Get Ready to Slide!
Get Ready to Slide!
Penguin Paddle at Holiday Valley continues its mission to raise money for LASP
Since the dawn of skiing, we as humans have mastered the best ways to get from the top of a slippery slope to the bottom to achieve maximum levels of fun. Most popularly, humans choose to ski or snowboard at resorts all across the country. However, one day a year, right here at Holiday Valley, snow enthusiasts take on the most daring (and fun) method of all time. The one where you slide down the mountain on your belly, face first, in a garbage bag… The Penguin Paddle!
Holiday Valley’s Penguin Paddle is coming up again. The Penguin Paddle is one of Holiday Valley’s most popular and anticipated events of ski season, made even better by the fact that it’s for a great cause. Powered by our amazing Lounsbury Adaptive Ski Program, all proceeds go to supporting LASP athletes and the volunteers that make it possible.
This year’s Penguin Paddle will take place on Saturday, February 22nd. It’s an all-day event set up slopeside at Yodeler Lodge. And the Penguin Races aren’t the only thing happening (though, even if it was, I think we would all be more than satisfied). A $10 buffet lunch will be served, plus a silent auction and raffle full of great prizes. The raffle will take place outside of Yodeler Lodge, and tickets can be purchased onsite from any representative Lounsbury Adaptive Ski Program instructor. One ticket for $5 or 5 tickets for $20. As for the silent auction, prizes range from ski gear to home decor to gift certificates for your favorite Ellicottville shops and restaurants.
About the Lounsbury Adaptive Ski Program: Holiday Valley is so lucky to have the incredible Lounsbury Adaptive Ski Program to bring physically disabled athletes to the slopes. The program takes athletes on instructor-guided ski runs all across the Holiday Valley area, ensuring that everybody gets a chance to enjoy the winter months as actively as possible. The program was founded in 1988 following the community’s loss of Bill Lounsbury, a Holiday Valley Ski Patrol member who lost his leg to cancer in 1982. Miraculously, Bill taught himself to ski on one leg. Bill lost his battle to cancer only a few years later, but his friends and coworkers were so moved by his nerve to keep enjoying the sport he loved, that they founded the program in his honor.
In its early years, only a few lessons were taught. Today, hundreds of lessons are taught in a given season. Bill singlehandedly altered the way we look at snowsports and forever changed the dynamic of Ellicottville skiing and riding. Now, our community is focused and committed to inclusivity in sports. We celebrate everyone, despite their abilities, and just enjoy the sport we all care so deeply about (story details provided by lounsburyadaptive.org).
And the Paddle is a perfect opportunity to not only honor Bill’s legacy and support a great program, but to get goofy, have a laugh, and win some prizes! You can find more information on the Penguin Paddle at holidayvalley.com/event, and see more specific updates on the Lounsbury Adaptive instagram page (@lounsburyadaptive). If you are interested in becoming a LASP athlete, a volunteer, or a donor, you can check out lounsburyadaptive.org.