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PENNSYLVANIA
SKI AND WINTER SPORTS MUSEUM
&
Hall of Fame
NEWS For
further information:
For immediate release tedheck@comcast.net
215 884 8843
April 23, 2007
NEW
HALL OF FAME MEMBERS FOR SKI MUSEUM
Olympic skiing gold medalist
Diann Roffe schusses into the Hall of Fame of
the Pennsylvania Ski and
Winter Sports museum at a special luncheon on May
19 at Liberty Mountain Resort
in Carroll Valley.
She will be joined on the
podium by six other honorees who have made major
contributions to winter sports
in the state. Families, friends, industry
and government officials will
attend.
Roffe, who won the giant
slalom race at
Lillehammer
,
Norway
, in 1994, was
long associated with the
Roundtop,
Liberty
and Whitetail resorts in
marketing and skier
development programs. A well-known motivational
speaker and television
personality, she is also a member of the National
Ski Hall of Fame.
Other honorees include Bill
Bendl, Gregg Confer, David Fowler, George
Hannon, Pete Snyder and Eliot
Woodbridge.
Bendl is vice president of
Atomic Ski Country, with a long career in sales
and promotional programs
designed to expand the industry and encourage
newcomers to the sport.
Confer, general manager of Elk
Mountain Resort, is a civic and community
leader who has been in sales
and operations for more than three
decades.
He is president of the Pennsylvania Ski Areas Association and
board member
of the Governor's Pennsylvania Tourism Partnership.
Fowler, a veteran who lost a
leg to a land mine in
Vietnam
, has been a key
figure in the growth of skiing
for the "52 Association," which is
dedicated to rehabilitating
other wounded GIs by developing adaptive
sports programs in the state
and across the nation.
Hannon, longtime member of the
ski patrol at Ski Roundtop, is an alternate
director of Eastern Region of
the National Ski Patrol. He has received
many honors for his leadership
and outstanding service.
Snyder, another NSP member,
has been a key figure in training programs in
ski instruction, first aid and
survival techniques. He is the recipient of
many awards for his personal
accomplishments, and for inspiring other
patrollers.
Woodbridge
, noted as a visionary, was a founding member and later
president of the Eastern
Pennsylvania Ski Council. He played a big role in
the development of racing
programs, with an emphasis on safety.
The seven new members of the
Hall of Fame will bring to 48 the number of
honorees, whose achievements
are recorded in the museum's exhibits. The
museum is located in the main
lodge of the Camelback ski area in
Tannersville.
A special feature of the
induction ceremony at Liberty Mountain Resort
will be a keynote address by
John Fry, another member of the National Ski
Hall of Fame. Fry is a
prominent historian who recently published "The
Story of Modern Skiing."
The public is invited to the
ceremony at Liberty Mountain Resort. Tickets
for the luncheon can be
purchased from Ellie Jessum at 610-754-7034.
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By
Ted Heck
Irvin S. Naylor,
founder and owner of Snow Time, Inc., was inducted on May 8, 2004, into
the Hall of Fame of the Pennsylvania Ski and Winter Sports Museum, when
eight veterans of the 10th Mountain Division were also saluted.
The souvenir booklet distributed at the ceremony at the Camelback Ski
Area, where the museum is headquartered, says that Naylor “has been a
driving force within the U.S. industry in Pennsylvania and the nation for
more than four decades. He is a visionary who is committed to skiing and
the industry that has developed around the sport. This is apparent in the
way he structured his areas, Roundtop, Liberty, Whitetail and Windham to
provide a quality experience.”
Naylor was in good company. The eight veterans who were inducted were
members of the legendary ski troops of World War II, the first infantry
division to train for winter combat. The 10th fought heroically
in the rugged Apennine Mountains of Italy. They achieved major objectives,
while suffering heavy casualties.(The 10th is still fighting in
the mountains; they’re hunting for Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan.)
The souvenir booklet was dedicated to these “Soldiers of the Summit,”
who came home to start ski areas, found ski schools, serve on ski patrols
and work in related industries. Those honored in May are either native
Pennsylvanians or men who made contributions in our state to the
development of winter sports.
They include Bill van Ingen, who has
given more than a half century of distinguished service to ski clubs and
organizations, the National Ski Patrol and the active association of the
10th division. He is the current president of the Pennsylvania Ski and
Winter Sports Museum. His induction in the local Hall of Fame is the
second such honor. Last November Bill became a member of the Vermont Hall
of Fame.
Albert Dowden’s
love of skiing and his desire to preserve its heritage were major forces
behind his leadership in founding the museum. He was its first president.
