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Club Ideawire
Tips and ideas from ski clubs.
Snow
condition hotlines
Bucks County Ski Club (PA) -
In each winter issue of their newsletter, the Bucks County Ski Club lists
the snow condition hotline for over 40 ski resorts from Pennsylvania to
Maine. Good idea for those clubs located near ski country!
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Ski
waxing at meeting
Wilmington Ski Club (DE) - The
December meeting of the Wilmington Ski Club featured someone who would
wax skis and snowboards for those members who did know how or who simply
did not want to wax their own equipment. At $8 for skis and $10 for snowboards,
it was also a good value.
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Great
club motto
Bogus Basin Ski Club (ID) - This
club’s newsletter, The Mogul, has a description below the name of
the club that says, “A social organization for adults based on recreation,”
which we thought was a very concise description of many clubs across the
country.
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Buddy
board
4 Seasons Sport & Rec Club (OR)
- While every club contains many talented people, they don’t all
have the same talents, so this club started a “buddy board”.
The way it works is that members needing something done that they do not
have the strength or skill to do, they write a description of the job
on a piece of paper, giving their name and phone number. On the bottom
of the paper, they note some of their talents or services which they are
willing to trade for the needed service. The paper is placed on a bulletin
board during meetings and members are encouraged to call each other to
make a deal.
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Big
bucks for new members
Space City Ski Club (TX) - Texas’
largest ski club has announced a program to obtain new members that could
pay current members very well. While we have reported on clubs giving
discounts on trips for recruiting new members before, these guys have
outdone everybody! They will offer the following discounts on trips.
$100 discount for 7 new members
$200 discount for 14 new members
$300 discount for 21 new members
$400 discount for 28 new members
$500 discount for 35 new members
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Dance
Lessons
Jug and Mug Ski Club (MI) - This
club is teaming up with a local athletic club to offer their members dance
lessons in modern Latin dance, jazz, hip hop and urban jazz, ballet, and
modern dance this spring.
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Psychedelic
60's Party
Scottsdale Sea and Ski Club (AZ)
- Members were asked to wear afros, peace signs, love beads, tie-dyes,
and bell bottoms for a party featuring a DJ spinning tunes from the 60's.
Participation was limited to 75 hippies and flower children.
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Animal
House Toga Party
Toledo Ski Club (OH) - This club
holds monthly theme parties at their lodge near Nubs Nob (MI) and their
March party was a throwback to their college fraternity and sorority days
-- an Animal House Toga Party complete with a keg of beer and "skip
and go naked" punch. Members enjoyed a contest for the best toga,
pillow fights, and a frat house dance -- but food fights were limited
to outside the lodge.
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Condo
Crawl
Richmond Ski Club (VA) - Think
of it as a progressive dinner for ski area condo dwellers. The price was
just $20 and participants went from one condo to the other enjoying food,
libations and fun at four condos in Wintergreen Ski Resort (VA).
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E-mail
Renewal Notices
Space City Ski Club (TX) - The
largest ski club in Texas sends e-mail renewal notices -- even to those
members that did not renew last year but were members two years ago.
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Ski
Club Slide Show
Plaza/Edgeset Ski Club (OR)
- This Portland, Oregon club has produced a couple of photographic slide
presentations which they combined and called "Our Club In A Nutshell."
The show helps the club to entertain current members at meetings and recruit
new members and it's the perfect introduction to the ski club!
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Week-Long
Bicycle Trip?
Wilmington Ski Club (DE) - This
club is considering sponsoring a week-long bicycling or walking tour in
Europe next summer and is shopping for trips to the wine country of France,
Ireland, Scandinavia, Tuscany, or Holland. A sail/bicycle/walk trip of
the Greek Islands is also being considered.
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New
Member House Party
The Kansas City Ski Club (KS-MO)
- This club hosts a house party where the club president and other leaders
welcome new members, answer their questions about the club, and help the
new members learn everything they want to know (and perhaps more) about
the club.
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Collecting
Old Cell Phones
Somerset Singles Ski Club (MI)
- This club requested that members bring their old cell phones to their
July club meeting so that they can be reprogrammed to dial only 911 and
donated to a senior citizens emergency phone program.
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Study
Spanish In Costa Rica
The Bergfreunde Ski Club (WA-OR)
- While Costa Rica has become a popular destination for ski club vacations,
this club is organizing a trip for members to learn Spanish, learn the
culture, and visit the country while there.
