During the Ski Cubs season we have the capacity for 30 youth to participate each weekend, limited by the number of skis, boots, and poles that we have. Since there is only one of me, I rely heavily on volunteer instructors each weekend to help teach the participants how to ski, and show them how to have FUN during Vermont winters. We strive for a 5:1 ratio at Ski Cubs in order to have enough hands to tackle any unforeseen challenges that arise. This means that 5-6 volunteers donate their Saturday mornings of personal skiing to help share their love of the sport with the next generation of Vermont winter athletes. They do this all with great attitudes and huge smiles on their faces, even when their fingers are frozen from zipping up jackets and fixing bindings.
This season we have had 10 outstanding volunteers join us, some for one day, some for almost the whole season! They come from various walks of life, including supportive community members, UVM students, CTA board members, local teachers, and fellow AmeriCorps members. Four of the volunteers have been working with Ski Cubs for two or more years!
A special thank you goes out to one volunteer, Lauren Chicote, who stepped up to the plate and lead Ski Cubs for one weekend this winter so that I was able to make a longtime goal of mine come true (mountaineering and skiing on Mt. Katahdin, blog post and pictures to come soon!). She has been dedicated to the Ski Cubs program for three years now, and we are lucky to have her around.
And last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank the chaperones from Rock Point High School, Winooski Youth Programs, and Hunt Middle School who accompany their groups each week to Ski Cubs. They willingly and excitedly join in all games and activities with the participants, and love hitting the trails to explore all the terrain that Bolton Valley has to offer. Some of the chaperones were not veteran skiers themselves, but they have come out with adventurous attitudes and have made this season’s Ski Cubs program more energetic and active than ever!
With one week left of Ski Cubs, I am hoping that all the volunteers have had as much fun as I have had this season. Even with varying weather conditions, everyone has come out with energy and enthusiasm each week which has lead to some great memories and hopefully even more lifelong skiers!