Peter Austin
devoted a lifetime of service to the National Ski Patrol as both a staff
member and volunteer. He founded the NSP’s Alumni Association, composed
of men and women often referred to as “samaritans in the snow.”
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Paul Kitchen,
an avid recreational skier who is often on the slopes in the Poconos, the
west and Europe, has been a trip leader and organizer of skiing events. He
is secretary of the 10th’s national association and has
received its Distinguished Service Award.
Two other non-10th inductees into the Hall of Fame were Marilyn
Hertz and Willi Klein. Marilyn, who was the first woman
hired to head a ski school at a major ski area, directed ski schools in
Pennsylvania for 26 years. She is nationally recognized for her innovative
teaching techniques. Her accomplishments are chronicled in several
“Who’s Who” publications.
Willi Klein was a racer in his native Austria, who came to America as a
ski instructor and racing coach. He later joined the ski equipment
business and became the owner of several ski shops in the Pittsburgh area
that have won frequent awards from ski industry publications.
William Kohn
combined an active business career with volunteer service with the
American Red Cross, United Way and several ski clubs. He is also a
historian; he developed one of the country’s largest collections of 10th
Mt. Division memorabilia.
Richard Over
is a Pennsylvania native and former ski instructor who now lives in
Colorado, where he is a member of Colorado ski museum in Vail and on the
board of its Hall of Fame.
Harry Wareham
taught his comrades to ski during their training time in Colorado, won
honors and was wounded in Italy, came home to work in the ski industry and
serve as a patrol leader and instructor.
Charles Webb, the only veteran honored
posthumously, is a shining example of veterans who came back to work in
the ski industry. He was an instructor in Aspen for a time, then left to
become eminently successful in business and community activities.
Nearly 200 family members of the inductees, ski industry executives, and
winter sports fans attended the luncheon to salute the 11 new members of
the Hall of Fame.
The next induction into the Hall of Fame will be held in May of 2006 at
Seven Springs resort in western Pennsylvania. Winter sports fans will be
asked to nominate candidates.
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photo attachment is also from last year's event at Camelback.
Pictured are Rose Wilburger Beaudry, whose father Martin Wilburger
was one of the initial folks voted in, and John Fry, president of
the International Skiing History Association. John gave the
keynote address last year on "The Importance of Skiing
History." |
Inaugural Members
of the Hall of Fame
The induction of these 10 new members into the Hall of Fame of the
Pennsylvania Ski and Winter Sports Museum is the second time we have
honored individuals for their significant achievements. There are now 20
members who were either born in
Pennsylvania
or rose to prominence here in winter sports.
Last year in the inaugural Hall of Fame ceremony at the Camelback
Ski Area, where the museum is located, the following persons were
inducted. Their photographs and biographies are part of the permanent
exhibits.
William A. Albert,*
a native of Norway, started the Pittsburgh Ski Club, founded the
Pennsylvania Ski Federation, and was instrumental in creating the Western
PA Ski council.
Samuel L. Allen* founded a company
that made farm and gardening tools, but he is remembered for developing a
line of high quality Splitkein skis and the popular sled coveted by every
youth—the Flexible Flyer.
Captain E. S. Chase* was a retired
steamboat captain who developed the town of Eagles Mere and designed the
renowned Ice Toboggan Slide that for nearly a century has attracted winter
sports fans from across the state.
Tyler Davis spent 50 years as a
ski patrolman in western
Pennsylvania
and holds the Number One honorary ski pass at Seven Springs. He continues
to volunteer as a Red Cross instructor in first aid and avalanche
training.
Ralph
(Doc) Des Roche, a member of the
National Ski Hall of Fame, was general manager of Laurel Mountain Ski Area
and worked closely with ski councils and the PA Ski Federation. He
fostered ski competition. He served in various capacities with Ski
Industries of America and other national organizations.
Harry J. Drennan* spent 50 years as
manager of
Buck
Hill
Falls
winter sports programs. He established the first ski rental program and
erected one of the first rope tows.
Harlan
S. French has been saluted often by his peers for his
dedication to skiing. A patrolman since the 1930s, he has headed the
patrol in
Pennsylvania
and been a strong voice in promulgating ski safety.
Willy Hischmann* started the first ski
club in the state, one of many accomplishments introducing the public to
the sport of skiing. He was an innovator in charter flights, which were
widely imitated around the world, and in furthering the concept of
overnight bus trips to
New England
.
James A. Moore was the guiding spirit
behind the development of Camelback, recognizing the need for research,
planning and engineering. His work set the standard for the state’s
modern ski areas.
