Fernie Nordic Society 2017 YEAR END REPORT

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Lucas Harper
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1 Fernie Nordic Society 2017 YEAR END REPORT

2 Providing exceptional crosscountry skiing opportunities for residents and visitors of all ages A Message from the President of the Fernie Nordic Society The brief weeks between the end of our winter season and the beginning of our summer planning and preparation activities provides opportunity to reflect on the successes, challenges and highlights of our club. This season has no shortage of memorable events. From our resident moose (plural!), extreme snowfalls and extended grooming season (final groom at Easter), beautiful moonlight skis at both the Elk Valley Nordic Centre and Golf Course and first season of both our Hut Ambassador and Ski Patrol programs, this was a season of growth and maturation. As President, I have watched as the Fernie Nordic Society has grown from a Board of Directors who double as the core volunteer group to an organization that has a skilled and committed team of volunteers who coordinate all aspects of our programming - from coaching, trail maintenance and social events. We are a strong club dedicated to community and providing exceptional cross-country skiing opportunities for residents and visitors of all ages since We have seen our membership grow significantly in the last few years, but our objectives and mission are still relevant today. As we continue to improve upon our trails and expand on our grooming program, we aim to keep the cost of nordic skiing accessible for families. We are also aiming to expand social events throughout the winter, offering toonie and Little Critter races, moonlight skis and more competitive events for those that enjoy racing. As we grow, so do our needs for volunteers and leaders to take on the coordination and expansion of some of our programs. Your input and ideas are always welcome, and indeed encouraged. On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you so much for being part of the Fernie Nordic Society, and for supporting the growth of the sport in the Elk Valley. Watch for lots of opportunities to volunteer and get involved this winter. PAGE 1

Home 26% Renters & Visitors 5% 716 Annual Members Trail Useage Golf

3 In Fernie and Beyond! 57+ kids in Programs 510 Day Passes Full-time Residents 69% Second Home 26% Renters & Visitors 5% 716 Annual Members Trail Useage Golf Course Open Dec -Mar Averaged 235 skiers/week Elk Valley Nordic Centre Open December-April Averaged 789 skiers/week PAGE 2

A Shout out to all our Volunteers! Our activities are only possible because of the involvement of many volunteers.

A volunteer may help for a specific activity once or a few times during the season, or she/he may take over an activity spanning the entire season.

They share their time, talents and knowledge without compensation so it is crucial to us to acknowledge their contributions and their value to the entire Fernie Nordic Society.

4 A Shout out to all our Volunteers! Our activities are only possible because of the involvement of many volunteers. Volunteers are always welcome for activities happening at different times of the year. A volunteer may help for a specific activity once or a few times during the season, or she/he may take over an activity spanning the entire season. It all depends on each person's interest and his/her desired level of involvement. That being said, every volunteer is worth their weight in gold! They share their time, talents and knowledge without compensation so it is crucial to us to acknowledge their contributions and their value to the entire Fernie Nordic Society. To our Volunteer Groomers Grooming is of upmost importance to Nordic Skiing. Our group of Volunteer Groomers collectively volunteered more than 400 hours in the 2016/2017 season for the enjoyment of our skiers. Your early mornings and dedication on powder days does not go unnoticed! To our SDP Coaches and Den Parents Every week you brought your talents, enthusiasm and patience as well as your A- Game to the kids in our community. For all that you did for our children this past season, we salute you! To our Event Volunteers So you turned up to one of our awesome events and instead of just letting loose, you decided to dedicate your time and energy so others could participate. Amazing! Thank you for making each and every one of our events so much fun and successful! PAGE 3

To our Trail Ambassadors and Nordic Ski Patrol Your friendly smiles and helpful advice and knowledge were invaluable to our new and visiting skiers!

