LEWISTON — The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing has announced a new addition to the 2015 Dempsey Challenge Weekend, Oct. 17 and 18, special guest and Positive Tracks spokesperson and curriculum consultant, Olympic skier Doug Lewis.

Positive Tracks is a national, youth-centric nonprofit that helps young people get active and give back using the power of sport. The Positive Tracks program plugs into charitable athletic events to empower youth of all athletic abilities to learn how and why to make a difference via their own sweat. Positive Tracks, partner to the Dempsey Challenge for five years, also doubles dollars and amplifies awareness generated by ages 23 and under.

Lewis began bombing down Vermont’s mountains at age three and ski racing at age eight. He enrolled at the Green Mountain Valley School Ski Academy in 1978, and won his first title at the Junior Olympics in 1980. The following year, at age 17, he jumped to the international level and competed in his first World Cup at Aspen.

He joined the USST in 1981 and competed in the 1984 Olympic Games in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia and the 1988 Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada. Doug’s greatest moment came at the 1985 World Championships when he won the bronze medal in the Downhill. Lewis also collected two U.S. National Downhill Championships in 1986 and 1987.

During the winter season, Lewis is a broadcast Analyst for NBC Universal Sports. In the summer, Lewis, along with his wife Kelley, runs ELITEAM Conditioning Camps in Vermont. In its 22nd year, ELITEAM focuses on educating young athletes on the importance of Sports Physiology, Sports Psychology, and Sports Nutrition. ELITEAM also offers Corporate and Group Team-Building, Leadership, and Risk-Taking programs.

Lewis began working with Positive Tracks this past year and has been thrilled with the partnership as their mission to help young people get active and give back dovetails so well with his own work with ELITEAM. “I’ve always been a proponent of giving back as an athlete and when I learned about Positive Tracks, the partnership felt like such a natural fit. Inspiring and educating young athletes to push their limits is so much fun. I love it when I can see an athlete build confidence in front of me when he/she accomplishes something they thought they’d never do,” he said. “I am looking forward to the Dempsey Challenge and have planned a fun, quick obstacle course in the park to show kids of all ages how fun getting active can be.”

Lewis will also be preparing a special surprise with Dempsey Center founder Patrick Dempsey on Saturday morning. He added, “All I can say is that you do not want to miss the Challenge this year, because Patrick and I have a surprise that will really get you moving.”