Skiing is stupid.
Skiing is too expensive. It's too dangerous. Too cold. Too far away. It uses too much water, releases too much carbon, and cuts down too many trees. Left to its own devices, it drives social inequality. This is a list I recite whenever someone tells me they are thinking of taking up downhill skiing. My advice: Don't ski unless you have to.
We must ski.
At the same time, for some of us, there is no going back. Perhaps it is because of commitment to family, to lifelong friendships, or to transcend the hostility of winter. We are compelled to be in the middle of a mountain forest for seven hours at a stretch as a way of pushing back against the endless hours with eyes locked on a flickering screen. We ski to reclaim joy in our lives. I am thrilled to be skiing on Mondays when I would otherwise lose those hours to an already bloated schedule of sitting. I ski for the thrill of going deeper in the turns, of becoming more confident on the steepest slopes, and of being intensely physical. I refrain from taking ibuprofen the rest of the week to relive that thrill every time I get up out of my chair and am startled by the stabbing pain in my legs.
"What then must we do?"
In the face of the conflict between the joys and the impacts of skiing, I am grateful for the opportunity to forge a connection: If ski we must, how can skiing drive social justice? Specifically, how can the successes of Vermont's ski economy translate into thriving Vermont communities? This is the logic underlying the Stratton Community Foundation and the annual Stratton24 fundraising competition held each March. Since 2013, the Foundation has raised over three million dollars to provide everything from college scholarships to food, clothing, and shelter. Up and down the valleys of Southern Vermont, the Foundation's Angel Outreach Network of middle and high school kids, churches, and small businesses is directly connected with their neighbors, where they are able to respond whenever and wherever there is an opportunity to help. The Foundation supports meaningful improvements to the public schools and extends access to life-altering physical and mental healthcare services.
If ski we must, let it promote thriving communities.
Please support me as I join hundreds of athletes to help children in need. Your generosity will help fight hunger, provide basic necessities, sustain critical health services, and build innovative educational programs for communities in Southern Vermont. Thank you!
