Snowdays Foundation

Big Winners at the Expo!

2011-11-09T10:36:00.000-08:00

What a weekend! The click-clack of the Snowdays prize wheel is still ringing in my head and I'm a little dizzy thinking about all the sweet prizes we gave away. It was hard not to walk away from the wheel a winner!

Huge thanks to everyone who stopped this year! Not only did we make tons of winners out of passersby, but Snowdays ended the day a big winner as well. We're now that much closer to our goal of 11 trips to the mountain this winter. We also recruited some new volunteers, but we always need more. If you would like to teach kids how to snowboard, e-mail us at info@snowdaysfoundation.org. It's fun and fulfilling!

Finally, as a non-profit, we are helpless without our donors. The expo is no different, we got a big hand this year from Homeschool Snowboarding, Yobeat, Nike, Grenade, Antic, Skullcandy, EyeKandy Media and countless others including individual contributors. You know who you are and we couldn't do it without your support. Thank you so much!

Until next year's Ski Fever and Snowboard Expo, keep an eye out for Snowdays events and we'll see you on the mountain. We'll be the group with the stoked-out kids.

We Love Homeschool Snowboarding!

2011-10-31T16:02:00.000-07:00

Infinite thanks goes out to Portland outerwear brand Homeschool Snowboarding for the hook up. Thanks to them, we've got a great lineup of prizes for our wheel at the annual Ski Fever and Snowboard Expo this weekend. Stop by Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Portland Expo Center to see how you can win these and much much more for just $1.


Sweet package of stickers, beanies and a tech baselayer

Sick Dangermare 2.5L Shell jacket (MSRP $250)

Snowdays Provides the Hook-up!

2011-10-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

None more stoked

Snowdays HQ hosted our first ever garage sale over the weekend and a few lucky kids walked away with their first setups! The stoke meter was off the chart. One young shred even showed up 20 minutes early to guarantee he got the goods. No need, though, we had plenty of gear to go around, thanks to our amazing sponsors.

Innaugural Golfdays a Success

2011-09-08T22:56:00.000-07:00

Snowdays' first ever charity golf tournament is a wrap. Over 50 players hit the links on a beautiful Friday at Portland's Colwood National Golf Course for the event. Most left with prizes; every one of them walked away stoked.

Many people put in monumental effort to make sure this event happened, but we couldn't have done it without Jessica Brickley. She put in long stressful hours to make sure of smooth sailing. Thanks also goes out to Nike, Salomon, Skullcandy, Nitro, Colwood National and all of the sponsors that gave the players something to play for. Our winning team also walked away with tickets to Janet Jackson! Big thanks also to our Snowdays volunteers and of course, the players. A community charity can't exist without the community and this event was a showcase of how a community can come together. We all learned a lot, so expect an even better Golfdays next summer. See you then!

Starting out the day. Getting all our ducks in a row.

That's not what I meant! (Those are geese anyway)

That's more like it.

Snowdays Chairman, Spencer Fransway, letting the big dot eat.

Did someone say 'big dog'? A coyote spotted on the course.

Snowdays President, Jolene Willson, seconds from a head-on collision.

The award for best pants? Nike's Bobby Meeks.

Skullcandy provided the beach party.

A roll of the dice could change your fortune (or the club you tee off with).

Dishing out the pain, Volcano Cones' Sally Butler.

At the end of the day...

... we couldn't have done it without Jessica Brickley!

Thank You, Never Summer!

2011-08-29T23:06:00.000-07:00

Never Summer Industries just sent us a package with six demo snowboards! Somewhere out there are six highly deserving kids who will get their first snowboards at the Snowdays Garage Sale later this summer. They are gonna be so much more stoked than I was when I got my first board. That thing was a real pile.

Inaugural Snowdays Golf Days Benefit Tournament

2011-08-13T23:06:00.000-07:00

Any golfers out there? Snowdays needs YOU to compete for wonderful prizes at the Inaugural Golf Days Tournament. The tournament is Friday, August 26th at Colwood National Golf Course in Portland. Registration is at 1:00, shotgun start at 2:00. Some of the prizes available are Timberline lift tickets, a $100 Jimmy Mak's gift certificate, a Nike golf bag and shoe carrier, eight (yes, 8, Bob) rounds of golf at Colwood, Portland Timbers tickets, gift packages from RVCA, Bonfire and Skullcandy and a 3-burner gas grill.

