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Hello Esprit,

Due to a scheduling conflict at the Shaker Heights Library we have had to make some changes in our monthly meetings. Please mark the following dates in your planners:

1. March 3, 2009 Executive Board meeting 6:30PM-7: 30PM Shaker Heights Li-brary.

2. March 3, 2009 General Body meeting 7:30PM-8: 30PM Shaker Heights Li-

brary.

3. March 4-9, 2009 Midwest Winterfest Winter Park, CO.

4. April 7, 2009 Executive Board meeting 6:30PM-7: 30PM Shaker Heights Li-

brary.

5. April 7, 2009 General Board meeting 7:30PM-8: 30PM Shaker Heights Li-

brary.

6. May 5, 2009 Executive Board meeting 6:30PM-8: 30PM. 2010 Ski trip &

Event Planning meeting.

7. May 12, 2009 General Body meeting & elections 6:30PM-8: 30PM.

8. June 2, 2009 Executive Board meeting 6:30PM-8: 30PM.

9. June 9,2009 General Body meeting 6:30PM-8: 30PM.

10. June 26-28, 2009 “Taste of Chicago”

11. July 2009 No meetings in July.

12. August 4, 2009 Executive Board meeting 6:30PM: -8:30PM.

Our January 24, 2009 Holiday Valley trip was a family affair lead by Captain Pat Byrd and her co-captain grandson Chris Carson with help from her granddaugh-ters Monica Carson, Jamira Wilcoxson. It was a success. (See pictures and Cap-tain’s report on page 2)

A big thanks to Captain Lorraine Dominick and co-captain Yonna Fields for the work that they put in to make our February 7 Kissing Bridge trip a success too. Also a thanks to Christal Howard-Wiggins for getting directions from her iPhone that help get our bus driver back on the correct route. (See pictures on page 10.)

(Continued on page 10)

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V O L U M E 5 I S S U E 6

FEBRUARY 20, 2009

H I G H L I G H T S F R O M T H E H O L I D A Y V A L E Y T R I P

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Holiday Valley Trip Report— January 24, 2009

Pat Byrd—Trip Captain

Captain’s Report — The Holiday Valley ski trip was fun,

but extremely cold. We had 32 participants who braved

the weather in Ellicottville, New York. Most skiers spent

at least 1-1/2 hours skiing before they came in to warm

up. Pat Byrd, Trip Captain, and Christopher Carson,

Trip Co-captain did a great job putting the trip together.

Chris is Pat’s grandson.

On the Holiday Valley trip we had some new

friends—Leah Pirrung, Kevin Wiley’s Sister and Doro-

thy Pirrung, Kevin’s Mother. Leah is a snowboarder

who took a lesson. Doris Collins was a first time skier

who bought the beginner package. She stated she had

fun and would return again. Thomas Wiggins couldn’t

resist the call of the poker tables from Allegany/Seneca

Casino. He took a cab to the facility, but didn’t break

the bank. He had fun!!

Pat and Chris passed out a sheet of Little known

Facts About President Obama. People found it very in-

teresting. We had several youth traveling and skiing

with us: Darnell and Courtney Fenderson, Jalyn

Cottingham, Monica Carson, Jamira Wilcoxson, Eric

Valentine and our co-captain, Chris Carson. That’s our

future for Esprit! We safely returned to Cleveland

around 7:30 P.M.

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Get Ready for the MLK Skiing and Gaming Weekend

Holiday Valley Ski Resort/Seneca Allegany Casino and Hotel

January 23-24, 2010

Christal Howard Wiggins – Trip Captain

Thomas Wiggins – Trip Assistant

Reservation Information:

Christal – 216-214-7578

HowWig@sbcglobal.net

Reserve your space on this fun-filled, overnight trip for January 23-24, 2010. Details on cost, pay-

ment schedule and lodging will be forthcoming.

Proposed Itinerary:

Depart Cleveland on Saturday morning, January 23, 2010 (Southeastern Trailways) at 5:00 am

Off board gaming participants at Seneca Allegany Casino and Hotel for activities – (check-in will

be later that day)

Proceed to Holiday Valley Resort to off board skiers/snowboarders/observers for the day -(other

shuttle schedule arrangements TBD)

Late afternoon on board skiers/observers (shuttle schedule TBD) and proceed to casino hotel for

check-in. (shuttle schedule for more skiing TBD)

Morning of January 24, 2010 - Check out from casino hotel

Onboard skiers/snowboarders for day of skiing at Holiday Valley Resort (gamers may stay at the

casino after check out)

Late Afternoon—Onboard skiers at Holiday Valley and proceed to casino

Onboard gaming participants for return to Cleveland —5:00 pm

Return to Cleveland approximately 8:30 pm

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A Message from the President of the National Brotherhood of Skiers

Haymon T. Jahi

Welcome to the National Brotherhood of Skiers, Inc. (NBS), I am Haymon T. Jahi, NBS President. It is my pleasure to introduce you to our organization.

