It’s the People Who Make BOEC Special: Ellen McAleese, Development Coordinator

Imagine rowing across the water in harmony with your crew, moving towards the same goal, enjoying the tranquil beauty of nature around you, and feeling the water against your oar. Ellen McAleese, Development Coordinator at Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center, likens rowing to the teamwork, dedication, camaraderie, connection with nature, and shared sense of reward and achievement in helping others that permeates the culture within the BOEC.

Growing up in St. Catharine’s in Ontario, Canada, Ellen is the youngest of eight children. She comes from a family who valued an outdoor, active lifestyle with rowing as the sport they all enjoyed as a family. Her father grew up rowing in the 1940’s and shared this knowledge with his family at the nearby Royal Canadian Henley Rowing Course. In the winter, the McAleese family would explore the outdoors on their ice skates and skis. Ellen liked to cross country ski around the neighborhood golf course, gaining entrance by first throwing her skis over the fence and then hopping over herself. Nearby, there was also a cross country ski area Ellen would visit, accessible by bus.

Ellen began rowing at the age of 13, by the time she was 21, she was sharing her knowledge of rowing by coaching others in her hometown. She coached for her former highschool club and went on to coach at McGill University, in Montreal, Quebec. In 1994, Ellen moved to Appleton, Wisconsin where she was a dedicated mother raising three children and continued to coach rowing at the Fox Valley Rowing Club. Over the next 26 years in Wisconsin, Ellen’s life revolved around her family, supporting their interests and sports. She introduced them to new activities taking them on rides in her coach boat on the Fox River, allowing them to appreciate the beauty of rowing. There were trips to Colorado, where Ellen’s children could ski with her family friends. Additionally, she brought her family together to create memorable occasions like the idyllic Christmases they shared together in their beautifully decorated home in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Ellen moved to Summit County in 2020, a place she and her children had grown to love. Her good friends, Hans and MJ Wurster, also from Appleton, had also moved to Colorado, so she was only too happy to join them in this new chapter of her life. Ellen and her family had been traveling west to ski with the Wurster’s from when her children were young through adulthood. This was the start of a life-long hobby that her kids still enjoy and eagerly arrange time to visit and go hiking and skiing together.

Over the past few years, Ellen has thoroughly enjoyed the Colorado lifestyle immersing herself in outdoor recreation, rowing on Lake Dillon, frequenting cultural opportunities, and local concerts. Ellen also enjoys spending time with the Wurster’s, a very philanthropic couple in the community. Through her friendships with great role models for community involvement, Ellen has formed a greater appreciation for the community she lives in.

In joining this new community, Ellen wanted to immerse herself in the history and culture of the mountain town she now calls home. Working for Breckenridge History was an excellent way to accomplish this. Ellen also began working for Gene Dayton, a founder of BOEC, at the Breckenridge Nordic Center shortly after moving to Summit County. Through her work at the Nordic center, Ellen became familiar with BOEC and heard stories of the early days and Gene’s dedication to trips for people with disabilities in Summit County. Beginning in 1973, Gene would lead cross country ski expeditions and guide summer trips that included backpacking, camping, peak ascents, and canoeing in Colorado. Additionally, he led trips to the Boundary Water Canoe Area (BWCA) in Minnesota. 

In February of 2022, Ellen met Sonya Norris, Executive Director of BOEC, at the Breckenridge Nordic Center and gained more knowledge and interest in what BOEC does in the community. Ellen’s motivation to assist those requiring additional support stems partly from  experience within her own family. Her sister, whose daughter has autism, faces challenges in finding suitable programs and services. These resources would offer much-needed respite for her sister and the entire family. Ellen sees through BOEC how families can give participants a wonderful experience outdoors, give their caregivers a break, and bring families together to enjoy outdoor activities.