Entry is a $75 charity write-off per golfer and covers your cart, your first drink ticket (more available thanks to Heineken), a raffle ticket and a bag of goodies from our sponsors. If you have three friends, sign up together to guarantee your foursome. Mulligan tickets will be for sale and we have some other surprises for you from our hole sponsors. Don't golf but still want to give something back to the local snowboarding community? Show up at 6:30 with $25 for the kids and we'll treat you to a BBQ dinner. That way you can skip all the walking and still have a chance to buy raffle tickets and bid on our silent auctions.

Don't wait! Registration closes August 19. Click the thumbnail below for all the details and go to our purpose-built payment page to register. Yes, all the proceeds go to charity. FORE!

SEI, One Last Time

2011-05-08T22:43:00.000-07:00

Doesn't it just amaze you how the weather can change from one instant to another? Especially this time of year. One day it will be 77° and sunny, the next 55 and raining bullets. (I know weather-talk is boring, but in the snowboard game it's half of the equation, so bear with me.) Imagine our surprise when, this late in the season, we show up to gently falling snow. Summit Ski Area is the lowest of the four resorts on Mt. Hood and usually has the shortest season. This time of year we expect grass showing through a Seran-wrap thin layer of watery snow. As it was, the base looked as good as ever and the kids were ready to go.

This week's group was half first-timers and a full range of emotions. Some were anxious while others were straight up scared. After we assured them that the rumors of snowboarding's danger were wildly exaggerated, they warmed up to it more and more. The weather warmed up, too. The sun even made an appearance. I'm going to spoil the ending right now though, every single student made it up the chairlift by the end of the day! A few even found out just how hard it is to jump a snowboard. Toward the end of the day an epic snowball fight (in good fun) and jump session broke out. Luckily, everyone made it out with limbs and grins intact. The stoked energy waned at the end of the day and many students (and a few coaches) took well-deserved naps on the van ride home.

We at Snowdays would like to thank the whole crew at SEI for yet another fun trip. If you keep providing the well-behaved, fun-loving youngsters, we'll keep teaching them how to ride sideways on snow. See you next time!

The Rain Can't Keep Us Down

2011-04-29T15:47:00.000-07:00

We deal with it all winter long here in Portland. The rain. We hope that the rain in town has turned to fluffy white flakes by the time we gain some elevation. Sometimes it's just colder rain. That was the case for our last trip with the Jefferson Young Women's Academy.

Can't get any more gray

When we showed up to the Summit Ski Area on Mt. Hood, kayaks might have been more appropriate than snowboards. The puddles engulfed our boots and steadily grew. How would the young ladies react once the novelty of their first snowman wore off?

Learning how to snowboard is never easy. When your gloves are no longer dry enough to wipe your goggles clear, it gets even harder. Several students just took off their goggles. The frustration levels ran high at times, but I admire these girls for sticking with it. By the end of the day, every one of them took a trip on the chairlift and made the long trek down the hill in one piece.

It wasn't the easiest trip, but it just goes to show that a good group of students can overcome anything that is placed in front of them. Determination trumps frustration once again!

Who needs goggles to have a good time!?

Snowdays and SEI Team Up For Another Memorable Trip

2011-03-15T17:32:00.000-07:00

It's always a pleasure to bring our friends from SEI up to Mt. Hood. This trip we had a wide range of participants. In addition to the first-timers, we had several returning students.

Snowy skies greeted us on arrival at Summit Ski Area (the second oldest continuously operating ski area in the US). But temperatures remained in the 30s and winds were calm all day; nice weather for learning how to ride and having a good time.

Once we shuttled our gear into the lodge, rented the necessary equipment and made our way to the slopes, the fun began. First, an icebreaker: what is your name, how long have you been snowboarding and what is your favorite animal? I'm Graham, 13 years, yak. For whatever reason, this SEI group largely identified with big cats. Let's see if they have the feline reflexes required to survive this snowy jungle.

Putting one foot in front of the other.

After we broke the ice and covered some basics (parts of the board, skating, stoping), we separated into groups. My rider, King, was more experienced, so we joined the group headed for the lift. The other group spent the morning going over fundamentals.

Meanwhile, at the top of the hill, the more advanced group was working on carving up the mountain. It's all about edges. Edges found and edges caught. Bend those knees. Look where you want to go. Then all of the sudden, the perfect teaching aide: a slalom course for all to use. The morning metamorphosed quickly into afternoon as we bashed gates and tucked for speed.

Unofficial Snowdays slalom racing team member, Damon, blasting out of the start.

Lunch time was a welcome break. Time to discuss progress over sandwiches and oranges. How many people are ready for their first chairlift in the afternoon? Pass the pistachios. Push the reset button on your legs in the cozy warmth of the lodge.

Have a cup of juice and an orange. Ponder the morning's events.