Our key focus is finding and developing Olympic caliber skiers. Our focus is one of a kind, and fosters asser-tiveness, self-actualization, and self-determination; in addition to developing leaders that are a benefit to vari-ous communities. The NBS is an organization by which skiing positively impacts African-American communi-ties through programs that provide opportunities for adults and youth to participate in recreational and com-petitive skiing. These programs are developed through member clubs of the NBS. The NBS provides fund-ing to its youth programs in support of young athletes who otherwise would not have the opportunity, or finan-cial resources to ski competitively or recreationally. Our History Our organization was chartered in 1974 and incorporated in 1975. We are a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit organiza-tion. We operate through the efforts of dedicated volunteers. The NBS depends on sponsorships and fund-raising events. You can help the NBS achieve our mission-- To identify, develop, and support competitive, African American young skiing athletes who will one day compete on the United States Olympic Ski Team. The NBS holds an annual convention/ event known as the NBS Summit – often called the ―Black Ski Summit‖ which attracts 700 – 900 adult and 50 – 100 youth skiers. The ski clubs that make up the NBS are organized into four regions—West, Rocky Mountain, Midwest, and East. In addition we have At-Large Clubs which are located outside the contiguous United States. Each re-gion plans fund-raising events to support its operation and youth skier development. Regional events are generally much smaller events than the Summit. Looking Ahead Over the next two years the NBS offers a Spring/Summer fundraiser for NBS members and non-members who are interested in traveling outside of the United States. What You Can Do When planning to attend the NBS Summit I encourage you to register, come out to the mountain and have a great time with us. Your registration supports our youth program, ongoing yearly activities which including Summer and Winter Race Training, Summer Dryland Clinics, yearly ski training scholarships, youth coaches lodging and transportation, and Summit expenses. Our Summit activities need your support—we encourage you to register for our annual Summit and support the National Brotherhood of Skiers—as well as the local area surrounding the mountain and the travel indus-try. Thank you for taking the time to visit our web site, learn more about us and support the NBS. Have a blessed day and see you at the Summit! Haymon T. Jahi NBS President

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Editor’s Note: This event is sponsored by the Forest City Dental Society of which Dr. Walker is a member and who is requesting

fellow Esprit member participation. This event is not an Esprit Fundraiser. The proceeds from ticket sales do not directly benefit

the ski club, however membership participation is appreciated and may encourage future ski members. Thank you for your par-

ticipation.

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Athletes - Team NBS

The NBS mission is to identify, develop, and support athletes of color who will win international and Olympic

winter sports competitions representing the United States.

Team NBS is the group within the NBS that is organized to deliver on the mission above. Team NBS is a National Team, under the direction of a Competition Director and Coach, that has the support of other national NBS resources, including the National Youth Director and Olympic Scholarship Fund Administrator.

As previously described, the NBS is composed of 84 member clubs, of predominantly African American de-scent, organized in four regions, Rocky Mountain, Midwest, East and West. Regional teams are part of the NBS Ski Team (NBSST) system and serve, with the member clubs, as part of the development and support of designated athletes.

Athletes, selected yearly, must meet performance and progress goals. Funding for these athletes is provided through the NBS Olympic Scholarship Fund (OSF). The fundraising activities of the NBS feed the OSF, with a large portion from the Summit, an annual event. OSF funding supports training activities of National Team ath-letes, including financial assistance for athletes attending approved ski academies. Program support comes primarily from sponsors on a year-to-year basis.

Team NBS is responsible for delivering programs in support of Nordic and Snowboarding athlete development, coach education and credentialing. It is also the NBS organizing entity for United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) sanctioned competitions.

For more information contact the National Youth Director Andre Horton at Andre@nbs.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

National Brotherhood of Skiers - Race Results Report # 4 I G H T S F O R T H E P E R I O D

All races reported through Sunday January 25th

NBS National Team - FIS Points and Rankings From FIS List # 7 valid starting January 15th

The next points list will close on February 1st and will be valid beginning February 3rd

Note: The FIS rankings, shown above, include all skiers worldwide in the top row. Underneath is the

skiers ranking amongst USA racers

USSA Points & Rankings From USSA List # 7 – Valid January 22nd

The next points list closed on February 8th and is valid beginning February 12th

The USSA points ranking include only those with USSA licenses. While there are some foreign nationals

included, it is predominantly American ski racers.

