Cooler temperatures and the first hints of that long-awaited white fluffy stuff have prompted Kootenay skiers to start scheming and prepping for a new season of outdoor fun and fitness. Earlier this month, Nelson Nordic Ski Club’s Track Attack group held a fundraiser at the club’s annual ski swap to raise money to buy new and much-needed team uniforms — tops,tights, hats, warm-up pants and jackets.
The athletes, ranging in age from 9 to 14, held a bake sale and set up a waxing station where they cleaned, waxed, scraped and brushed club members’ skis for a reasonable fee. It was a win-win for all concerned, said parent Erik Leslie. “It offered a practical benefit for busy adults, getting one more thing off their to-do lists, while also honing the kids’ knowledge and skills at taking care of their own equipment,” he said.
Over a period of three hours, 15 kids and almost as many parents took part, and waxed dozens of pairs of skis. Together with the proceeds from the bake sale and donations, the group raised $499.35. It was so successful that the group now plans to make it annual event. The young skiers are excited to hit the trails. It’s just a matter of what will arrive first: new racing digs or snow?
BELOW: Kaleum Smith (foreground) scrapes a pair of skis, with dad Kurstun Smith, teammate Felix Barron, and coach Matt Nuttall in the background. (Karen Redfern photo)
LEFT: Track Attack skier Felix Barron, 12, carefully irons in wax to a customer’s bases. (Karen Redfern photo)
BELOW: Teammates (from left to right) Ira McKimm, 14, Tess Nuttall, 12, and Zoë Taylor, 12, excitedly prepare skis in anticipation of the coming nordic ski season. (Karen Redfern photo)
