SKI CLUB NEWS

THINKING ABOUT JOINING A SKI CLUB?

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS TO PICK THE RIGHT CLUB

 from an article by Lori Gronewold, VP Marketing - Chicago Metropolitan Ski Council

From their Midwest Skier

Are you asking yourself if you should join a ski club or not? Here are some reasons why you should join.

What ski clubs offer:

1. Great People. You got a chance to meet different people with the common love of skiing. Many people make friendships in their ski club that last for years. Others find a spouse there.

2. Great Prices. Ski clubs buy trips at group prices and resell them to their members with no additional markup.

3. Non-skiing activities. Most ski clubs offer lots of other activities beside skiing. They tend to be year-round social clubs.

4. Involvement. Ski clubs allow you to be as involved as you want. You can just have fun or you can jump in and volunteer to help out.

5. Good times. That is what ski clubs are all about. Ski club members always have a good time no matter what they do.

6. Networking. Ski clubs are a great place to network. You can find a job through the people you meet there or perhaps find a dentist, travel agent or car repairman through friends in the ski club.

7. Ski/board/whatever. Just because it says 'ski' club doesn't mean that snowboarders or snowshoers aren't welcome. They are. And the name, 'ski'club doesn't mean that it isn't really a social club Most clubs have social activities year-round and many offer sports such as biking, blading, golf, tennis, sailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, volleyball, white water rafting and more!

Selecting a club:

So how do you find the right ski club for you? First, check out the web at skiclubfinder.com or a similar site to find a listing of clubs and ski club councils (umbrella organizations for ski clubs - usually regional). Then consider the following:

The club meeting location. Do you want to attend meetings near your work or near your home?  Once you have located a club near you, ask a few questions about the clubs on your 'short list".

The club meeting day and time. Clubs meet at different days of the week and at different times. Some meet once a month, while others meet twice a month. Some meet right after work while others meet at 8:30 p.m.

Membership requirements. What is the age requirement for the club. Most clubs have a minimum requirement of for singles of 21 years old but some allow members to sign up at 18. Some are for senior citizens only and require a minimum age of 50. One, the 70+ Club, has a minimum age of 70 years. 

Are children allowed on trips? There are some clubs that allow kids on trips as long as they are accompanied by a parent or guardian over the age of 21. Others allow children on a limited number of trips designated 'family trips'. Others don't allow kids.

Do they allow family memberships? Some clubs are centered around family trips and promote bringing the kids. Others offer discounted memberships for families. Other ski clubs allow a discounted membership rate for couples who receive the newsletter at the same address.

Where will the club ski this year? By July, most clubs list where they are going skiing next season in their newsletters and many councils will list all clubs' trips by August.

What other activities besides skiing? Some of the clubs will have brochures about their non-ski activities or check out their council publications to get a better idea of what else a given ski club does besides skiing.

Are they a downhill or Nordic ski club? While most clubs are primarily downhill ski clubs, many are primarily Nordic or cross-country clubs and some clubs offer both types of ski trips. Ask.

After checking out the clubs in your area and asking the above questions, visit their meetings. Look at their websites. Talk to the president and a couple of members of the club. It you like what you see, join the club. If not, visit another club. (And, nobody said that you can't join more than one ski club after all.)

This article, taken from the Chicago Metropolitan Ski Council's Midwest Skier, would be great to reprint in your August or September newsletter when you are at the peak of your membership recruitment ... ed.