Jourdan Paige

In two USSA slalom races held on January 17th at Canonsburg, Jourdan mounts the podium twice with a

pair of 2nd place finishes

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NBS Summit /AMCC

W H A T I S T H E S U M M I T ?

The Summit is a biennial fundraiser of the National Brotherhood of Skiers, bringing together well over 5000 people from all across the country for a week of winter sports fun. Summits are held during odd years. The primary purpose of this fundraiser is to support the NBS Olympic Scholarship Fund, designed to provide financial support for excep-tional athletes of color who excel in winter sports. The intent is to propel these young athletes to Olympic and interna-tional competition. In addition, funds from this event support the operation of the National Brotherhood of Skiers.

W H A T I S T H E A M C C ?

The AMCC is the Annual Meeting/Challenge Cup, also known as "The Mini Summit". AMCCs are held during the even years, at which time the national elections are held for officers of the National Brotherhood of Skiers. Tradition-ally, attendance at the "Mini-Summit" is slightly lower than the Summit. However, the "Mini-Summit" still attracts thou-sands of participants.

H O W D O Y O U A T T E N D ?

Contact your local NBS club for lodging, air and registration information.

A L R E A D Y A C L U B M E M B E R ? C O N T A C T Y O U R L O C A L N B S C L U B T O M A K E A L L O F Y O U R A R R A N G E M E N T S . N B S C L U B S C A N A S S I S T Y O U W I T H R E S E R V I N G

L O D G I N G , L I F T T I C K E T S A N D R E G I S T R A T I O N .

P A S T S U M M I T S / M I N I - S U M M I T S :

2008 - Breckenridge, CO 2007 - Steamboat Springs, CO 2006 - Banff Alberta, Canada 2005 - Vail, CO 2004 - Copper Mountain, CO 2003 - Whistler-Blackcomb, British Columbia Canada 2002 - Snowmass, CO 2001 - Keystone, CO 2000 - Copper Mountain, CO 1999 - Salt Lake City, UT 1998 - Sun Valley, ID 1997 - Vail, CO 1996 - Innsbruck, Austria 1995 - Steamboat, CO 1994 - Copper Mountain, CO 1993 - Vail, CO 1992 - Copper Mountain, CO 1991 - Park City, UT 1990 - Heavenly Valley, Lake Tahoe CA 1989 - Steamboat, CO

1988 - Purgatory, CO 1987 - Lake Placid, NY 1986 - Crested Butte, CO 1985 - Park City, UT 1984 - Heavenly Valley, Lake Tahoe CA 1983 - Big Sky, MT 1982 - Steamboat, CO 1981 - Snowmass, CO 1980 - Crested Butte, CO 1979 - Sun Valley, ID 1978 - Steamboat, CO 1977 - Vail, CO 1976 - ** No AMCC 1975 - Sun Valley, ID 1974 - ** No AMCC 1973 - Aspen, CO

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February 21st, 2009

Seven Springs

Lift Tickets $40.00

Ski Rental $18.00

Snowboard Rental $29.00

Lessons $20.00

No First time package available

Trip Captain: Kevin Wiley (216) 904-7776 and Don Fenderson (216) 371-7021

It is hard for me to believe that Saturday February 24 Seven Springs’ trip is our last scheduled local ski trip

for the season.

It is hard for me to believe that Saturday February 24 Seven Springs’ trip is our last scheduled local ski trip

for the season.

My warmest regards,

Charles R. (Chuck) Myrick

(Continued from page 1)

Highlights from the Seven Springs Trip—February 7, 2009

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Esprit elections will be held this May. All positions are open. The positions are as follows:

President

Vice President

Treasurer

Trips Coordinator

Recording Secretary

Financial Secretary

Parliamentarian

and Member At Large

If you have any questions or would like to run for any office, please contact Kevin Wiley at kevinbwiley@yahoo.com or 216-904-7776.

Thanks, Have a good evening everyone.

