ATHABASCA – Duct tape, cardboard, some spray paint for decoration, and a helmet were the only things that 12 teams needed during the annual Family Day cardboard races at Tawatinaw Valley Ski Hill. The event, which serves as a fundraiser for the non-profits volunteer Ski Patrol, really highlights the family-focused approach that the hill strives for.
“Everyone here knows everybody, if you come here and you’re a stranger, you won’t be a stranger after your second visit,” said ski hill president Wendy Batog.
Courtney Muller, a 13-year veteran and current head of the ski patrol, said that they’ve been doing this event in some capacity since the late 1990s, but he thinks it originates from traditions dating back to the organization’s inaugural year at the hill in 1971.
“In the past we’ve done raffles, or silent auctions, but this year we were able to kind of just keep it simple, keep it to a fun event on the hill with a barbeque,” he said during a brief interview after the event.
While the teams were mostly comprised of kids there was more than one family racing down the hill together, and if the parents weren’t on the sleds, they were at the bottom cheering everyone on and taking photos. While the event was technically a competition, it was clear that it was more about having a good time then it was about winning.
Sled construction was a varied affair this year. Some opted to go for a simple design, covering the bottom of a long piece of cardboard with tape and calling it a day. Others, including a team of Westlock County firefighters, built a replica fire engine, while other crafted cars or spaceships.
The funds from the barbeque go towards the costs incurred by the ski patrol; aside from events like this, their funding comes from the casino night that they get roughly every three years. It also served as a recruiting event in case anyone wanted to get involved with the organization for the following year as the patrol has around 20 members, but more are always welcomed.
