Bridger Ski Foundation: Excellence on the Snow

By Alison Grey, 12-20-07

The Gallatin Valley is home to over 200 non-profits. These organizations do not hinge on metropolitan amenities, and are often created to preserve wild places and stimulate communities of the West. As part of our New West economy, NewWest.Net/Bozeman is highlighting Gallatin Valley organizations in a weekly series.

Skiing has long been a Bozeman tradition. Organized skiing in the area dates back to 1935, when the first ski lift was constructed near Karst Camp in the Gallatin Canyon. With the creation of Bridger Ski Bowl (later to be known as Bridger Bowl Ski Area), the community rallied together to create the first organized Ski Club. Now, there was an avenue for area youth to organize and compete in both alpine and Nordic events, and skiing was adopted as a public school sponsored sport.

Once skiing was dropped from the school district in the early 70s, the Alpine athletes took the lead to create the Bridger Ski Education Foundation. Through the years, the word education has been dropped from their name, and the organization has consolidated their efforts to all ski sports, including alpine, Nordic and freestyle.

Since then, hundreds of kids have gone through the ranks at BSF, including Olympians Leif Zimmerman and Jeff Johnson, NCAA Champion Dan Brelsford and a handful of U.S. Team members including, Kathy Andrerson, Mitze Cain Bowen, Travis Svensrud, Stuart Jennings, Paul Swenson and Kari Swenson.

Today, with seven board of directors, a bookkeeper, an office manager, coaches and hundreds of parent volunteers, the Bridger Ski Foundation is pursuing its status as a non-profit community based volunteer organization and striving to provide educational, competitive and social activities fostering personal and athletic excellence with an emphasis on youth, while encouraging participants of all ages. Kris Holland, BSF office manager, expands on the organization and its efforts.

NewWest.Net: Why and how did your organization come into being? 

BSF: When skiing was dropped as a school sponsored sport, it left a void in organized skiing, as now, access to the necessary resources to train and compete was left to the local ski clubs. At that time, the Alpine Team stepped up and created the Bridger Ski Education Foundation, one of the first 501© (3) skiing foundations in this area.  Eventually the Nordic and Freestyle Teams became part of the Bridger Ski foundation as it was later called in the early 90s. 

NewWest.Net: Why is this organization in Bozeman?  What are the advantages and challenges of operating in this area ? Are there other non-profits in this area that you partner with or would like to? 

BSF: This organization is located in Bozeman because of the skiing locations in the Gallatin Valley. There are many advantages to having this organization in the Bozeman area with all the skiing possibilities. We do not partner with any other non-profits now, but could possibly partner with the YMCA.

NewWest.Net: Where are you directing your resources? 

BSF: We direct our resources directly towards our athletes and training facilities.

NewWest.Net: What is your annual operating budget, and can you please break that down between administrative and fund-raising versus program expenses?

BSF: The largest portion of our income are program fees at 34 percent, fundraising at 48 percent and donations 7 percent. We also receive the rest of our income through memberships and grants. Our largest expenses are coaching, at 58 percent and equipment purchases at 24 percents. The rest of our expenses go to administration, facilities, scholarships and fundraising.

NewWest.Net: How are you fulfilling your mission statement?

BSF: We are fulfilling the mission statement through all our youth and master’s programs.

NewWest.Net: What is your most recent success story?

BSF: Bridger Ski Foundation has had several athletes in the Alpine, Nordic and Freestyle Junior programs that have been selected on the USA Ski Teams. Also, the annual Ski Swap has been a very successful event that benefits the Gallatin Valley and the BSF Athletes.

NewWest.Net: Thank you!