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Party
Bus Bar Hop
Scottsdale Sea & Ski Club (AZ)
- This Scottsdale club is hosting a bar hop with a twist: They’re
traveling to the various bars via bus. Forty members will dance and party
at on Saturday, September 25 while enjoying adult beverages, sodas, pizzas,
and munchies on the bus.
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Support
Our Troops
Austin Skiers (TX) - The Austin
Skiers maintains a list of about 25 enlisted soldiers based in nearby
Fort Hood, Texas, and now in Iraq that need a connection to home. Members
are asked to sponsor one of the soldiers by writing letters, and sending
emails and care packages.
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007
Ski Trip
Fall Line Ski Club (NJ) - Billing
their trip to Grindelwald, Switzerland as the “007 Territory --
The Name is Bond, James Bond” ski trip because Grindelwald’s
lift-connected ski area, Schiltorn, contains the revolving Piz Gloria
restaurant on its top that was featured in the 1969 James Bond movie,
“On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”. And if their participants
don’t rent a copy of the movie before they leave, there is always
a loop of the scenes filmed there playing all day in the restaurant’s
screening room.
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Gold
Pass to Meetings
Fagowees Ski Club (OH) - This
club features adult refreshments at their meetings and charges $5 for
members and $6 for guests, offers prospective members a “Gold Pass”
which entitles the holder to a free admittance and a free newsletter upon
presentation at a club meeting. The date, location, and time of the meeting
is on the front and a map for the meeting location is on the back of the
pass.
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Ski-Bay
Birmingham Ski Club (AL) - The
large Birmingham Ski Club calls their garage sale of ski equipment and
clothing “Ski-Bay.” We just like the name.
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The
Price is Right TV Show
Tucson Ski Club (AZ) - This club
journeyed to Los Angeles in April to attend (and hopefully participate
in) the long-running TV game show, The Price is Right. While none of their
members were chosen to participate, the tickets to the show were free
and enjoyable and it proved to be a fun weekend.
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How
Many Places are Taken
Springfield Ski Club (IL) - In
addition to the normal information about their ski trips, the Springfield
Ski Club’s newsletter trip listing also notes how many places have
been sold on the trip, if there are openings, or if the trip is wait-listed.
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Joint
Ski Trips
Black Diamond Ski Club (PA) and Scranton
Ski Club (PA) - These clubs are joining two of their ski trips
to Sunday River and Telluride to obtain a critical mass to get group pricing
from the airlines, resorts, etc.
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Free
Ski Raffle
CSUS Ski Club (CA) - The California
State University at Sacramento Ski Club will hold a raffle for a free
pair of skis to be held at the club’s ski trip to Whistler, British
Columbia. The winner must be on their $600 week-long, drive-up ski trip
to accept the skis.
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Single
Mingle Jingle
Raleigh Ski & Outing Club (NC)
- For the fourth year in a row, the Raleigh Ski & Outing Club is hosting
a Christmas party for the club’s single members who may not have
family in the area -- or who just may prefer to be with their fellow ski
club members. The party will be from 1 to 5 p.m. on December 25 and refreshments
will consist of the traditional turkey and dressing and all the trimmings
and holiday parties and games will be played.
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Timely
Disclaimer
Erie Shore Ski Club (OH) - Given
the rising prices of fuel and increased airport security, resulting in
increases in airfare, this club priced each ski trip with the disclaimer
that “price does not include any additional airport or fuel surcharges
which may be imposed by the airlines at the time of departure.”
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Full
Package or Land Package
Space City Ski Club (TX) - For
their members with unused frequent-flier miles, the largest ski club in
Texas gives their members a choice on their ski trips of purchasing a
land-only basis or they may buy the trip complete with airfare.
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Lake
Tahoe Gambling Ski Trip
Jug & Mug Ski Club (MI) -
Staying in downtown South Lake, NV, next to the new Heavenly gondola,
this club will not only enjoy Heavenly’s 17 lifts in California
and 12 lifts in Nevada, but the many casinos and active nightlife of South
Lake -- hence the title of the trip.
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A
Full-Page Thank You Note
Central Jersey Ski Club (NJ)
- When a member who is a roofing contractor spent three days (with the
help of a couple of other members) replacing the club’s aging roof
on their ski lodge, the club ran a full-page article -- complete with
three photos of the work in progress and the contractor’s phone
number in bold type -- thanking him for his help. That kind of help deserves
a hearty thank-you and, after all, almost every ski club member has a
roof that may need work someday.
