Fundraising Campaign Reaches $6,830
Posted: June 6th, 2011 | Author: Andy Dickson | Filed under: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »Diminishing financial resources and aging equipment are significant challenges facing the cross country ski program at Allegany State Park. For two years skiers have not paid any fees to enjoy the Art Roscoe Trails and now is the time for us to step forward. The Allegany Nordic Steering Committee and park management are in agreement that new equipment is the most important thing Allegany Nordic can provide to keep trail grooming a part of the skiing experience at ASP.
Please come forward with your financial support. Visit the CONTRIBUTE page to learn more about the equipment we hope to purchase and how to make a tax-deductible donation.
Contributors to the campaign have offered their perspectives on this fundraising campaign. Click on this post heading to view their insights.
ALLEGANY NORDIC MAKES FIRST EQUIPMENT DONATION TO PARK
Allegany Nordic donated a new trail roller and compactor to Allegany State Park at its November 5th cross-country skiing open house and ski swap.
Chad Herrick and John Snyder (left) of ASP stand with Allegany Nordic skiers behind the new trail roller
The YTS Roller & Compactor donated by Allegany Nordic is 300# and made of steel and high density polyurethane. It was manufactured in Montana by Yellowstone Track Systems, Inc. whose grooming equipment has been used at Nordic venues and Olympic competitions in Canada and the U.S.
“The park staff have done a fantastic job of trail maintenance with very limited resources,” said Andy Dickson, co-founder of Allegany Nordic. “We hope our support can take the cross-country skiing experience at Allegany State Park to new highs. It’s an honor to partner with Allegany State Park and its dedicated staff to deliver the best possible skiing conditions.”
Fundraising by Allegany Nordic was facilitated in part by the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation. Because Allegany Nordic is not yet a 501(c)3 charitable corporation, the CRCF receives contributions on the skiers behalf so that donations are tax-deductible.
“Our fundraising isn’t finished, by any means,” Dickson continued. “Much of the park’s equipment is still very old and in need of replacement. With the state budget looking very tight for the foreseeable future, our work is cut out for us.”
… I’m at least sending a check for the fundraising campaign. A question that came up: The park has plans for things such as storage near the summit, expanding/renovating the warming hut, etc. My (a skier’s) input for what it’s worth: I think the priority should be making sure there is working trail grooming equipment. The website says the park is NOT going to purchase a new snowmobile, and we MIGHT be able to help out with repairs to the Scandic with donated funds. That doesn’t make me too confident with expecting trails to be groomed consistently. I’ve seen other areas that offer x-c skiing and they make changes for creature comforts, but don’t seem to realize that without the grooming equipment working…there is no skiing. No one’s going to care if the warming hut is renovated or bigger, or if the signage is nice, or if there’s a leanto on the trail, or if there’s food available, or even if the roads are plowed well, if the trails aren’t groomed.
Groomed trail are what draws the skiers. Salmon Hills in Redfield found out that you can offer lodging, massage, home cooked food, etc., but if you don’t have consistency with the trail grooming, the skiers stop coming…. If I’m responding to a fundraising effort for donations to keep skiing viable, I want to know that my money is going for trail grooming first and foremost. Anything else is just icing on the cake once I’m confident the trails will be groomed when I drive 2 hours to ski in such an awesome area as Allegany State Park. We hope the park continues to do as great a job as last year.