To our Gear and Inventory Volunteers Having the gear organized: so important Having it available to families in need: entirely helpful Collecting payments and information: a necessary paperwork trail

5 To our Trail Ambassadors and Nordic Ski Patrol Your friendly smiles and helpful advice and knowledge were invaluable to our new and visiting skiers! We re grateful for your enthusiasm for our trails and Society! To our Gear and Inventory Volunteers Having the gear organized: so important Having it available to families in need: entirely helpful Collecting payments and information: a necessary paperwork trail Having you as volunteers in the Society: Priceless To our Outstanding Board of Directors There are many reasons for the strength of the Fernie Nordic Society, but now it is time to acknowledge the importance of the leadership and guidance of our Board of Directors. Our six Board members are extraordinarily generous with their time, wisdom, and financial support. They ensure that the Fernie Nordic Society remains committed to its mission and guiding principles as well as finding ways for us to grow within our community and beyond. Our president, Megan Lohmann, combines a deep understanding of the Fernie Nordic Society s principles with a wealth of wisdom, practical judgment, and leadership experience in the Nordic skiing industry. Treasurer Matthieu Corriveau has been our financials guru extra-ordinaire bringing his organizational talents to our budgets and goals for upcoming years. Our Director of Events and Fundraising is so enthusiastic in bringing our community out for races, social gatherings and other fun times, cheers Samantha Sedlowsky. We wouldn t be getting anywhere if we did not have someone creating and maintaining the trails we ski on; the imagination and talents it takes to keep our trails in such amazing shape can only be pinned on Jim Miller and his amazing crew. Jeff Williams, our Director of Skier Development, has been promoting strong sportsmanship skills and responsibility throughout the season each and every year; thank you for teaching our teachers and children. PAGE 4

Our Growing Club PROGRAMS The Skill Development Program (SDP) offered to our young skiers by the Fernie Nordic Society was actually developed by the nation-wide organization Cross Country Canada.

6 Our Growing Club PROGRAMS The Skill Development Program (SDP) offered to our young skiers by the Fernie Nordic Society was actually developed by the nation-wide organization Cross Country Canada. The program is standardized across the country and all of our volunteer coaches are trained according to the established structure to provide a consistent level of training to our skiers. Jackrabbits 73 kids in weekly lessons Saturdays and Tuesday evenings our capacity! All lessons were taught by an impressive and dedicated 18 volunteers who arrived every week armed with games and techniques to properly introduce our next generation of skiers Ski S Kool FNS volunteer coaches brought jackrabbits to Isabella Dicken Elementary School for students grades 2-6 every week for 10 weeks this winter Fernie Nordic Racers Our race team roster continues to grow to an impressive 22 students coached by the amazing Jeff and Naomi every week including training in the off-season INFRASTRUCTURE Elk Valley Nordic Centre Over 10 kilometers of skate and classic groomed trails, including a connecting trail to Fernie Alpine Resort, all accomplished through a few volunteer groomers and our Bearcat snowmobile groomer; additionally we have the occasional use of a snow cat groomer Elk Valley Nordic Centre Warming Hut We offered full weekend access to our warming hut this year, and mid-week access while Trail Ambassadors were on site. The cozy and warm hut is available for rentals, and we are pleased to see so much great use of our facility! Fernie Golf and Country Club Nordic Trails Over 12 kilometers of Skate and Classic groomed trails all accomplished through a few volunteer groomers on a snowmobile groomer Adult Ski Lessons The Fernie Nordic Society is pleased to facilitate adult nordic ski lessons. All coaches offering lessons through FNS are certified with CCBC and have received LearnToTrain training, practical experience certification, Ethical Decisions Evaluation, and an external ski assessment. Both the private lessons and weekly group lessons proved very popular with our community. PAGE 5

The Seasonal Survey At the end of the season we circulated an online member survey. We had 104 respondents and this is what they had to say HOW OFTEN DID YOU SKI?

60% 1 2 3 4 (being perfect conditions) Whenever there were less than perfect conditions, this was a product of the snow, not the grooming, which has typically been really good this

Good place to practice skills and when you need an easy ski to recover from injury or illness.