Martin Wilburger* opened the first ski
shop in the state, was a founding member of the first ski club, and helped
organize other clubs. He was an innovator in promoting the sport of
skiing. One of his successful projects was introducing ski movies to the
public.
* Deceased
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N E W S
For further information contact
Ted Heck (215) 884-8843
tedheck@comcast.net
For immediate release
April 20, 2003
Pennsylvania
Ski
Museum
To Induct Hall Of Fame Members
Howard Head, who revolutionized
the sport of skiing with the invention of the first successful metal ski,
is one of 10 leaders in winter sports history who will be inducted next
month into the Hall of Fame of the Pennsylvania Ski and Winter Sports
Museum.
A special luncheon ceremony at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in
Champion on Saturday, May 17, will honor Head and others who were born in
Pennsylvania
or made significant contributions here. Among them are Helen
and Adolph Dupre, who founded Seven Springs and developed it
into a year-round resort and the state’s leading ski area, which
attracts a half million skiers annually.
The Dupres and Howard Head will be honored posthumously and will be
represented at the induction by relatives and friends. Other deceased
inductees include Sally Deaver Murray, John
Guresh, Fritz Koenig, and Paul Wick.
Sally Deaver Murray, of
Whitemarsh, a
Philadelphia
suburb, was the first Pennsylvanian
to achieve a high standing as a ski racer. She was rated number three in
the world in 1958 and stood on many podiums during her career. Sally and
Howard Head are both members of the National Ski Hall of Fame in
Ishpeming
,
Michigan
.
John Guresh, of Jim Thorpe, was
instrumental in building the Big Boulder Ski Area and developing the first
snowmaking system, a critical factor in the history of skiing.
Fritz
Koenig, who lived in Lansdowne, was a president of Eastern PA
Ski Council who devoted his career to teaching youngsters to ski and
administering racing programs. Important races are held each year in his
honor.
Paul Wick, of
Springfield
in
Delaware
County
, was also a racer. He started the Buck Ridge Club, was a popular
instructor, and founded a ski shop that remains the oldest, continuously
family-owned shop in
America
. A pioneer in promoting cross
country skiing in
Pennsylvania
, he was commissioned by the state to design many of its trails.
The Induction
Ceremony
Honorees who will attend the luncheon are Bob Hein, Ray Panella and
Bill Tilley. Nominated by members of the skiing industry and approved by
the museum’s board, they will be awarded plaques that describe their
accomplishments. Copies of the plaques will become a permanent section of
the museum’s exhibits, which are in the base lodge of Camelback Ski Area
in Tannersville in the
Pocono Mountains
.
Museum president William van Ingen will present the awards, after a
keynote address by Richard Over, vice president, communications, of the
Colorado
Ski
Museum
in Vail.
Bob Hein, of
Drexel Hill
, was born in
Michigan
, where he began ski jumping at the age of five and later influenced its
becoming a competitive sport. A resident of
Pennsylvania
for many decades, he brought home many championship trophies.
Ray Panella, of Ambler, has had
a storied career as a ski instructor, ski writer, owner of several ski
shops, sponsor of ski shows, and supporter of ski council programs. He has
made skiing available to a wider market by providing low cost equipment to
schoolchildren.
Bill Tilley, originally of
Irwin, near
Pittsburgh
, and now living in
South Carolina
, has been a major force in the development of skiing in western
Pennsylvania
. He founded ski clubs and promoted the growth of the Western PA Ski
Council. He stirred interest in promotional events and came up with many
ideas to make skiing a more enjoyable and safer sport.
For more
information
Tickets
to the luncheon and awards ceremony can be purchased from William van
Ingen, 716 Creek Road, Warminster, PA 18974-1146 (Telephone: (215)
675-3198)
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Note to the editor: On May
17 at Seven Springs a reception will begin at
noon
.
There will be a press table at the luncheon, which begins at
one
o’clock
.
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The
Pennsylvania Ski and Winter Sports Museum
On January 21, 2001 the sled
exhibit opened in the Museum at the Camelback Ski Resort. The world
renown Flexible Flyer was one of the Featured sleds. Albert Dowden,
president of the museums founding group, presided at this ceremony.
The keynote speaker, Joan Palicia, did a book signing for her book
Flexible Flyer and Other Great Sleds for Collectors. Mrs Palicia
explained how the Flexible Flyer, the first steerable sled, was invented
and manufactured by Samuel Leeds Allen. Allen, a farmer and inventor
of farm machinery, named his business "The S.L. Allen Planet Jr.
Company" of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This name was later
shortened to "S.L. Allen Company" of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. Allen experimented with several sled
inventions that were all tested on the grounds of the Westtown School in
Chester County, Pennsylvania, where he had attended boarding school. 
