Usually members of the Big Mountain Ski Patrol at Whitefish Mountain Resort are the ones delivering aid. On Monday, the local ski patrol will be in a rare position, hoping for a little support of its own.
The nonprofit organization is holding its annual fundraising event at 5 p.m.on March 19 at the Bierstube at Whitefish Mountain Resort.
The lively event raises funds for the organization’s scholarships and avalanche education programs. This year, the group gave out $1,300 to community members to attend first-aid or avalanche education courses. The courses are held annually at Big Mountain for a reduced cost to the students.
“We hope to be able to continue to offer these programs in the future and even expand them,” Tony Powell with the ski patrol said in an email. “We think that these programs are very valuable to the community, especially considering the recent (avalanche) incidents in the area.”
Admission to the fundraiser at the Bierstube is free but raffle tickets will be sold. Winners can receive a pair of skis, rafting and fishing trips and many other great prizes. The Moonshine Mountain Band will be performing during the event.
As someone who has seen firsthand how important and helpful our ski patrol is, I can say we’re lucky to have such a skilled and devoted group at Big Mountain. The organization deserves all the support we can offer.