WHISTLER, Canada - Whistler British Columbia in Canada is home to a winter Olympic sports venue known the world over. It is also home to the terrain that Alpine and Nordic skiers, snow boarders, sledge hockey enthusiasts, snow shoe hikers, dogsledders, zip line screamers, bobsledders, toboggan enthusiasts, and all winter sports lovers, flock to.

This is also where Soldier On brings wounded, ill or injured military members from four nations: Canada, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, to experience winter sports, adapted to meet their individual needs.

"Soldier On has been sponsoring this Camp since 2012 and we hope to continue to host for another 10 years," said Petty Officer 1st Class Joe Kiraly, Soldier On's Operations Warrant Officer of the Royal Canadian Navy.

It is said that on powder snow days, school kids are expected to jump the bonds of school and hit the slopes and some of their teachers. And when you see the swarms of youngsters from two feet tall to four, armed with skis, poles, boards and carelessly flung on winter gear, one can easily see why. The adorable little snow monsters start shaking hands with Whistler, and her surrounding mountain family, at a very young age.

But for many service members, here for Soldier On, winter sports are new to them such as Spc. Mark Ehrenreich, a native of Philadelphia and a former high school football and track athlete enjoying his first time on skis. "I really enjoyed the downhill portion of skiing," he said. Sgt. 1st Class Wilson Naboa, a former high school football star from Ewa Beach, Hawaii stated that winter sports are new for him even though he participated in Army cold weather training while stationed with the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

With newbies and tourists swarming the town, taking pics of themselves in front of the rings, struggling to learn what to wear (layer, layer, layer), crowding the ski shops for proper attire, "oh yeah, snow goggles, of course, ah!" it's a wonder the locals are so patient.

But patient they are, though one will see a glance and a giggle from the little snow aficionados as some of us newbies on the bunny hill get strung up by our skis and poles, a la' goofy style. "They will let you know if you are not on their level when they zoom past you or move out of your way as you tumble down in front of them, "said Sgt. Rudy Gomez after he provided them with plenty to say during his first try at snowboarding.

However, as each day here at Soldier On comes to a close, for anyone but the most jaded, staying in the rooms that once housed Olympic athletes, is where the real thrill begins.

Soldier On is a Canadian Armed Forces program that supports currently serving members and veterans to overcome their physical or mental health illness of injury through physical activity and sports. For more information on Soldier On, visit their website at www.soldieron.org.au.