Allen applied for the Flexible Flyer patent Feb. 14, 1889 and began
production in August of that year. In 1990 he successfully marketed
the sled to Wanamakers in Philadelphia and to R.H. Macy's in New
York. The Wanamaker's Eagle was adopted and with the shield and
ribbon became the official Flexible Flyer trademark.
Other high lights of Palicia's
talk were that Admiral Byrd took a Flexible Flyer on his famous, 1928
expedition to the South Pole. Flexible Flyer is mentioned in the
original "Miracle on 34th Street" movie. Bing Crosby
called his Flexible Flyer "one of the sweetest of all memories: in a
vignette that he wrote to Ed Sullivan in 1959.
Palicia spoke briefly about
the Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck Sleds and the Rosebud sled that was in
the Movie, "Citizen Kane". Toboggans, coasters, the Cannon
Ball, Skee-Boband, and Skee-Boggan were also mentioned. Palicia
showed her ski sled, a device that one rides like a scooter on the
snow. Palicia also had with her a revolutionary model sled presently
called "The Captain Avalanche." This huge sled is capable
of traveling up to 100 miles per hour. "The Captain
Avalanche" can only be tested on an approved mountain that has been
cleared of people.  A
rider on "The Captain Avalanche" would be required to wear boots
with special bear claw attachments enabling the rider to drag his/her feet
to stop. Plastic sleds have caused the manufacture of the wooden
sleds to go into decline. Palicia suggested that anyone wanting to
retain the value of an old wooden sled should not clean it or have it
restored before having it assessed. Clark Gable's wooden, childhood
sled, dated 1899 recently sold at Christies auction house in New York for
a reported $80,500.00.
The museum is still collection
items and is especially interested in ski clothing. Contact Al
Dowden or the Museum for more information.
by Alice Swann - Blazers Ski
Club
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For
further information , call or write:
A.M.
DOWDEN - 570-629-5022
P. O. Box 188
Stroudsburg, PA 18360
ROBERT
SHANER - 610-449-7297
1930 Lawrence Road, Apt. C-11
Havertown, PA 19083
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ASIA Programs Active in Our
Area
The
Amature Ski Instruction Association (ASIA) is one of the best organization
in the area you can join that will help you improve your skiing while you
help others learn to ski. If you think this program fill your needs,
contact Pete Ryan, our Council ASIA coordinator at 215-657-8752
for additional
information on how you can get involved in this program. See listing
below for programs and locations offered for the 2002-2003 season.
Certified ASIA skiers are needed to help with EPSC Learn to Ski program.
ASIA Has
Something for Everyone
Whether
your interests lays in teaching others to ski/ride or just improving your
own skiing/riding techniques the Amateur Ski Instructors Association has a
program for you. They also have an active Nordic program.
The
association offers two levels of alpine certification, which embodies the
progression and methodology of the American Teaching System as developed by
PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors Association). Top PSIA teaching
professionals are chosen to teach the ASIA programs, so students are assured
of the most up to date, high quality instruction. After completing
three days of Level 1 alpine instruction, candidates (you should be a
parallel skier who is comfortable skiing groomed black diamond terrain at
most ski areas to enter the program) must pass an on snow exam.
Snowboard candidates should be able to ride in balance and control on blue
terrain. Level II certification is available to those individuals who
have at least one year of teaching experience with a ski club or
organization. Refresher courses are required at least every two years
to keep you up to date on the latest advances in teaching and technique.
If
teaching is not where you see yourself going with your skiing, not to worry,
ASIA has a contributing membership for individuals who wish to avail
themselves of the many great improvement programs available without being
certified. All programs are geared to the intermediate to expert
skiers. Groups are divided by skill level and skiing experience.
If you
feel that ski instruction is an area that you would like to investigate,
please check out their web site at: www.asiaski.com
Or, if you just want to get into an organized program to improve your
skiing/riding you might want to log on and see if you can find a match.
A.S.I.A at Work
Council's Learn to Ski Program
EPSC
in conjunction with a number of member clubs offers a "Learn to
Ski" program at Spring Mountain. The program held on Monday
nights usually starts the 2nd week of January and runs for a minimum of 5
weeks (weather permitting). This program, open to members of all
council ski clubs is a great way to get your new skiers out on the slopes to
learn skiing basics. The cost of a lift ticket and rentals is very
reasonable and the lessons (provided by certified ASIA instructors) are
free.
This
program is also ideal for any intermediate skier who is interested in
improving their techniques. Check to see if your club is participatin
in the program. If not, call Pete Ryan, the EPSC coordinator for this
program at 215-657-8792 for information on how to get involved.
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