Canadian Ski Industry Raises Funds for 2010 Olympic Ski & Snowboard Athletes
The Canadian Ski Council and the Canadian Snowsports Association (CSA) have joined forces to create the “Making Winter Winners” fundraising program to raise money to help Canadian Olympic/Paralympic ski and snowboard athletes give their best showing at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Whistler, British Columbia.
This new fundraising program will be launched on Monday, July 23rd at Blue Mountain Resort, during the Canadian Ski Council’s (CSC) annual Snow Industry Symposium. Specials guests Ken Read, President of Alpine Canada Alpin (ACA), Crazy Canuck and former Olympian, Nancy Greene, Olympic gold medalist at the 1968 Grenoble Winter Games, Steve Podborski, bronze medalist at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics and former World Champion, Veronica Brenner, 2002 Silver Medallist at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics and former World Champion, Matt Morrison, member of the Canadian National Snowboard Team and 2010 Olympic hopeful, and Chris Wong, Member of the National Moguls World Cup Team and 2010 Olympic hopeful will be on hand to launch the program and address the industry on the importance of this fundraising program and how it will help Canadian amateur athletes in reaching the podium at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Currently, more and more ski areas across Canada are participating in this fundraising drive by asking their season’s pass subscribers to make a voluntary five dollar (or larger) donation when they buy their pass. Those making a donation are eligible to win back the cost of their pass (contingent on ski area participation). They will also be entered in a draw for a trip for two to Whistler for the grand opening of their new Peak to Peak gondola, which will link Whistler to Blackcomb.
In addition, a trip for two to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be drawn each year for the next two years.
Proceeds will be administered by the Canadian Ski Council, which will work with the CSA to distribute the money. A minimum of 90% of the money raised will go directly to the athletes, with the remainder covering program expenses.
The CSC and the CSA are currently looking to increase the level of participation in the “Making Winter Winners” program by including other Canadian snow industry organizations and the retail sector.
The Canadian Ski Council, whose members are 14 national and regional ski and snowboard associations, was founded in 1977 to work on the behalf of the Canadian snowsports industry to increase participation in recreational snowboarding, alpine and cross-country skiing in Canada.
The CSA is a federation of nine ski and snowboard disciplines, whose mandate is the development of elite amateur athletes and the pursuit of excellence at national and international level competitions for all disciplines. Incorporated in 1920, CSA represents Canada on the world governing body for skiing and snowboarding - the Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS).
From http://www.firsttracksonline.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2581
