By Carol Fisher-Linn
The giving spirit of Holiday Valley’s Ski Patrol…It’s all part of their DNA…..
The Holiday Valley Ski Patrol will be sponsoring their 30th annual Food Drive for the Ellicottville Food Pantry at the United Church of Ellicottville next weekend during the Mardi Gras Parade and Friday and Saturday outside of Tops. Once again co-chaired by HV Patrollers, Ansley Kelly and Rebecca Mansell, Kelly informs readers that they will be collecting non-perishables, canned goods, allergy friendly/gluten-free foods, toiletries, and paper goods. Cash/checks can also be donated on Friday, March 8th in front of Tops Markets during the hours of 5-9pm, on Saturday, March 9th again at Tops from 10am-6pm and finally, during the Mardi Gras parade itself. Look for the twenty to thirty Ski Patrol volunteers in their red jackets with white crosses on the back who will be wheeling grocery carts along the parade route to collect from generous spectators. Checks may be made out to The United Church of Ellicottville (Food Pantry on the note line).
Kelly reminds donors that ALL the proceeds of this drive will go directly to the United Church of Ellicottville Food Pantry. On average, they collect between $3500 to $5000 and 80 or more cases of food every year during this one weekend drive. Kelly stated, “People are so incredibly generous. I think we all recognize the gift of enjoying this beautiful town, it only seems right that we would support the folks who make it such a magical place. Our hope is that we can provide an opportunity for people to express that generosity and gratitude by supporting the great work being done by the United Church.”
People may not have any idea of the amount of time, effort and learning it takes to become a National Ski Patroller (NSP). Most Ski Patrol members volunteer their time. Let me tell you their story, as related to me by Dan Meess, forty-three-year NSP member and Historian for the Holiday valley Ski Patrol:
“The Holiday Valley Ski Patrol was founded in December 1957 even before the official opening of Holiday Valley in January of 1958. Bill Becker was the first Patrol Director, and with the help of Board of Directors John Brucker, Dutch Wolf and George Bianchi, they solicited money from the Ellicottville town merchants to purchase toboggans and necessary first aid supplies to begin our operations.
From the monies collected, we were able to buy toboggans (with handles).” The story goes on to tell how they operated on a shoestring in a room next to the boiler room in the Middle Chalet. Bandages were donated, blankets were purchased at W.T. Grant and taken home for laundering by members. Win-Sum Ski bought their first parkas with detailing hand sewn by a volunteer. From 31 members in 1977, … we have 126 members and operate with 30 radios, 25 fully equipped toboggans, 4 snowmobiles, 2 modern patrol rooms, 3 AED’s, 3 trauma packs and state-of-the-art chair lift evacuation equipment.”
This equipment costs money. The Ski Patrol holds an annual Beer and Sausage fundraiser during Fall Festival – brainchild of Joan Reynolds. These days, the event sells 600+ pounds of sausages and 200+ kegs of beer.
The coursework that these volunteers must complete is rigid and time consuming. The medical care portion for outdoor emergency care is very close to the EMT curriculum and content – far beyond the NYS First Responder curriculum. They are all skilled in CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and AED (Automated External Defibrillator – electric shock delivered to the heart during cardiac arrest). Ski Patrollers are also trained and skilled at Ski/snowboard and toboggan handling skills. Meess continues, “Today, our members are actively involved at all levels of the NSP hierarchy and have been recognized with many regional, divisional and national awards.” And remember, these volunteers must be recertified repeatedly so it’s not a one-and-done. Meess informed this writer that along with one RN and other members who work in the medical field, Holiday Valley is blessed to have a retired orthopedic surgeon who is both a Patroller and serves as Medical Director of Holiday Valley’s Patrol. Prior to coming to HV, he had served for many years as Medical Director for the entire National Ski Patrol.
Along with the volunteer effort the Holiday Valley puts forth for the Food Pantry in Ellicottville, the NSP WNY has a team of 12-20 riders in the Ride for Roswell for the past five years. The team consists of patrollers from Holiday Valley, HoliMont and other ski areas of WNY, plus family members and friends. This year they are also raising funds for the Empire State Ride to benefit Roswell Park. Although the team’s name is Holiday Valley, it includes patrollers from all over WNY.