Two things pump up the skier adrenaline preseason: falling snow and ski flicks. For annual fundraisers, Flathead Valley Ski Education Foundation provides the visual fuel for ski and snowboard junkies to amp up the excitement for the upcoming winter.
The latest Warren Miller flick rolls into town this weekend, Nov. 14-15. Children of Winter pounds out the rhythms of Cream’s “White Room” as skiers and snowboarders sink turns head deep into powder. The film rounds up snow footage from Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Idaho, and Alaska. It throws in exotic locations, too, such as Austria, Japan, and Iceland—all blended to celebrate winter.
FVSEF presents three showings of the film: on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and both Saturday and Sunday nights at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at Sportsmans, The White Room, Hidden Moose Lodge, and the O’Shaughnessy Center. Saturday afternoon tickets cost $15 for adults and $8 for kids under eight years old. Evening tickets cost $18 for adults and $12 for students.
The ski foundation also puts together one huge fundraiser each year—the upcoming Showcase of the Chefs. “It’s our major fundraiser for the year,” says FVSEF president Richard Kramer. “We’ve done something similar to this every year since 1973.”
Chefs from Café Kandahar, Tupello Grille, Whitefish Lake Restaurant, and the Grill at Grouse Mountain lodge whip up the dinner, and the Red Caboose Diner bakes the desserts. The showcase includes wine, too. “It’s really a fun night,” adds Kramer, who plans to involve one more restaurant in the event.
The showcase event, which also has both silent and live auctions, takes place Dec. 4 at Grouse Mountain Lodge and costs $75 per person. Tickets are available at Grouse, Hidden Moose Lodge, or by calling Kramer at 250-9786.
Funds raised through both events supports the race and freestyle teams at Whitefish Mountain Resort. “The money raised help keeps program fees lower for the kids,” explains Kramer. “We supply funding for a professional coach for the race team, and we also offer scholarships for kids that need help to participate in the programs.”