The afternoon session introduced another fun concept: the ollie. King was already looking for bumps to hurl himself off, so teaching him the weight transfer and spring of an ollie seemed the natural next step. A misadventure involving some cross-country snowboarding on the only remaining uncharted run in the area solidified the notion. A few ollies, some butt checks, a couple more visits to the slalom run and a lift malfunction later and we were calling it a day. Smiles and stoke all around.

Tired legs made their way back out to the vans and piled in alongside damp gear. Tunes, naps and a game of 'Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?' ensued. If you're wondering, yes, we are. Mostly.

Back at SEI we all parted ways. Children beamed to praise-gushing parents. Volunteers, satisfied with the safety and stoke of their students, exchanged high-fives for a successful trip. Half of our season is now in the books, but we always look forward to our next trip. Our next trip with SEI is sure to be another good one.

Volunteer Ride Day

2010-12-19T17:38:00.000-08:00

This Saturday we held our annual volunteer ride day at Mt. Hood Meadows. The snow was coming down and we had a great handful of lovely Snowdays-ers ready to play!

We all met up around 10 and spent the first half of the day reviewing our trip lessons.

AFter a morning of intense skating and j-turns, we made our way to the hill to get time in on some of the fun stuff. Lucky for us, they had just opened Heather Canyon and we got some good turns in.

And like after any good day, a hot chocolate is always in order. It was great meeting new volunteers and seeing old ones. The beginning of Snowdays season is just a few short weeks away!!

Renewed Vision

2010-12-14T23:59:00.000-08:00

One of our off-season goals this year was to refresh our supply of goggles for the students. We always have a hard time keeping a good stash of shred spectacles in clear, working order. After asking around a little, peering under rocks and peeking over fences we finally struck a deal. Quiksilver dropped a box in the mail and BEHOLD!

Many thanks to everyone over at Quiksilver for providing us this bounty of optical protection. The season is looking good already!

(Now, if anyone out there knows of a good source for helmets, we could cross that last item off our list)

Snowdays Has the Fever!

2010-11-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

First Thursday was a success! Without a breath of rest, we're headed to the Ski Fever and Snowboard Show at the Portland Expo Center. Just listen for the clickity-clack of our spinning prize wheel and head to the back of the hall near Exit Real World and the movie booth. We'll be there for the duration of the show; Friday 1 - 10pm, Saturday 10am - 10pm and Sunday 10am - 6pm; with stickers and shirts for sale and a wheel full of prizes to win. For more info, including details on discounted admission, head over to the expo website.

The only remedy is MORE SNOW!

"Hood is Where the HeART is" to Benefit SnowDays

2010-11-04T00:04:00.000-07:00

Portland residents know that on First Thursday, downtown is where the art is. The wine flows like beer, the fancy duds come out. Not usually a scene for a bunch of snowboarders. November's First Thursday (the 4th) at The Lizard Lounge (1323 NW Irving Street) is fixing to crack that mold. The gallery, dubbed "Hood is Where the HeART is" will combine a photo gallery and video premiere focused on that snow-covered pyramid Oregon knows well. Raffles of Shwood, Coal and RVCA gear, along with Timberline lift tickets and Lizard Lounge gift certificates will benefit the one and only SnowDays Foundation. Need another reason to show up? Widmer will provide the free suds (to those of age) and the party will be poppin' from 7 to 10pm. More info here. Cool interview about it here. Finally, snowboarding recognized as art, not just sport.

Snowboarding is art? Who knew!?

We're Gearing Up for the Winter!

2010-10-20T16:41:00.000-07:00

It's been a long summer, hasn't it? Now store displays are rolling over from fireworks and barbecue grills to skeletons and candy. Leaves are changing from lush and green to crunchy and underfoot. Temperatures are shifting from flip flops and swimsuits to jeans and hoodies. Fall is here. Winter can't be far away.

With winter on the horizon comes a flurry of activity for Snowdays. Come join us this Friday, October 22 for Exit Real World's Birthday Party. The Mission Theatre (1624 NW Glisan) will be hosting a screening of Exit's new skate team video (just a teaser) and Northwest-based snowboard wizardry with Think Thank's Right Brain, Left Brain. Show up at 7pm with $5 in hand and witness all that and then some. Games, giveaways and prizes abound! At their last party, Exit even had a pie-eating contest!!

Snowdays will be on hand raising funds and awareness. We will have merchandise for sale and information on volunteering and upcoming meetings. Come out and support Exit Real World and Snowdays. And get stoked, winter is just over the next hill...

Ski Fever Show Nov 5 6 7 2010

2010-10-19T13:43:00.000-07:00

Come visit the Snowdays booth at the Portland Ski and Snowboard Fever Show on November 5, 6, and 7! We will have tons of prizes and a spin-to-win wheel!