~Kev

Current Officers

Charles (Chuck) Myrick, President

Rose Hill, Vice President

OPEN, Treasurer

Yonna Fields, Trips Coordinator

Ebony Hood, Recording Secretary

OPEN, Financial Secretary

Pat Byrd, Parliamentarian

Don Fenderson, Member At Large

ESPRIT ELECTIONS NOTICE—MAY 2009

Current Chairs

Laura Young, Ski Better-

Paul Logan, Membership

Assistant Don Fenderson

Christal Howard-Wiggins, Newsletter Editor

Kevin B. Wiley, Web Master

Pat Byrd, Youth

Lorraine Dominick, Sunshine

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T H E B R O T H E R S H E L P S A V E S N O W M A S S

by Curtis Wackerle, Aspen Daily News Staff Writer

Sunday, February 8, 2009

When the National Brotherhood of Skiers held its first national black ski summit 36 years ago in Aspen, 12 local clubs participated. It was a different time in the ski industry, where hardly a black face was seen, according to NBS co-founder Arthur Clay. The Brothers held their annual national summit in Aspen/Snowmass again this year, and about 90 local clubs came, bringing attendance up to around 1,000. While the Brotherhood still deals with members of the black community who believe skiing to be ―too white,‖ times have changed, Clay said, and blacks have a much greater representation in ski competitions and ski industry mar-keting. The sea of black faces enjoying Wednesday afternoon’s lunch and party at the Spider Sabich cabin at Snowmass also represents the largest group of the ski season, according to SkiCo sales director Bob Bayless. Large groups like the NBS, and a visit earlier this year from the Florida Ski Council, have been a bright spot in an otherwise slow year for bookings in Snowmass. ―For January, we’re lucky we had the NBS and the Florida Ski Council,‖ Bayless said. ―I’ve talked to some of the Snowmass (lodging) properties, and they said the two groups have made their year successful so far.‖ When a large group such as the NBS is planning a trip, they put out a request for bids to ski resorts. SkiCo put together the winning bid this year, which was selected by the NBS board of direc-tors. SkiCo’s winning bid was not necessarily the lowest, SkiCo national sales manager Casey Leach said. ―We want to offer great lift ticket rates, combined with deals from the individual properties,‖ Leach said, noting that the biding process is ―highly competitive.‖ Noting the international renown of Aspen, Bayless added, ―There’s a certain thing about As-pen/Snowmass that has a value-added component.‖

Zach Ornitz/Aspen Daily News Members of the National Brotherhood of Skiers pause on the Snowmass Village mall for a group portrait.

Events like the annual summit can be a point of entry for blacks to get involved in the organi-zation, and in skiing, said NBS vice president Cassandra Johnson. But the organization’s reach goes beyond fun ski trips. Most clubs offer year-round activities, including social gatherings and whitewater rafting trips, Johnson said.

(Continued on page 13)

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A crucial component of the organization’s mission is developing young black ski racers. The organization’s mission statement is to ―identify, develop and support athletes of color who will win Olympic and international winter sports competitions representing the Unites States and to increase participation in winter sports.‖

This part of the mission was on display at an exhibition race held Wednesday at Snowmass, where teenage black skiers supported by NBS showed off their gate-bashing skills. Lauren Samuel, 16, from Minneapolis, said the NBS has been crucial in her eight years of ski racing. The organization has helped fund training trips to Chile, Colorado and Oregon, she said. NBS president Haymon Jahi said that this year’s national summit attendance was down from years past, when the summit reliably attracted more than 1,000 people. But this year’s official mark of 987 attendees pleased Jahi. ―With the economy, and with people losing their jobs ... I had no idea we’d be able to bring close to 1,000 people,‖ Jahi said. ―NBS members have shown they believe in the mission, and that they are prioritizing their vacations with NBS.‖ SkiCo staff has also worked exceptionally hard to make the trip ran smoothly, Jahi said. Clay, president of a Chicago-based NBS club, said that Colorado has always given the NBS a warm reception. And despite the racial gap on the ski slopes, Clay said he has never experienced a racial inci-dent in the mountains. ―From the start, people who ski are a different breed,‖ Clay said. Meredith McKee PR Coordinator Aspen Skiing Company 970/300-7020 (p) 970/300-7056 (f) www.aspensnowmass.com

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S M T W T F S

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8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

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MARCH 2009

3—Executive Board Meeting/General Body Meeting

4—Forest City Dental Society & Cavaliers Scholarship Fundraiser

4—9—Midwest Winterfest—Winter Park, CO

10— General Body Meeting

Esprit "The Ultimate" Ski

& Sports Club

P. O. Box 94151

Cleveland, Ohio 44191-

4151

http://

www.espritsportsclub.com/

contactus.html

Newsletter Editor:

Christal Howard-Wiggins

Bus. Phone: 216-681-8174

Fax: 216-268-4455

eFax: 1-800-298-5111

Email: How-

Wig@sbcglobal.net

If you would like to subscribe to our e-newsletter

or change your email address, please email the

Editor at HowWig@sbcglobal.net .

Thank you.