Page 51 - Winter 2018 Journal

This year, NWSEF is funding 11 innovative programs The partnership began to give every child, regardless of
and supporting approximately 30,000 youth. In addi- his or her financial situation, the opportunity to experience
tion, we’re focusing heavily on tracking conversion and and fall in love with winter sports.
establishing participant pipelines in communities across “As the cold weather sets in each year, we tend to hunker
the United States. While we’re just getting started, we’ve down, turn on the TV, and tuck in for the season,” said Rich
learned a lot in our five-year history. Most importantly, West, CEO of YMCA of Northern Utah. “The NWSEF’s
the key to a successful youth skiing/riding initiative is support for the program is so important. It’s designed to get
collaboration. kids outside during the winter months and gets them to take
NWSEF’s first community-based snowboard and alpine part in some wintry fun. Youth participating in winter sports
program started in Salt Lake City, Utah, as a partnership not only plays an important role in exercise, but also pro-
with the YMCA of Northern Utah. That pilot began with motes mental well-being.”
18 kids taking ski lessons at Park City Mountain Resort. As the program has grown from 18 to 180 youths,
“The Foundation’s partnership with the YMCA of NWSEF, the YMCA, and our mountain partners have
Northern Utah was a perfect match,” said Dick Coe, former worked together to reduce common barriers to youth partic-
NWSEF executive director. “The program came together ipation. These include financial and transportation barriers,
quickly in 2014 and has grown continually every year thanks improving on mountain experiences for youth and their fam-
to the participation of the Utah resorts.” ilies, and facilitating participant conversion from “learn to”
Today the YMCA program, funded by NWSEF, has to more advanced skills clinics and competition.
expanded to serve more than 180 youth aged 6 to 18, who The success of these programs is directly correlated to
are completing 6-plus-week programs in either alpine skiing the teamwork and collaboration of all parties. We commu-
or snowboarding at Utah’s Solitude Mountain Resort, nicate, share resources, think outside of the box, and facil-
Nordic Valley Ski Resort, and Snowbasin Resort. itate new opportunities for our youth every year. This

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WINTER 2018 | NSAA JOURNAL | 49