GROUP THERAPY
School, church, Scout groups get hooked on skiing, snowboarding at Midwest areas

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At Welch Village Ski Area in Minnesota, church groups can have their religious experience on Saturday nights. As part of "Saturday Night Alive," hundreds of skiers and snowboarders from local churches hit the slopes for just $39 a person, which includes rental equipment, lesson and lift ticket. "Groups are so important to us and ski areas across the Midwest," says Stephanie Prink of Welch Village. "Whether it's a school program, Scout pack, 4-H Club or church, it's guaranteed business because they have planned the trip. Adults get re-introduced to the sport, kids get hooked on skiing and snowboarding, and everyone has a fun time with friends."

Thousands of Midwest schools take advantage of the group programs offered by their local ski areas, and more than 250,000 school children are introduced to skiing and snowboarding each winter in these programs. At Indiana's Paoli Peaks, fifth-graders often write thank you notes after they have taken "The World's Greatest Field Trip" and learned how to ski. "There's usually some lingo that we don't understand," says Val Dreusicke, who helps run the school program for Paoli Peaks. "But the most-popular phrase is, 'When can we come back?' That really says it all."

Depending on the particular program, some Midwest areas offer multi visits as part of their school group programs, while others are single visits. Most school learn-to programs are for elementary students and are held during the school days, but a number of areas also host after-school programs. These programs tend to be more social, although lessons are available, and usually attract older students in middle school and high school.

In Wisconsin, Devil's Head Resort offers its group package rates to groups of at least 20 people, including schools, churches, Scouts and singles groups, who make the two and a half hour drive from Chicago. Devil's Head even offers a special apres-ski party buffet for groups in a slopeside chalet reserved just for groups. "Years ago I had the idea that instead of group buses having to stop at McDonald's on the way home, we should do a pizza party for them right here," says Devil's Head general manager Joe Vittengl. "We've expanded our menu to include barbecue, Mexican and a taste of Wisconsin with brats. Groups enjoy the camaraderie and convenience of being able to eat right here after skiing." Some Midwest ski areas provide campfire sites along the ski slopes which groups can reserve; the ski area provides firewood and the groups provide their own food and fun.

Group programs for Boy and Girl Scouts are also growing in popularity at Midwest ski areas. "We have a really good response for our special Scout nights," says Prink at Welch Village, Minnesota. "If it's a nice night and we've had some fresh snow, it's just crazy--they're coming in the door as fast as we can take care of them. The Scouts can earn merit badges for skiing and snowboarding, and our instructors help test them."

For its school group programs, Paoli Peaks in Indiana offers both a daytime learn-to-ski elementary school program and an evening program for school ski clubs. The daytime program, dubbed "The World's Greatest Field Trip," attracts 5,000 elementary students from some 200 schools in a three-hour radius--from as far away as Nashville, Tennessee.  For $12, a student gets a lift ticket, rental equipment, a lesson and lunch. "The kids are so excited," says Val Dreusicke. "Sometimes they're apprehensive when we put these two things on their feet that slide, but they always wind up having a positive experience and saying, 'Do we have to leave?'

The evening school program at Paoli Peaks attracts school ski clubs from about 50 schools, mostly from middle schools and high schools. Teacher and/or parent chaperones accompany the students on a bus one evening each week, but the students can come as often as they want, depending on which pass they buy. The least-expensive pass is $79 and good for four visits, including lift ticket, rental equipment and a lesson. An unlimited pass is $199 or $359, including equipment rental.

Other Midwest areas offer similar daytime and evening programs. At the sister resorts of Boston Mills and Brandywine in Ohio, the after-school programs have become remarkably popular. What started 30 years ago with only six schools, has grown to about 330 schools--with more than 30,000 students skiing and snowboarding in the programs each year.

 "It just keeps growing by word of mouth," says Michelle Gillombardo, who runs the school programs. "We have a lot of teachers and parents who participated in the program when they were students themselves." The once-a-week program for five weeks includes equipment, lesson and lift ticket. After the five weeks is over, students can still come back and ski or snowboard for free on certain days, and each student visits Boston Mills or Brandywine an average of 11 times.

Gillombardo loves seeing the confidence that school children gain from learning a snow sport.  "You'll see a student come in who has never skied or snowboarded before. They're nervous and doing what we call 'The Three Stooges,' dropping things and knocking people over. But they learn so fast and gain so much confidence. It's amazing."

It's all part of hooking these young skiers and snowboarders on the sport. "We are the creator of the lifetime skier," says Dave Grenier, president of Snow Creek, Missouri, which teaches about 10,000 school children to ski each winter. "We introduce them to the sport and they get it in their blood."

Like Paoli Peaks, Snow Creek calls its school program the "World's Greatest Field Trip." Elementary and middle school students from nearly 200 schools participate. The half-day program, which runs on weekdays throughout the winter, includes lift ticket, rental, lesson and lunch.

Two Midwest states, Michigan and Wisconsin, also have "Passport" programs that offer free or reduced price lift tickets for elementary school students. The "Cold is Cool" program in Michigan gives fourth-graders up to three complimentary lift tickets at participating areas, when accompanied by a paying adult. Wisconsin's Passport program is in its second season, is geared toward fifth-graders and offers up to three free lift passes at participating areas. The purchase of an adult ticket is not required, but areas ask that the fifth-grader be supervised while skiing or snowboarding.

In addition to creating the next generation of skiers and snowboarders, school programs also help generate weekday business for Midwest areas. At Ski Snowstar Winter Sports Park in Illinois, more than 5,000 students from about 100 schools participate in the area's learn-to-ski and learn-to-snowboard school programs on weekdays. "Without the learn-to-ski school programs, we wouldn't even be open during the week," says Don Steffen, director of skier services.

Other Midwest areas with large school programs include Perfect North Slopes, Indiana; Afton Alps, Wild Mountain, Hyland and Welch Village in Minnesota; and Mt. Brighton, Michigan.

For more information on Midwest ski areas and to find a ski area near you, visit snowplaces.com.

For a list of Midwest areas with group programs, go here.

For more information on Passport school programs, visit these sites:

http://www.goskimichigan.com/coldiscool/
http://www.skiingwisconsin.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=34