Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Primetimers,
As the holidays approach, it appears winter has found Maine again. Sunday River reports just short of a foot of new snow over the weekend and Monday. There’s the possibility of even more again toward the end of the week. We won’t depend on forecasts, but we can ski on the stuff now down! 53 trails now open and I imagine a bunch more will open by the end of this very important week.
Skiing last week, which many Primetimers participated in, was terrific. The man-made snow on the forty four or so open trails was very skiable. If you haven’t come up because you thought “no snow”, time to rethink it.
Are we ready to go?
The slopes are ready for us, the question is “are we ready for the slopes?” Even at this late date there are several small things you can do in order to lessen the opportunity for injury and hopefully lengthen your ski day without danger.
- Stretching. Especially the bigger muscles of the legs need some loosening up before we go and strap on the boards. Anything you choose to do is fine, and starting now with easy stretching will help make you feel better skiing and looser muscles are better friends in the case of an unexpected occurrence.
- Balance. We humans never evolved into the smarter animals that use all four paws on the ground, so we have to deal with only two contact points. Balance is key to staying upright and while sliding down hills at up to 40 mph, it’s even more important. One simple balance “save” while skiing could save you/us a potential injury. Work on balance exercise if you can.
- Equipment. I’ve been thru this before, and won’t put you back thru it again. Check your stuff before you ski. Helmet first!!! It’s the most important piece of stuff you own. Check binding “dins” or do so professionally. Skis, boots, etc. You know the drill. This is important stuff guys. They don’t make 50+ year old bodies like they used to. These things BREAK!!!
Consider a “Road ID”
Road ID is basically like a MedicAlert bracelet, but for athletics. They only cost $15 or so (I recommend the “slim” version), and come with a soft rubber band which goes around the wrist. You can have engraved anything on the five lines of type including who to contact in case of emergency, any drug contraindications, or allergies. You take it from here by checking out this link: http://www.roadid.com/c/RoadID.
Protect your skis for FREE with SR security.
Sunday River’s security department offers a service where you fill out a simple registration card including a description of your skis. They’ll give you a couple stickers for the skis and they haven’t permanently lost a pair of skis yet. The SR security office is located behind the day pass customer service desk (outside) to pick up a registration card.
Sunday River Ski Patrol Phone
Put this number into your phone, or even your favorites: 1-207-824-5350.
Skiing and meeting
Primetimers are currently meeting around 8:30-8:45 in the Mahoosac Room at South Ridge until the new year. Beginning January 2 or so, we’ll start meeting each weekday at North Peak (upstairs to the right) at 10 am. Everyone’s welcome!!
Website
I can’t possibly put everything on these mailings so I encourage you to look at the Club’s Website www.primetimeskiclub.com. You can use that link right there to get to it if you’d like and then save the site as a favorite. You’re going to need to use the site as the updates to activities, events, discounts, press articles in the Citizen, and even back copies of these newsletters are all there.
Activities/Events
We have 20 events listed for this winter already. We have several others also under consideration and we’re in a unique position of trying to reduce a few rather than add a few. Please visit the website to see all of the stuff upcoming including our next potluck scheduled for January 10th.
Discounts
We have great discounts again at many of our favorite restaurants and ski shops. In all cases you need to have your membership card with you (I suggest you have it in your wallet). When you go to a restaurant PLEASE show your card to the waitress WHEN ORDERING, not at the end. That way they will discount your bill for you when you get the bill. If a waiter/waitress rejects the card, ask for the owner/manager. Many newer employees won’t have all the information.
Corporate Ski Vouchers
All Board members now have Corporate Ski Vouchers. These will give all members the ability to gift friends and relatives 15% off the regular day ski pass rate. Contact any Board member for details and vouchers. Please note that SR requires a Primetime cardholder to go with the voucher holder in order to get the discount. Also, Primetime, note: This is a wonderful benefit to members from the mountain. Let’s use it for all our friends and family members, however please also be respectful to our hosts, Sunday River who gives us this great benefit.
Primetime-Sunday River relationship
I often get questions about our relationship with the mountain. Simply put, Primetime’s relationship with Sunday River has never been closer or better. Sunday River’s management and I discuss common interests such as ski security, marketing, vouchers, Go-50 week preparations, 1st tracks, race trail shutdowns, and numerous other things as they come up. We plan to ski with SR’s marketing team again this year and I hope to set up a day of first tracks with their President (for you, not me) some time in January. Sunday River supports your Club and continues to be a great place to spend the winter. If you have any questions or recommendations you may send them directly to SR or to me if Primetime related.
Bethel Citizen Article (Press)
Each Thursday the Bethel Citizen will have a Primetime Ski Club Update article again this year. Your VP, Pat Beliveau is writing the articles this year and has begun with the 12/13 paper. If you miss a copy, all are shown on the website under the “Press” tab.