In the summer of 2022, Ellen began with the BOEC as Development Coordinator working with the generous donors who support BOEC’s year round adaptive programming. Her favorite BOEC moments occur in the field watching the instructors and interns working with the participants. What always captivates her is the confidence and leadership the staff and interns exude, due in part to their excellent training, making the participants feel secure in an environment that differs from what they are accustomed to. Seeing first hand the development of these young adults assures her that this is a generation who will give back and continue to grow, helping to build a thriving community. 

Similarly, in the rowing community, Ellen has witnessed the same selflessness and teamwork encouraged and cultivated at BOEC. Through her role in development, she gets to see the philanthropic side of the organization. It is inspiring to see those who give physically to programming, but also those who are generous donors and believe in what the BOEC does and help us continue to accomplish our mission.

“Ellen is an integral part of the BOEC Development and Marketing Team and an asset to the BOEC organization overall. Her positive personality, work ethic, and natural ability to relate to anyone, be it a donor or participant or volunteer or community member, is contagious. She is not only a wonderful team member but a loyal friend. I don’t know what I would do without her by my side helping to lead fundraising strategy,” – Hallie Jaeger, Director of Development. 

Through her role in development, Ellen most enjoys integrating with the community and focusing on fundraising for an amazing organization and supporting such a great cause. Living in the age of technology and working with ever changing systems and new technologies, Ellen admits can be a challenge, but even this challenge can be easily overcome with the guidance and mentorship of Hallie Jaeger, Director of Development. It is reassuring that everyone has similar challenges and thankfully the BOEC fosters a learning environment making these learning opportunities approachable and enjoyable. 

Like Ellen’s love for the local mountain community she lives in, she also loves the unique community she is a part of at BOEC. The cultural climate, positive staff, and uplifting and giving mission all resonate with something she is thankful to be a part of. She wants others to know how incredible the BOEC community within the greater mountain community is, from volunteers to participants to the staff and donors. “Everyone works together to fulfill the broad mission, creating a unique environment. In life we need a community, like in rowing, working together for the common goal. It is important to engage with your community and give back however you can.” says Ellen. 

Because the BOEC mission is so committed  to helping people, the interns, staff, instructors, volunteers, and donors are directed to sharing such goodness, not for personal accolades, but rather to give back to others. Ellen encourages anyone looking to donate or volunteer to look at the impact the BOEC can have on the lives of the participants. She says,

“When the participants are out whether skiing or on a summer course, a person can feel so empowered and included, while they may not feel this in daily life, this experience makes them feel strong and happy at the end of the day. When someone donates, this is what they are supporting. We stay true to our mission and this is our focus on a daily basis, from the ground up, at all levels of the organization, and in all the programs.”

This allows participants to enjoy outdoor experiences that benefit themselves and their families.

Ellen dedicates her free time to her children and siblings whenever possible. In addition, she rows regularly in the summer, continues to Nordic ski in the winter, and also enjoys alpine skiing. When she is not outside, Ellen likes to read, sew, travel, and decorate. Through her community involvement and friendships, she spends time enjoying her friends and colleagues whether through a meal together, happy hour, cheering on a colleague in a race, or joining in on a bike ride.

If Ellen were to choose a different career, she would be a full-time rowing coach. As a sport she has done consistently for a long time, she enjoys teaching others and developing students in a sport that is centuries old. Her alternative coaching approach focuses on bringing beauty back to the sport with mindfulness while connecting with the beauty of nature and the water. In addition, she focuses on qualities such as teamwork, crew dynamic, comradery, and cohesiveness. This is likely why she has been a natural fit at BOEC and appreciates the similar attributes within the organization. She notes that the BOEC team has outside interests but all have compassion, empathy, work ethic and drive to nurture and teach others. Through less individual focus on success, the team shares a singular goal, to expand the potential of individuals of all abilities through meaningful, educational and inspiring outdoor experiences while celebrating and encouraging each other to reach success as a whole.

We are so thankful to have Ellen as a generous, hardworking, and encouraging member of the team!