Excerpts From Newsletters of Yesteryears What Has Changed What Has Not

2013-02-17 09.28.18

A self-imposed duty, as club secretary, has been that of reviewing the mass of paper that arrived at my house, turned over to my keeping by the previous secretary.  Thus, I am sorting and reading and reading. Most fascinating are the old newsletters.

However, before I share from them, I need to say my reading of the club history left me in awe of and full of admiration for the many club members who contribute to the success of the club year after year after year often simultaneously wearing multiple “club hats”.

What has changed: 

For starters, in 1981 the club organization included a Babysitting Co-op.  The Co-op had a purpose statement and guidelines.  It worked based on a system of 6 cards given to each participating parent.  Each child babysat for a weekend “cost” the parent 3 cards and a day trip cost 1 card.  When a parent was down to 3 cards, they were expected to volunteer for babysitting within the month and any parent who accumulated 9 cards was expected to schedule a trip within a month.  Sounds like a good  system.

The January 1986 newsletter contained an article describing a new ski technique originally called the V-skate.  The new technique apparently created a lot of discussion and controversy at the World Championships in 85.  Proponents liked the style and the speed of it.  Non-proponents predicted that it would ruin track skiing -FOREVER.

There was something called a “Phone Committee” and a Phone Committee Organizer who maintained a list of phone committee volunteers who were given a “script” and a section of the membership list and charged with the duty of calling said members and reading the script to them- thus keeping everyone in the loop.

The Easter Bunny used to ski with the club and a wolf howled a lot on some trips?

A trip in 1982 (during a full moon) included a square dance on the Banff-Jasper Hwy.  I’m thinking a wolf was howling on that one!

A criteria for admission to the club in 1992 was the ability to tell the difference between Baby Duck and dish water.  Membership declined sharply!

What has not changed:  

The ski club trip destinations go to many of the same beautiful areas in the mountains following the same trails and routes skied by countless of very satisfied skiers.

AND, of note is the persistent obsession with and focus on food and snowy slopes and food and majestic mountains and food and glorious sunshine and food and fresh snow and in case I forgot to mention it the club members continue to like food.

Next time Ski Technique Advice from Yesteryears