Meet the Scholarship Recipients of Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club!
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Meet the Scholarship Recipients of Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club! Clockwise: Hudson McNamee, Nordic Gabi Bonilla, Base Camp Aaron Howell, Paralympic Alpine Andra Saxson, Freestyle/Freeride Madison Bailey, Snowboard Galena Wardle, Alpine “The AVSC program means the world to me. Have you ever felt like if you didn’t have something, you wouldn’t be who you are without it? Well, that’s exactly how I feel about the AVSC program. ” —12-Year-Old Scholarship Recipient Scholarships Open Doors for Children to Succeed On the Mountain, In School, & Throughout Their Lives very one of the more than 2,250 children and youth who participate in the winter sports programs of Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Hi, E Club has a unique story to tell. The following pages feature the stories of half a dozen of our participants — one representing each of our six programs. My name is Daniel. I am writing this letter because I was hoping you guys could help me out with my AVSC The benefits these young people describe are simple yet profound Scholarship because this year my parents had my and life-changing. They transcend the development of skills: baby brother Abraham, and she has to pay $500 to long-term friendships, self-esteem, values, mentorship with positive adult role models, sense of belonging, community. take care of him and my dad only works six hours a day and my Mom has to pay all the bills. This year it We have singled out these six young people because their participation was hard for my mom to pay my school fees. in AVSC is made possible by our generous supporters. These participants have each received Scholarships enabling them to ski I am trying to get a job when I’m 14 so I can help out or snowboard and pursue their individual goals — and dreams . We could with the bills. Another reason I want to do AVSC have chosen hundreds of others to tell their stories as one in every three of our participants receives financial aid. And 99% of participants receive again is because in my school I don’t have many a subsidy as the cost of providing our services exceeds their program fees. friends because I’m special, at least that’s what my parents say and when I go with AVSC I make a lot of Just imagine what it would be like to live in the Roaring Fork Valley friends and for the first time I feel like I’m worth without the means to enjoy the incredible mountains that surround something so please can you help me out with this us. Imagine having two categories of residents — those families whose children can afford to ski or ride and those who can’t. But, thanks to the Scholarship to AVSC? generosity of our supporters, all children from Aspen to Glenwood Springs who want to ski or snowboard can do so. Thank you. Daniel Assistance in the form of direct Scholarships, free equipment, and free bus service make the dream of skiing or snowboarding a reality for the valley’s children. Every year donors to AVSC’s Children’s Scholarship Fund enable us to say “yes” to children like Daniel (please see letter at right). “They are the future citizens of our community. What we are going to have 10 to 15 years from now in our community is what we are making now.” — Ligia Bonilla Galena Wardle, 15-years-old — Alpine Program “You have all of these coaches helping you to be the best, giving you support and confidence. You trust them, and each step you make it farther.” — Galena Wardle After joining AVSC in 2001, Galena progressed through the ranks of Aspenauts, SnoWarriors and Ridge Runners. Now a 15-year-old U16 racer, Galena, along with three other AVSC participants, was invited this past April to Park City, Utah, for a first-ever national championship in this age group. Only the 60 best U16 alpine racers in the country were chosen to participate. Points were awarded in Freeskiing, Giant Slalom, Slalom, and Parallel events, as well as a skills evaluation, and Galena finished fifth among the girls. Galena credits her AVSC coaches for helping advance her skiing abilities over the years. “My instructors are awesome,” Galena In May of 2012, Galena trains for Giant Slalom on Buttermilk. The says. “They each have different skills, 2012-13 season marked Galena’s tenth year with AVSC they’re really good technically, and t is not surprising that alpine participant Galena Wardle they make training with them a really excels at ski racing. As the daughter of two Snowmass ski good time.” I professionals, Christine Noret-Wardle and Gregg Wardle, Her