The 2010 Season is underway!

2010-01-05T14:25:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a great start to this season. We have several returning volunteers coming back this year, some who have been with us for over five seasons now. Thank you so much, volunteers.

Snowdays has also been very fortunate to have been awarded one of the Nike Back Your Block Grants this year. In addition to the Nike grant, we also raised record number funds at the Portland Ski Fever, Ski and Snowboard Show, which is held at the Expo Center every Fall. We want to thank all of our supporters for stopping by our booth and spinning the wheel to win great prizes.

Our first trip of the season is coming up on January 23. Check back with us for updates on how the first trip turns out! We are looking forward to being back up at Timberline and getting to know some new students.

Thanks again, for all your continued support.

Sincerely,

The Snowdays Board of Directors

Another Great Day at Timberline, 4-04-09

2009-05-03T20:59:00.000-07:00

Without a cloud in the sky, the 4th trip of the season provided yet another fantastic opportunity for kids to get out in the sun, on the snow, and snowboarding for the very first time.

The day was near flawless as the youth from the local organization Hacienda strapped on their boards and had an experience to remember. Seventeen middle school kids took part, making it one of the largest groups Snowdays has ever had.

With only two returning students from last season, there were 15 first timers who were more than eager to learn the art of snowboarding, and from my perspective they did more than learn, they conquered. The day began with the entire group geared up on the snow

listening intently to Coach Chris about the importance of balance and stance.

After becoming familiarized with the board and bindings, the difference between heel and toe side, and mastering skating, pushing, and gliding, the kids were ready to race. And so the race began with everyone pushing as fast as they could across the flats to get to the other side. Everyone made it across successfully and were ready to move on to something a bit more challenging.

After a hearty lunch of sandwiches, strawberries, and goldfish the kids were amped to ride the chair. With only a bit of hesitation they charged down the run and loaded the chair for their first

time sans coach. Rumor has it, unloading on the

top wasn’t quite as seamless as getting on, but

all I saw were smiles on the way down. I couldn’t

believe the progress made throughout the day.

The kids were incredibly independent and no matter which direction I looked I found someone making turns their first day on snow.

The cohesiveness and helpfulness

of the group from Hacienda was

astounding.

Before I knew it 2:30 was upon us and it was time to return the gear, load the vans, and head back to Portland.

I cannot wait until our next trip with Hacienda and will be sure to keep you posted!

Trip #2 2/28/2009

2009-03-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

This was such a great day! After an early morning meet up with the students from SEI (The Center for Self Enhancement, Inc.) and the volunteers from Snowdays Foundation, the kids put on the snowboarding gear and we were on our way to Mt. Hood by 8:15 am.

The two vans were full to the brim and the ride up was smooth. We had beautifully clear skies the whole way up. Some of the students were pretty tired from staying up all night with excitement. But all it took was a little Beyonce to get them fired up for an awesome day of snowboarding.

We made great time getting to Timberline Lodge. We unloaded the vans, and got everyone their snowboards and boots without delay. The group was anxious to get going. A few of the students had been snowboarding before, but for most of them it was their first time on the mountain.

After being paired up with a coach, the returning snowboard students headed straight to the lift. The majority worked diligently on learning how to balance and maneuver their board. Spirits were high and attitudes outstanding as everyone put in their best efforts to learn the basics.

A few hours of learning to snowboard is enough to make anyone hungry so we headed into lunch and re-fueled, but not for too long. Some of the boys ate quickly and put their gear back on right away, ready for a few more hours of hitting the slopes.

"Can we go back out now?"

The improvements from morning to afternoon were impressive, as more students moved to the lifts and attacked steeper runs. A few students headed out to the longest run on the mountain with coach Jolene. "They were loving it!"

At about 2:00 pm we started to wind down; the students were getting tired. Before we were done, they built a wicked kicker and took turns with coach Eddie, hitting the jump.

Then came the snowball fight, you can't leave the mountain without a snowball fight! Snowballs were flying in all directions and I'm still not sure who came out on top. What I do know is that there were smiles all around.

The day wrapped up around 3:30 pm. We piled everything back into the vans and headed back to Portland. Both vans were full of exhausted students and coaches. Most of them were lights out in a matter of minutes. Taking a nap after a long day on the mountain is key.

Trip #1: Just Like Old Times

2009-02-03T20:43:00.000-08:00

Saturday was our very first trip of 2009. The stories will probably change your life and the photos will definitely leave you speechless. The kiddo's were rallied up at SEI Academy in NE Portland at the crack of dawn but I wouldn't know anything about that because I drove up with Andie and Lindsey. We danced a lot.

