband James were fortunate to survive, despite losing two new cars, two small boats and their home. Across the country in Las Vegas, fellow skat-


er Century Leigh reached out to offer her friend assistance. Ray, a school bus driver, needed help with entry fees for the 2013 U.S. Adult Champi- onships. On Dec. 17, 2012, Leigh connected with doz-


ens of skating friends nationwide via one simple email: “I really want to help, but I can only do so much. If we all make small donations, we can make a huge difference.” Leigh was overwhelmed by the response;


a deluge of cards and checks covering not only Ray’s entry fees, but travel expenses, arrived at her mailbox. Excitement grew as donors awaited delivery


to Ray. “It was like anticipating Christmas morn- ing,” skater Kimberly Sailer said. On a gray Thursday in January, Ray received


a box with roses on it. “We slowly unfolded the contents,” Ray said.


“We were trying to understand the kindness in front of us as tears came to our eyes.” Six weeks later Ray had two programs and


travel plans, but more importantly, she had hope. “We stand by each other when needed,”


skater Phyllis Friello said. “This is one of the best parts of adult skating.” A competitor at all 19 U.S. Adult Champion-


ships, Ray was beyond grateful that she was able to attend the 2013 event. She has earned med- als at every U.S. Adult Championships, and she secured the bronze medal for her 2013 perfor- mance to Kelly Clarkson’s “What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Stronger,” putting her own words to it about the storm’s effect. “This one was hard for us but most import-


ant was to be there with everyone and feel their love and support,” Ray said. “This is truly a group


of people that cares about each other.” 46 JANUARY 2014


Irene Thao and Stephanie Hao became close friends through their rink’s Big Sister-Little Sister Program.


was thrilled to participate. “I’ve been skating almost three years,” Hao


said. “This was so much fun to do and I got to be a big sister!” Polunin paired up the girls and established


boxes for notes and gifts. The big sisters knew their little sisters, but not the reverse, until the Atlanta Open in June. Irene Thao, a Basic Skills skater, came to a


public session with a string of lights attached to her blades. “Everyone went nuts over them,” said Hao,


who recently began work at Klingbeil boot com- pany. “Irene’s dad made them and everyone told him to market them.” Hao and Thao hit it off immediately, with


Thao often running over during each class to hug Hao. Thao, whose grandfather idolized Michelle


Kwan and dreamed of having a skating grand- daughter, found herself on ice in 2011 and has excelled. “I haven’t tested yet, but I will soon,” said


Thao, a third-grader who fearlessly zooms ev- erywhere on roller skates. Initially nervous, Thao was excited to receive her first Big Sister response. “I received many wonderful gifts and looked


forward to it every week,” Thao said. Hao thinks she may have gone overboard


with the goodies, but she wouldn’t change a thing. “It’s great to support each other, and I have a


little fan out there,” said Hao, the 2013 U.S. Adult bronze ladies I gold medalist. “She’s smart and sen-


sitive and inspires me to be a good role model.”


Michelle Daichman’s Team Pixie Dust has helped raise thousands of dollars toward cancer research.


MICHELLE DAICHMAN, 31 ALEXANDRIA, VA. , WASHINGTON FSC


GOLD SOLO DANCE, MASTERS ARTISTIC/ LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT II


Michelle Daichman knows all about per-


severance and determination. She underwent three knee surgeries in three years, each time wondering if her skating career might be over. “If I have a goal to achieve, I have the drive


inside to make it reality,” she said of what skating has given her. “It’s taught me about myself and how I look at life.” That drive to get back on the ice and com-


pete has also helped Daichman get through other difficult times in her life, including at age 18 losing her mother to cancer. “She was my best friend and biggest fan,”


Daichman said. “I watched her go through months of treatments, unable to do anything.” Daichman has devoted her life to helping


find a cure of cancer. In 2003, she formed Team Pixie Dust with her brother and father — named for her mother’s favorite movie, Peter Pan — and they participated in the American Cancer Soci- ety Relay For Life. “We’ve raised more than $350,000,” said


Daichman, an American Cancer Society senior director of Relay For Life in Maryland, Wash- ington, D.C. and Delaware. “The plan is to be involved until a cure is found, however long it takes.” While Relay For Life isn’t skating-related, the


skating community has supported her fundrais- ing efforts. “My story and involvement have also al-


lowed me to help others in the skating commu- nity who have been diagnosed or had family members battling cancer,” Daichman said. In 2012, Daichman celebrated DC Edge


adult synchronized skating team’s national win and 10 years of Team Pixie Dust. “We called it our 10 years, 10 nights, 1 fight


tour,” said Daichman, of participating in 10 na- tionwide Relay For Life events. “Our goal was more feet on the track and more awareness. It was truly incredible meeting people every- where with such passion.”


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