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Director
of New Skiers
The Richmond Ski Club (VA) -
This club has an officer position of Director of New Skiers whose job
is to encourage neophyte and would-be skiers to ski and inform them how
to get started in the sport. His April article in the club’s Pacesetter
was entitled “Shopping the Sales? Remember: Boots First!”
What has your club done to encourage and inform prospective and new skiers
this year?
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Gratuity
Reminder
The Jersey Skiters (NJ) - The
ad for next January’s ski trip to Big Sky stated in bold caps, “Gratuities
not Included”. The last thing any club needs is to be thought of
as cheap, so reminders can be a good idea!
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Ski
Pole Flags
Sly Fox Ski Club (WI) - This
sells club identifying flags for members’ ski poles for just $5.
They help advertise the club and are a great way to identify fellow-members
on the slopes.
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Journey
to the Top of Africa
Raleigh Ski and Outing Club (NC)
- Nine members of this club are travelling to Africa to trek up Kilimanjaro
in January, the highest freestanding mountain on earth. Surprisingly,
the climb can be done by most good hikers in good shape and does not require
technical skills.
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New
Years in New Orleans
Sitzmark Ski Club (MN) - The
Sitzmark Ski Club of Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN, is sending a trip to
the “Big Easy” for New Years -- December 29 to January 3.
Prices are quoted in double, triple, and quad occupancy and are subject
to changes in airfare. The trip is open to all Midwest Ski Council club
members.
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Study
Spanish in Costa Rica
Bergfreunde Ski Club (OR-WA)
- Two weeks living on the beach or cloud forest, while experiencing the
culture of Costa Rica and learning Spanish is the agenda of Bergfreunde’s
proposed trip for eight to twenty members in January. They will also relax
on the beach and watch volcanoes, but perhaps the most amazing part of
the deal is that is only $745 plus airfare.
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Dues-paying
and Trip Sign-up Party
Duneland Ski Club (IN) - The
Duneland Ski Club schedules their annual dues to be paid when the initial
trip sign-up occurs in order to do both at the same meeting.
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Copper
Mtn. VIP Lift Tickets
Birmingham Ski Club (AL) - The
Birmingham Ski Club is selling their Copper Mountain, Colorado, ski trip
complete with VIP lift tickets. The priority lift tickets allow holders
to circumvent the lift lines at the resort.
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Endless
Banana Splits?
Pittsburgh Ski Club (PA) - The
members of the Pittsburgh Ski Club discovered the enjoyment of an “endless
banana spit bar” that serves ice cream, bananas and over 57 toppings
for just $4.95 in metropolitan Pittsburgh. Participants of the event headed
there for an evening of fun and and gorged themselves.
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Early
Signups Save Money
The Harford Ski Club (MD) –
The first ten members who signed up on this club’s Sunday River
ski trip received a $10 discount off the price of the trip.
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T-shirts
for Cruise
Greater Charleston Ski Club,
(SC) – This club has ordered custom-made T-shirts for participants
of their upcoming Caribbean Cruise. The shirts will have the club logo
printed on the front pocket and the club name with a drawing of the ship
on the back -- along with a logo of a skier sitting in a lounge chair
with a drink in his hand and skis at his feet.
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Cross
Marketing
Iowa / East Iowa Ski Club, (IA)
– These clubs were both having trouble filling trips to Keystone
at Thanksgiving and Park City in March so both clubs began to advertise
in the other club’s newsletter in order to fill the trips.
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Coed
Flag Football
Sitzmark Ski Club, (WI) –
This Milwaukee club organized a coed flag football game on October 25
to help members get in shape for the coming ski season. While the flyer
for the game stated that no roughness would be tolerated, mouth guards
and a liability waiver were required. It’s these kind of activities
that attract younger members.
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New
Skier Scholarship
Wichita Ski Club, (KS) – This
club offers a $100 scholarship for family members who have never skied
or who have skied fewer than two times and want to learn the sport. The
$100 is applied toward the price a club trip for the spouse or children
of any member of the club. An application for the scholarship is provided
in the club’s newsletter.
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Reno
- North Lake Tahoe Ski Trip
Austin Skiers, (TX) – This club
will utilize Reno’s gambling-subsidized casino lodging to run a
ski trip to North Lake Tahoe’s 4,000 acres for just $599. They’ll
ski Squaw Valley, Northstar at Tahoe, Alpine Meadows and Mt. Rose.
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Survivor
Party
Birmingham Ski Club, (AL) – Attending
members, wearing safari attire, competed in tribal challenges, then danced
to a DJ’s music, at a party whose theme was taken from the TV series.