Membership
It’s hard to say how many exactly in the club right now as renewals are just ending. We’ll give you a new count as soon after year end as possible. We do know that we have eight 80+ on the list, about half of whom still ski quite regularly. We have added 11 new members already including our first two international members (Great Britain), therefore, I guess technically we’re now the Primetime INTERNATIONAL Ski Club!!?? Anyone planning to renew, now has roughly two weeks to send a check in to Membership Chair, Anita Haskell, 8 Ruch Lane, York, ME 03909 (also on the website). As of 1/1 anyone not paid/renewed will drop off the mailing and membership lists.
Membership and Promotional Cards
A newer member caught me at the potluck with a valid question of “Is Primetime open to anyone to join (50 and over)”? It caught me by surprise, and as I thought about it, we never have said it outright. Primetime is non-discriminatory and open to all who wish to join who meet the age requirement. While we are primarily a SKI Club, we do have several members who wish to attend the social events only and ski rarely or never. That’s okay too. For clarity too, all members were provided several promotional cards last year (or when you join). Please feel free to give those to anyone who has questions or interest in joining Primetime. That’s why we made them!
A newer member caught me at the potluck with a valid question of “Is Primetime open to anyone to join (50 and over)”? It caught me by surprise, and as I thought about it, we never have said it outright. Primetime is non-discriminatory and open to all who wish to join who meet the age requirement. While we are primarily a SKI Club, we do have several members who wish to attend the social events only and ski rarely or never. That’s okay too. For clarity too, all members were provided several promotional cards last year (or when you join). Please feel free to give those to anyone who has questions or interest in joining Primetime. That’s why we made them!
Member Privacy
The Board discussed and agreed that we can do more to protect all members privacy rights and have begun the process with a reduced scale membership list. Beginning with the new list to be published in January, all members will be listed by name and phone number ONLY. Any other information about members will be available on an individual member-to-member basis between yourselves. The Board will hold all emails and structural addresses, however will not publish same. News from the Board and these newsletters will continue, however individual members will not have access to any mailing lists. This move protects both the security of all member’s emails and eliminates the overuse of bulk emailing by some as well as the potential for spam, hacking, and other maladies. Should any members wish to have their phones not published you need advise Anita abhask@aol.com AS SOON AS POSSIBLE in order to opt out.
Season Opening Potluck December 13th
About 35 of us had a great potluck, hosted by the Shivericks last Thursday night. A flock of brand new members brought with them a great deal of POSITIVE ENERGY. Several were so new they joined that night, while probably 10-12 others were new within the last year or so. Us OLD MEMBERS provided the experience of where to put the food and drinks down…..otherwise, NEW RULES. Additionally, we’ve added several good to great skiers to the club in the past year. Not that that’s a necessity, but it is nice to have a ski club with good skiers in it too!!! They can teach me a few things if I’m smart enough to follow them.
Board Meeting
Your Board had our first meeting of the new season on the 13th as well. As a reminder, your ALL VOLUNTEER, UNPAID BOARD is made up of four elected individuals and two appointed individuals who spend a great deal of quality time off the mountain in order to make for fun and enjoyment for all of us during the ski season. Sometimes it needs to be reinforced.
Your 2012-13 Board is:
President: Jeff Zucchi jeffzucchi@aol.com
Vice President: Pat Beliveau patbeliveau@myfairpoint.net
Treasurer: Bruce Marshman bru-ru@comcast.net
Secretary/Social Director: Suzie DuBois suziecurves@myfairpoint.net
Membership Chair: Anita Haskell abhask@aol.com
Nominating Chair: Mary Jane Shiverick mshiverick@yahoo.com
Keep these contact mails nearby and feel free to contact any of your representatives at any time.
Budget:
Your Board finalized the budget (same as provided last note). Bruce presented same to members at potluck and budget was ratified as presented.
Membership:
Board discussed membership privacy matters as well as other surrounding events of 2012 and decided to reduce the membership list to names and phone numbers only.
Membership numbers:
Assuming 90% renewal rate with an additional 10 new members (in addition to those already joined), the Club would hold 135+/- members. Board discussed an upper limit on membership and declined to go forward with same.
Primetime 25th anniversary:
Board is working toward a 25th anniversary party on 1/17. Pat Beliveau and Suzie DuBois are in charge.
Summary
In summary, plan for many events and much fun with a lot of great positive new energy in the Club this year. Our average Club size has increased in each of the last five years and our average age appears to have decreased during the same period. Most of our members skiing abilities have improved and it’s being proven out by the minimal number of injuries to Primetimers during the past year or so. Congratulations, we’re improving!!
Your Club’s stated goal remains the ability to ski with others, however our other goal of having a vibrant, growing, fun social club to the benefit of most members also appears to be progressing as well.
Wishing all the best of the Season.
Jeff
