January 28, 2004
Mt. Holiday offers lift for cash-strapped
Herald photo by Carol South
As part of their mission to bring skiing to the community, the board of Mount Holiday Ski and Recreation Area is offering two scholarship opportunities for children from low-income families. Jeff Morrison, executive director of Mount Holiday Ski and Recreation Area, and his staff are ready to give up to five young skiers a day free lift tickets and equipment rentals; a program to provide free ski lessons is also being developed.
Ski scholarships provide lift tickets and equipment for low-income youth
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
With a successful ski season underway, Mount Holiday Ski and Recreation Area is working on its next goal: provide children who cannot afford to ski access to their facilities.
One of only five nonprofit ski areas in the country, the Mount Holiday board takes its mission of community outreach and education seriously. Since opening this year on December 21, they have been searching for interested skiers who cannot afford lift tickets or equipment rentals.
Two scholarship programs - the Tom Hall Skiership and the Warren Brosch Memorial Scholarship - will get these kids on the hills.
The facility has designated five slots per day to low-income youth. If the five slots are not filled on a given day, walk ins will be welcome. However, the organization prefers that skiers pre-register to ensure they have the equipment available.
"It was one of the founding members of the organization who really raised the money to bring Mount Holiday back, he formed as part of our charter mission to make it accessible to people who ordinarily would not be able to afford to ski," said Jim Kalajian, president of the Mount Holiday board.
"Skiing is generally a sport of privilege, you can spend $50, $60, $70 bucks real fast," Kalajian noted. "Because of our status as a nonprofit, we felt it was important to deliver on our promise not to turn a kid away who can't afford to ski."
The board decided to determine who qualified for the scholarships based on the school lunch program. Students who were eligible to received reduced-price school lunches will be eligible for the Mount Holiday scholarships.
However, Kalajian noted that the organization has not been able to get the word out effectively to parents in the school system. They are coordinating with the Traverse City Area Public Schools superintendent's office on a way to let parents know of this opportunity. Kalajian said that the organization is looking forward to hearing from low-income parents and getting these scholarships in use.
"We don't have the resources to do our own testing and the schools do a good job of that, making sure they show some need to get into the school lunch program," he noted. "If it is good enough for the schools, it is good enough for us."
Mount Holiday is also kicking off a fundraising campaign to pay for ski lessons for low-income youth.
"It's one thing to give them a lift ticket, skis and boots and push them down the hill and another thing to teach them to ski," Kalajian said.
The Warren Brosch Memorial Scholarship is in memory of the long-time owner who died in an accident at Mount Holiday in November of 1999. The family ran the ski area for a year before deciding to sell it, a prospect that had developers salivating over a prime piece of real estate.
The other scholarship honors Dr Tom Hall, who was instrumental three years ago in forming a group to purchase the property when the Brosch family offered it for sale. Hall's father, Dr. James Hall, was one of the founders of Mount Holiday in 1949 and Tom Hall was determined to preserve the ski area for future generations.
Since it's opening, Mount Holiday has been a hit with the community. Kalajian noted that all season passes, nearly 500, have been sold and the hills are packed with skiers.
Jeff Morrison, executive director of the facility, has noticed another trend.
"It's kind of amazing, people just stop by for burgers with their families and won't even ski," he said. "They just want dinner."
For more information on Mount Holiday Ski and Recreation Area scholarships, call 938-2500 or via email at info@mt-holiday.com.