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Cheap
Ski Lessons
Western Pennsylvania Ski Council,
(PA) – This will be the ninth year that the Pittsburgh Ski Club has offered
learn-to-ski lessons at nearby Seven Spring Resort (PA) for just $22 for
skiers and $32 for the snowboard program. The price includes lift tickets,
equipment rental and ski or snowboard instruction from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
In addition, the Pittsburgh Ski Club will subsidize $15 of the council’s
fee for member’s ski or snowboard lessons -- but the number of those
subsidized lessons is limited.
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President's
Day
Richmond Ski Club, (VA) – The
Richmond Ski Club will honor many of their past presidents at their regular
membership meeting on February 4 to celebrate their club’s 50th
anniversary. There will also be lots of old Richmond Ski Club memorabilia
on display at the meeting.
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$575
Ski Trip to Salt Lake City
Snowflyers/Snowbounders Ski Club,
(CA) – Salt Lake City’s inexpensive accommodations, the Salt Lake
City Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Superpass, and flying Jetblue
Airlines from Los Angeles combined to make up a six-day ski trip in early
March for only $575 this season. And the trips each included four full-day
lift tickets! Their accommodations were double-occupancy at Salt Lake
City’s Ramada Inn and the Superpass is good at Snowbird, Alta, Brighton
and Solitude ski resorts. Pricing is certainly a major reason why 35 to
40 percent of ski club trips going to Utah are based in Salt Lake City!
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Ski
For Light Event
Chicago Friars Ski Club
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Discount
on Ski Helmets
Fall Line Ski Club, (NJ) – The
Bolle company offered this club their new $140 ski helmet for only $94
in order to test the product. The helmet is expected to be in stores in
2005.
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Fit,
Not Fat, Gourmet Dinner Group
Springfield Ski Club, (IL) –
This club has initiated a dinner group for those members who enjoy healthier
foods and/or who are trying to lose weight. Menu items for their first
group dinner included turkey vegetable pizza, cilantro caesar salad, saffron
carrot soup, lemon pepper swordfish, Greek green beans, apple cake --
and plenty of wine.
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Cross
Country Skis for Rent
Great River Ski Club, (IL) –
With the recent gift from the local park district, this club has quite
an inventory of cross-country skis, shoes and poles for both adults and
kids. Members can “check out” the equipment for a $10 deposit
for the ski season -- which is refundable when they turn the equipment
back in at the end of the season. It’s a great way to encourage
members to try X-C skiing!
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Learn
to Ski in 3 Days for $236Palmetto Ski & Outing Club,
(SC) – The Palmetto Ski & Outing Club’s race team is sponsoring
a new program to help club members (and prospective members) learn to
ski. The premise of the program is that most people can become intermediate
skiers with some dryland preparation sessions and three days on the snow.
With the help of their proven program, an experienced “ski buddy”
skiing with them and professional lessons, newbies can overcome obstacles
and learn to ski in a very short time. Cost of the program is $236 for
skiers and $272 for snowboarders. See more information at www.psoc.org.
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Honoring
Club's Veterans
Wichita Ski Club (KS) – The Wichita
Ski Club used most of the first two pages of their 4-page November newsletter
to honor their veterans. Six of the eight write-ups included photos of
the members in uniform.
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April
Ski Trip Saves $$
Kansas City Ski Club,
(KS-MO) – The Kansas City Ski Club’s “Spring Forward”
ski trip to Snowmass wraps up the ski season from April 2 to April 7 and
costs only $343 for four ski days, including a welcome party, because
the end of the season is so inexpensive. Lodging is minimum occupancy,
ski-in, ski-out condos.
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Clean
Up the Nation's Waterways
Columbia Ski Club, (MD) – For
the fifth year in a row, the Columbia Ski Club joined some four hundred
thousand volunteers in 100 countries who gathered on the third Saturday
in September for International Coastal Cleanup Day. Since 1986, volunteers
have picked up more than 70 tons of debris and recorded items collected
on standardized forms.
The Ski Club of Washington D.C. joined the International Conservancy
project to clean up the world’s waterways on Sunday, September 14
and worked to clean up the Shenandoah River near Washington DC. Learn
more about these programs at www.coastalcleanup.org/index.cfm.
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Unique
Floral Centerpieces
Gelandesprung Ski Club, (WI)
– The Gelandesprung’s spring banquet was decorated with fresh and/or
dried flowers arranged in children’s ski boots.
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