January 19th, 2018

Hello Members,                                                                                                                                January 19, 2018 
It’s been awhile since you have heard from me.  It has been a very busy time for many of us.  But first let’s celebrate, today is our 30th open day for the ski/board season of 2017/2018.  We have surpassed last year and the year before.  This is what we needed and it’s all because of the HUGE project we took on called SNOW MAKING.  That new building you see is the pump house which is 95% completed.  We need to do a few things on the outside of the building and landscape around it but it has definitely been doing it’s job of pumping the water to the Snow Gun.
Matt Johnson has been our Snow making person.  He has been learning all about our Silent Pole Cat Snow Gun called GAIRNS GUN.  Matt has spent many a night at the hill with his bed and checks on the gun on the hour.  He calls it his winter lodge, where when the lights are off on the hill he gets to see the deer or the foxes walking about.  Many of you may see him walking about the hill and just checking to see how people are doing. Thanks Matt, you are proving to the community that having manmade snow will make our season longer.  You have been a huge help to the hill.  Thank you.
 
Concession has had a fresh look thanks to our new Supervisor, Carrie Johnson.  She has brought in new food items, like homemade soups, chilli, breakfast sandwiches, and BLTs.  We are super excited about the new grill that has arrived and will soon be installed.  If you thought the burgers are good now wait till it’s up and running.  Carrie also designed our new logo that we have put on some toques and they have been flying off the shelf.  Our concession is building a name for it’s self and the poutine fries are pretty darn good.
  
Wayne Andrews is still at the hill and doing what he does best, puttering, fixing, grooming, helping kids, giving me heck and eating his pepsi and cheezies (his regular diet).  He’s a happy camper if those two things are in stock and at his disposal.  Thanks Wayne for all your hard work on the hill.  We so appreciate it.
Perry, Ryan and Cindy have been managing extremely well in the rental shop.  I’m told that he has a 2 year waiting list for employees that want to join.  How cool is that!!!!  They have been busier than ever and I’m told that the equipment sometimes get’s cycled through twice in a full day.  Unbelievable!!!!! New equipment arriving soon.  Good job you guys.
Hart Snow School has new management, Adam Dumonceaux, who took over for Lisa and Wayne Kemp.  Adam is also a very busy with lessons and we have already had 5 weeks of kids going through his 4 day lessons.  Nothing makes me happier than hearing that their children went through the program, loved it and have now joined as Members.   Adam has also added a website www.hartsnowschool.com
A few new things happening, is our relationship building with other Ski Clubs.  Nancy Greene program is back at the Hart and we are thrilled to see these young kids learning the sport of skiing.  We welcome them on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  We are also seeing the older Alpine Ski teams come and practise on the hill.  They tell us that they get more runs/practise time in a shorter period of time than at any other hill and they love that.  We are also really looking forward to when the Northern BC Freestyle Ski club is ready to come and practise at the Hart.  They were instrumental in helping us with the Terrain park in the fall and all their volunteer time when the pump house was being built.  We too will welcome them with open arms.
Our NEW Ruckus Terrain Park has been busy.  Sure wish I could get some of our manmade snow over there but for sure next year.  I spoke with a few people last night and they said they had a blast in the park.  Remember Helmets are MANDATORY and only do what you feel you are capable of doing.  Thanks to Mark and Stephanie at Ruckus.  You guys ROCK.
I do want to remind you all of some REALLY neat happenings for the Hart Ski Hill.  Tonight is the Integris Revamped Mega 50/50 Jackpot at CN Centre.  Integris in partnership with the Cougars 50/50 Society, will be purchasing $20,000.00 worth of 50/50 tickets, and starting at noon today, they’ll be giving a Free $10 strip of 50/50 tickets to the first 2,000 fans (19+).  The Cougars are playing the Lethbridge Hurricanes.  For the first time ever, 18 local non-profit agencies will benefit from the Integris Mega 50/50jackpot, thus a larger jackpot makes a larger impact in our community.  I highly encourage you to attend this game tonight so that everyone benefits from this extremely generous donation by Integris for the community of Prince George. 
Also on Sunday we are having the Wendy’s World Snow Day.  There will be a barbeque set up, thanks to Wendy’s, and it’s all by donation with 100% coming to the hill.  Our ski groups are coming out and setting up, so that our members will be able to try a Salomon course or try a few tricks on a rainbow rail that will be brought closer to the lodge.  If this day turns out to be a success, next year will be bigger.
I also want to let you know that we are going to open for a full day on the first Pro D Day in January.  That is January 29th.  Regular hours of 10 – 4 and we will still open that evening.  Thanks to all our employees who have made themselves available on this day. 
Speaking of people.  I want to thank all our employees (Liftees, Rental and Concession) for taking their training, for showing up for their scheduled shifts, and for working hard.  We couldn’t do it without you.
Also want to thank many volunteer individuals that are behind the scenes like our mechanics that work on the groomer, snowmobiles, kabota etc.  These two men Jim and Dave make sure the equipment is ready for the summer season and winter season.  I’ve also got two volunteers Ben and Lee that are very helpful when it comes to our lights on the hill.  Without those two, night skiing wouldn’t happen. 
Ski Patrol is vital to our hill and a huge thank you to our Lead Patroller, Matt Pacholko for ensuring that the Hart Ski Hill is well covered by CSP members.  They all seem to be very happy at our hill.  Also the Junior Ski Patrol is one of the largest we’ve ever had and the kids are so committed and excited to help our Ski Patrol.  Thanks Nathan and Leanne for training our young Junior Ski Patrollers.  We are so lucky to have this program that was started many years ago by our Past President Mike Gareau.  Thanks Mike, you are missed. 
Adult Supervision is going extremely well and thank you to everyone for placing your name down on the calendar and fulfilling your mandatory volunteer time.  Again because of this program our children are safe and secure on the hill.  Thanks Carrie.  You are doing a great job with managing the volunteers.
Big thank you to Pat Bell, who has been our Fund Raising lead.  If it hadn’t been for this man, the Snow Gun, the pumphouse and everything that goes with it would not have happened.  We are not letting him go.  Many of you may see him on the hill, as he also joined us as a Ski Instructor. 
I also want to take this opportunity to thank all the individuals, companies, business owners that donated products, equipment, materials, money towards the Project of Snowmaking.  We have a plan to thank them personally but I do want to thank them here and now as it was so heartwarming to see a community come together for our facility.  It has overwhelmed me the generosity of so many people.  But let’s not forget we have a huge spring ahead of us.  We plan on burying TR Flex ductile pipe in the ground to cover the entire hill.  We will be needing more community support and definitely volunteer labour hours.   You will be hearing from me J
I also will take this time to mention our Board Members.  We met a lot of new people this spring due to the snow making project and because of that we made some very good friends who decided they wanted to join and help our Club.  Each of them bring their expertise to the table and for that I’m grateful. 
The Board of Directors for the Ski Season of 2017/2018 is:
Bernadette Kipping, President
Josh Bergen, Vice President
Janet Mobley, Treasurer
Matt Pacholko, Secretary
Directors:
Jessica Hudson
Trudy Pacholko
Deryl Truman
Harold Spensley
Curt Steeves
 
Thank you everyone and hope to see you at the events I noted above.  If I have forgotten somebody or something, I apologize.  As I mentioned before it’s been a hectic year and I don’t know how Mike did it from going from the paid job to the non paid job.  Allows a girl to getting her 10,000 steps on her fitbit.  Happy Friday.
 
Bernadette Kipping
President of HHWC

---