On Monday, March 31, 2014 the 4th Annual Skinny Ski-A-Thon took to the snowy slopes of Squaw Valley in the pursuit of fun and philanthropy! The High Fives Foundation takes pride in emphasizing the word FUN in fundraising and this marquee event was no exception. With an enthusiastic field of 70 participants sporting skinny (older model, with a waist of 70mm or less) skis and ear-to-ear smiles, close to $30,000.00 was raised to help support athletes that suffer a life-altering injury while pursuing a dream in the winter action sports community.
A marquee fundraiser for the High Fives Foundation, the 4th Annual Skinny Ski-A-Thon was a family friendly event in which participants completed as many laps as possible on skinny skis. This exciting event was presented by Arcade Belt Co. and served as a coordinated campaign to increase the reach of the High Fives Foundation while enjoying the outdoors in great company.
The lap-count punch cards were constantly updated from 9am-4pm as skiers schussed down the mountain and into a dedicated chair-lift line for easy access to the fantastic snow conditions at Squaw Valley. Energizing snacks from Tahoe Trail Bar, popchips, Nature’s Bakery, Vermont Peanut Butter Co. and Cabot Cheese as well as refreshments from Zico Coconut Water and 7-Eleven (Carnelian Bay, CA) fueled participants to ski strong all day long in the midst of a late season snowstorm that brought over a foot of new snow to the trails at Squaw Valley.
Upon the conclusion of the on-snow event, all participants turned in their punch cards and the total runs were counted in preparation for the highly anticipated awards presentation at Fireside Pizza Company in the Village at Squaw Valley. Fireside Pizza Company also provided 15 pizzas so participants could eat on the chairlift and continue to ski laps.
Some of the highlights from this year’s incredible event include:
- Most Laps Skied: John Lange (41)
- Top Individual Fundraiser: Joe Commendatore ($3,130.00)
- Top Fundraising Team: Hula Tribe ($4,700.00)
- Most Creative Fundraiser: Jon Rockwood with the “Ron Jockwood” Video (https://vimeo.com/90084973)
A Lake Tahoe based, national 501.c.3 non-profit organization, the High Fives Foundation is dedicated to raising money and awareness for athletes who have suffered a life-altering injury while pursuing their dream in the winter action sports community. Formed as a way to “pay-it-forward” by Vermont native, Roy Tuscany, from his own recovery to help injured athletes; since its inception in 2009 the Foundation has raised more than $1 million to help 57 athletes recover as well as educate over 100,000 children through its B.A.S.I.C.S. program.
As the High Fives Foundation enters into its fifth year, the emphasis on community grows along with its expanded reach. Thank you to all involved in the 4th Annual Skinny Ski-A-Thon for helping High Fives grow and enabling the Foundation to continue to bring its positive mission to the incredible community of Lake Tahoe. With each successful event the High Fives Foundation moves closer to realizing the goal of expanding its offerings and becoming the safety net of the winter actions sports community.
View and share the photos from the 4th Annual Skinny Ski-A-Thon:
Facebook Photo Album: https://goo.gl/M8dpzn
Tumblr Photo Album: https://goo.gl/GzhHqU