father Gregg credits AVSC she donned ski boots shortly after learning to walk. and the community for their contributions to where Galena is Encouraged down her first black diamond — Gregg explains that Galena, who is named after a high mountain today. “Galena has a lot of wonder ful Baby Ruth in Snowmass — with Babe Ruth pass in Idaho, was only 14-months-old when her parents stuffed support from both the community candy bars, Galena began skiing when she was socks into her boots and took her skiing for the first time. When and AVSC, and that comes back just 14-months-old. she was four-years-old, they encouraged her down her first black to the core of what AVSC is all about,” he explains. “In large part, the community diamond run, Baby Ruth in Snowmass, by placing Baby Ruth candy supports AVSC because of its outreach to kids throughout the valley and how it bars for her to retrieve alongside the run. “She giggled and had involves them in what is really a great part of Colorado and the ski world.” fun,” says Gregg. “For the next couple of years, she kept asking, ‘Where are the Baby Ruths?’.” continued on next page Galena’s “far-off goals” are to “join World Cup, win World Cup, and go to the Olympics.” As is true of so many AVSC athletes, Galena excels in school and in other sports as well as on the mountains. She was a straight A student in middle school, and she maintained that record in her first year at Aspen High School where she is on the Girls Lacrosse Team. She likes writing and math, wind surfs, and rides a unicycle. Galena’s “far-off goals” are to “join World Cup, win World Cup, and go to the Olympics.” Once again, she credits her coaches for believing in her and helping her believe in herself. “You have all of these coaches helping you to be the best and giving you support and Many AVSC participants are all-around athletes. In 2008, Galena earned the “Bear” award as confidence,” she explains. “You trust them, and each Galena enjoys windsurfing, and is on the Aspen the top J5 AVSC female participant. J5 skiers step you make it farther.” High School Girls Lacrosse Team. are ages 8- to 11-years-old. Alpine Program “The coaches spend maybe 14 hours a weekend with the kids. A lot of the time they are not on the snow. They’re on chair lifts or having lunch. We’re always striving to find the best fit between the coaches and the kids. Being a coach is demanding. You have a lot of kids to take care of, and you want to make all of them feel they are as important as any other kid. And they are.” — Greg Needell, Alpine Program Director The AVSC Alpine Program has a proud history of developing some of the best ski racers in U.S. history, including national and international champions. Alumni include Wiley Maple, Alice McKennis, and Katy Ryan, who are on the U.S. Team. AVSC racer Julia Mueller-Ristine was the only female from the U.S. to compete at the 2012 World Youth Olympic Games where she placed 12th in slalom. AVSC alpine staff play a key role in Aspen’s hosting Women’s World Cup races, with Coach Pat Callahan serving as Chief of Race for the past five years. Gabriel Bonilla, 10-years-old — Base Camp Program “I like going high . I feel like I’m in heaven.” — Gabriel Bonilla ll three of Ligia Bonilla’s boys are long- AVSC is an opportunity for Gabi to spend time Gabi, who begins sixth grade in Carbondale’s time AVSC participants. Eighteen-year- with friends for eight Saturdays every winter. Crystal River Elementary School in the fall, likes A old Ladibel is a snowboarder, and “I have a friend Aaron who I’ve known basically math, science, reading, and building things like 13-year-old Elmer and 10-year-old Gabriel are my whole life since preschool,” Gabi explains. the Navy Seals boat he made last fall for a Cub skiers. But Ligia explains that Gabi needs AVSC “We talk about skiing and jumps.” He adds that Scout project. The three Bonilla boys and their even more than her two other sons. “Gabi is the his favorite coach is Isaac and that he enjoys mother are all involved in scouts. Ladibel is an most active one,” Ligia says. “All his energy “throwing snowballs at our coaches.” continued on next page needs to go in a positive direction.” For Gabi, his participation in AVSC’s SnoWarriors program is about action and friendship. Gabi loves going off the jumps and rails in the terrain park. “I like going high,” he says. “I feel like I’m in heaven.” Base Camp is a recreational program where participants have fun and enjoy the opportunity An early school photo shows Gabi at work on a Ten-year-old Gabi is proud of the Navy Seals boat to make friends with kids from communities construction project.