YMCA, ski center help youths get active
VERNON — The President and Chief Executive Officer of the YMCA of Greater New York, Sharon Greenberger and more than 200 local youth visited the National Winter Activity Center in Vernon for lessons in skiing, snowboarding, and much more.
Participating youth included NY borough Y members which the YMCA of Greater New York serves and members of STOKED an award winning youth development program out of Brooklyn.
The National Winter Activity Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the nation’s first dedicated winter sport facility created for youth only. The NWAC exclusively serves youth 6–17 years old, from all economic backgrounds through partnerships with youth organizations. The center’s mission is to improve the overall health and fitness of our nation’s youth by providing access to winter sport activities, skill development, healthy meals and mentoring.
This past Saturday’s event is one of seven-sessions as part of a program in which local youth are enrolled. They are instructed on a 1-to-8 ratio by PSIA and United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) trained “coaches.” The children were fully equipped with gear and met with their coaches to receive on-snow training, with a snack and meal in between. In total, participating children will experience about 40 hours of outdoor activity during a time of year when they typically opt to stay indoors and become sedentary.
“National Winter Activity Center provides a one of a kind opportunity for youth who would typically not have the chance to experience winter activities such as skiing and snowboarding,” said Schone Malliet, founder and CEO of the National Winter Sports Education Foundation. “Part of our goal is to help reverse the low retention rate in winter sports, while combatting childhood obesity and inspiring a lifelong habit of regular exercise during the winter months.”
“As a strong supporter of the Center and its mission, it is very rewarding to see these kids in action,” Greenberger said. “We believe this opportunity will change many lives of our members and we’re seeing the effect already, with many smiling faces and kids on skis and boards moving down the mountain on their own.”
The NWAC hopes to impact several thousands of lives and inspire a new generation of skiers in children of all economic backgrounds this winter. The organization has set benchmarks of introducing 4,200 children to snow sports over the next three years, retaining 50 percent as adaptors and encouraging 10 percent to eventually enter the world of competitive winter sports. Additionally, NWAC will also have competitions as part of the renovations including a complete development of the Competition Trail. U.S. Ski Team athletes will visit and ski with the kids, providing motivation and instruction.
Upon acquiring the Hidden Valley property, the NWAC invested more than $12 million toward overall improvements including new lifts, snow-making machinery, and renovations to the lodge. Inside the lodge, offices in the basement have been transformed into a brand new locker room, a bar was removed for additional dining space, and all bathrooms as well as the kitchen were completely renovated and brand new appliances were installed. On the exterior, the lodge has been freshly painted and old decking removed. An old race building on the property was demolished and a new building constructed to house competition, ski patrol and operations activities. Important partners of the National Winter Activity Center include Ted Ligety, U.S. Ski Team, Olympian and World Champion, USSA, the International Ski Federation (FIS), the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), SnowSports Industries America (SIA), Powdr Corp, Royal Trailworks, and HKD Snowmakers among others. For more information about the National Winter Activity Center, please visit winter4kids.org.