Upon arrival we rushed up to the top of Bruno and spotted a few volunteers, and plenty of sassy kids ready to snozzle. Head Coach Chris "Ducktail" Barnhart with the help of Andy Wuest, laid down the law with a few SEI students showing them how to skate around one footed.

I was stoked to see a few repeats from year's passed. My main man Quincy was a natural last season and obviously he was thirsty for more. It was equally awesome to see Ayshia and Erika on the trip. Last year the girls weren't down to play snowboards after experiencing a couple falls. This time, however they were digging the fresh outerwear and the sunshine. Even before noon they could be spotted on Bruno shredding their faces off without any of our help.

Others were new to snowboarding entirely so they got some priceless one on one lessons with our volunteers.

When lunch time came around we headed into the lodge for some down time. Being that extreme without some hydration can be dangerous. The kids and volunteers alike were loving the lunches, which we make out of only the most wholesome ingredients. A few kids loaded up on the string cheese, which I always encourage.

And then there was Ashley, Spencer, and Tony bro-ing it up in the corner. They're so precious!

Almost as precious as the baby booter we made shortly after. Believe it or not, it wasn't a volunteer's idea to build it. I'm pretty sure it was my man, Earl but I can't remember. I hit my head. Earl definitely won a special spot in my heart when he tried to sell me his rental board. This kid's a true entrepreneur and I like it! He was one of the sweetest kids I've ever met and was serving his classmates high fives left and right as they hit the bump-jump. Not to mention he throws a fierce snowball. Usually in Lindsey's face.

The Snowdays jump earned big fame throughout the slope as spectators stared and the subjects of another organization that shall remain nameless became green with envy. But onlookers should never be shy, there's enough Snowdays to go around for everyone.

While the others were perfecting their turns, a solid group of students sessioned their little hearts out. Of course the Barny Bro's, Tony the Tiger, Ashley, Boy Andy, Jolene, and myself joined in to share some air. Nothing warms a cold soul more than watching these rad SEI students get so excited about snowboarding and loving every bit of it.

Some other lessons were still happening at this point on the main Bruno Run (its a triple black for those who don't know) and they were lapping the ski babies like it was their job. Im sure there was some tucking and racing going on but I really shouldn't reveal their training secrets.

All good things must come to an end and this day was ultra fantastic. As usual Ricky had the rental returns on lock and the kids got cozy for the ride home. I stayed behind for a little free ride time at my favorite ski resort. I cannot wait for trip number two and I know you can't wait to hear about it.

Photos and Words: Sierra Willett

New Volunteer Meeting a Success!

2009-01-15T21:24:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone (old and new) who made it over to Pizza Schmizza last week for our annual "new volunteer meeting". It's always exciting to see meet new people and spread the word of Snowdays across the land. And also to stuff ourselves with pizza.

Our first trip is coming up on January 31st! Mark your calendars. This season already has the makings to be the best!

New Volunteer Meeting!

2009-01-07T20:31:00.000-08:00

The new volunteer meeting for the 2009 season will take place tomorrow night at Pizza Schmizza on NW 21st in Portland. Things should kick off around 7. Can't wait to see old friends and meet new faces!

Thursday Jan. 8th at 7pm

Pizza Schmizza
320 NW 21st Ave
Portland, OR 97209

A Brief History:

2009-01-07T20:29:00.001-08:00

Who we are
Snowdays Foundation is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to youth empowerment through snowboarding. We run a program that teaches snowboarding to young people. We are based in Portland, Oregon and have a second branch in Wasilla, Alaska.

Our students come from middle and high schools in challenging neighborhoods, with the lowest academic achievement, the highest poverty rates, and the highest percentage of single-parent households.

We are proud to be partnered with Self-Enhancement Inc., one of Portland's most well-respected youth mentoring organizations.

Our Mission
Our mission is to provide life skills through snowboarding for middle and high school students.

"By working through challenges on the mountain, students gain self confidence, strengthen friendships, and also have an opportunity to become more aware of their natural surroundings. The organizers of Snowdays have all reaped vast benefits from snow sports, learning to respect and care for the mountain environment, understanding the benefits of healthy lifestyle choices, and appreciating the joy that snow sports can bring. It is our hope to pass on this knowledge, excitement, and passion to the students."

Snowdays is 100% volunteer run by those involved in the snowboard industry or passionate about the benefits of snowboarding.

History
Snowdays was started in 2004 by Travis Parker and Patrick Edwards. Patrick teaches science at Jefferson High School in Portland, Oregon, and Travis is a world-class professional snowboarder.