7 The Seasonal Survey At the end of the season we circulated an online member survey. We had 104 respondents and this is what they had to say HOW OFTEN DID YOU SKI? a couple times/ season 8% 3 or more times/week 12% 1 to 3 times/month 33% 1 or 2 times/week 47% Rating the trails at the Golf Course 2% Rating trails at the EVNC 3% 23% 19% 22% 15% 56% 60% (being perfect conditions) Whenever there were less than perfect conditions, this was a product of the snow, not the grooming, which has typically been really good this year, thanks! It was a great season. Thanks for all your work improving and maintaining the trails. Good place to practice skills and when you need an easy ski to recover from injury or illness (being perfect conditions) I always love getting out there, and the Galloway loop is perfect length for a good workout. Love the Nordic initiative in Fernie and I am so appreciative of all the hard work. As a weekender, the trail reports are very important as I plan my weekend activities so if we could be more consistent about providing the trail report on Fri-Sat-Sun PAGE 6

Some of the Fun We Had 2 nd Annual Pumpkin Hunt An estimated 400 people attended the event with at least 275 pumpkins found hiding out in the woods around

Community Fun Race 57 participants between the ages of 4 and 71 skied out of the Elk Valley Nordic Centre staging area along various course lengths.

Great weather, great event, great food, and a great community of skiers.

8 Some of the Fun We Had 2 nd Annual Pumpkin Hunt An estimated 400 people attended the event with at least 275 pumpkins found hiding out in the woods around the Warming Hut! This event is such an amazing experience for the kids! Thanks to the volunteers and sponsors that made the event such a success. Community Fun Race 57 participants between the ages of 4 and 71 skied out of the Elk Valley Nordic Centre staging area along various course lengths. Approximately 60 spectators came out to cheer them on. There were bonfires, the wood stove, hot chocolate and delicious chilli available. Great weather, great event, great food, and a great community of skiers. Full Moon Skis These were designed to be an evening casual ski event for adult skiers. Three events were held at the golf course or the Nordic Centre over the 2016/2017 season. Although a new event for us, they proved popular with between 8 and 12 skiers for each event. PAGE 7

9 Where does your Membership Fee go? FNS Annual Memberships and annual spending are driven by our 5 Guiding Principles: 1. Volunteer Driven the time our volunteers dedicate to the Society allow us to keep memberships and trail fees as minimal as possible and allows us to host a variety of events and programs. 2. Safety Conscious - $18 of every membership goes to CCBC for insurance while you are using FNS operated trails. Our volunteers update and maintain safety plans each year. 3. Welcoming when you purchase an annual membership, you are investing in the Society and the trails. Our volunteers create and implement programs and events to enhance your skiing experience including group skis, lessons, and races. 4. Transparent you have invested in the FNS and we want to make sure you know how your money is working to improve the trails and infrastructure. 5. Affordable We have intentionally kept our membership and program fees as low as possible each year to ensure anyone and everyone can enjoy cross-country skiing in Fernie. Adult Membership $70 Family Membership $160 Events Events Facility Insurance and Operations Facility Insurance and Operations Infrastructure Maintenance and Improvements Grooming Infrastructure Maintenance and Improvements Grooming CCBC Insurance CCBC Insurance When you purchase your annual membership, you are supporting our long-term sustainability. Even though a significant amount per membership goes to insurance, the income from memberships is critical to our ability to expand grooming for example, it costs $35/km each time we groom the Elk Valley Nordic Centre, with the generosity of a volunteer groomer operator. That s $350 per groom. PAGE 8

2016/2017 PARTNERSHIPS Our deepest gratitude

supporting the Fernie Nordic Society and our

the Province of British Columbia" Galloway

Services CrossCountry BC One Environmental

Bagels Columbia Power Corporation Capitol

10 2016/2017 PARTNERSHIPS Our deepest gratitude to our community partners and donors for supporting the Fernie Nordic Society and our various programs, maintenance and infrastructure this year. "We acknowledge the financial assistance of the Province of British Columbia" Galloway Lumber Stephen Mulherin BP Industrial Services CrossCountry BC One Environmental Inc. Brad Zumwait Derek Higgins Big Bang Bagels Columbia Power Corporation Capitol Tire Fernie Auto Parts Isosceles Business Cameron Enterprises Carolyn Best Telus CrossCountry Canada PAGE 9

Smithers Golf and Country Club

P a g e 1 Smithers Golf and Country Club DRAFT Strategic Plan 2018-2023 Draft Approved by The SGCC Board of Directors: March, 2018 1 P a g e 2 Introduction The Smithers Golf and Country Club (SGCC) is