Western Region Spring Board of Governors (BOG) Meeting,
and Spring PR Retreat -
hosted by the Ski Gull Patrol.
Read all about it here! (pdf format)
- Melissa Schaitberger (3/10/2005)
(Room rates have been reduced from $71.40 to $63.00; ask for the "Springtime Special".)

TO: NSP leaders, Patrol Directors, and members of NSP

RE: Ski Brule National Ski Patrol Challenge and Play Day
Iron River, Michigan www.skibrule.com/
April 9-10, 2005

Fellow patrollers:

I keep saying, Ski Brule loves the National Ski Patrol!

Ski Brule - the Midwest resort with the longest snow season, is putting together an Division wide event and inviting all Central Division patrollers to our weekend fling. The event includes activities and events for spouses and kids too.

In putting together the weekend fling, Ski Brule has 3 goals:
1 - patrollers from our Central Division will want to participate and have fun
2 - spouses and family members, with varied abilities can also participate and have fun too
3 - patrollers will find this to be a great value

Attached is the entry form - but if I can summarize:
- fee includes lunch both days and dinner Saturday night
- fee includes lift tickets for the weekend - check that out!
- fee includes all the events listed, some are individual, some are for teams
- note the 3:00 pm event - Ski and Paintball - something like the Biathlon from the Olympics! (but we'll use paint ball guns on the hill - or bring your own!!)
- lodging is $25 per person, based on how many in a condo - almost a give away for the condos (many condos include hot tubs!)
- fee includes prizes and awards

- Ski Brule is doing all the planning - all the promotion - all the organizing -
The patrol at Ski Brule will supply judges for the NSP specific skill events only.

Ski Brule - the resort with the longest snow season - is really working hard to show their appreciation for our wonderful, cooperative, volunteering spirit that we show the skiing and snow boarding public at our resorts!

Please get your room or condo reservations in quickly - and - get signed up too!

Oh - and be sure to share this communication with all your patrolling friends across the Central Division!

And yes, a little more is planned too - but it's being kept as another surprise!

Tom Macco, Patrol Rep.
Ski Brule Ski Patrol

p.s. My favorite event is the Biathlon - paint ball guns!

Please don't wait until the last minute to make your reservations!

To answer a couple of questions
Entree fees -
A single entry - is Patroller A
A couple entry, is Patroller A and spouse/significant other and their children
A couple entry cannot be ------- Patroller A and a fellow patroller(unless already is their partner) -although they may share a condo or other unit.

(E-mails with the following announcement sent out on 12/15 and 12/16 to all WR Basic Alpine, Nordic and Auxiliary patrollers with e-mails listed in the NSP member database.)
To: All patrollers interested in the Senior Program.
The December 15th registration deadline for Senior Emergency Management has been extended to January 1, 2005. January 1 is the absolute dead line for registration.
Applications can be found in the Western Region website at:
http://www.d.umn.edu/~nspscdwr/sencanapp.htm

Print out the application with your browser's print button.
Mail the completed application to:
Mary Pritchett
13104 Aldrich Ave So.
Burnsville, MN. 55337

Your completed application must include your Patrol Representative's approval signature.

Thank you very much for your interest in the Senior Program. We look forward to hearing from you!
Kathy Glynn,
Western Region OEC Supervisor

Mary Pritchett,
Western Region Senior Emergency Management Coordinator

Thanks to all who responded to help at the Powder Ridge OEC Refresher! We have enough Instructors and helpers how.
- Sue Wood (8/17/2004)

Election Results

Region Director - Tom Gray was re-elected for a second term,
W-2 Section Chief - Mark Gottwald was re-elected for a second term,
W-5 Section Chief - Vicki Young was elected to succeed Scott Young.
(Thank you Scott for a job well done, and congratulations to Tom, Mark, and Vicki!)
- Tom Gray (8/11/2004)

Attention OEC instructors!
We could really use your help at our Fall OEC Refresher at Powder Ridge
Saturday, September 18.
Interested in helping out? Please contact Sue Wood. Thanks!

A series of PSIA Exam Preparatory clinics is being planned for next season.
The clinics will focus on improving teaching skills. Locations will be in the Metro area.
Tentative dates are:
11/7/04 - Dry-land Clinic
11/26/04 - On-the-Hill Session 1 - Introduction, mentoring
12/26/04 - On-the-Hill Session 2 - Fly solo, with mentoring
1/2/05 - On-the-Hill Session 3 - Fly solo, sink or swim;
very honest feedback.
There will be homework assignments before and during the clinic sessions.

Click here for more information about the NSP-C/PSIA Ski School.
- Jim Andrews (4/22/2004)

National Ski Patrol Invitational Challenge and Play Day
Hosted by the Ski Brule Patrol, Iron River, Michigan
Are you looking for a thrill?
Competition events include: Toboggan NASTAR, Load-and-Go Downhill,
Ski & Paintball Biathlon, Package-and-Deliver, Patrol Relay, and much more...
Activities are being organized for members, spouses, and children.
Click here for more information and a printable application.

Please send to Tom Gray your "Class of 2004" lists of new Auxiliary, Basic, and Senior patrollers, and any others who have completed an NSP program this season. Thank you!

Important Awards Announcement.
Click here for information.
- Mary Engstrom 02/10/2004

The Coffee Mill Ski Patrol Web site is back in business, and on-line at http://www.coffeemillskipatrol.org
- Mike Prigge (12/31/2003)

You can now display and download a condensed, text-only tab-delimited version of the complete calendar using a new link provided at the top of the calendar.
- Roger Petry 12/24/2003

Wanted: Rust/Navy Short length insulated patrol jacket size large. Contact Mark Ferguson: mferguson2@wi.rr.com (12/11/2003)

Jan. 8, 2004 Region Round Table Meeting.
Date: 1/8/04; Time: 6:00PM;
Location: Ground Round Restaurant, 1500 E. 78 St., Richfield, 55423; *Map*
Telephone: 612 866-4911; POC: Scott Young 952 470-6854
The group meeting room has been reserved.
Everyone will order off a menu / separate checks.

Meet your Western Region staff; roundtable meetings are open to all patrollers.
- Scott Young 12/4/2003

Attention OEC instructors!
We could really use your help as evaluators at our Basic OEC final exam at Powder Ridge
Saturday, November 22, for 12 eager candidates from Powder Ridge and Andes Tower Hills.
Interested in helping out? Please contact Sue Wood. Thanks!
Candidates -- please arrive by 8:00AM.   Instructors -- We need you at 7:30AM.

Congratulations to Sue Penque and Chris Wolf, who have completed the OEC IT (Instructor Trainer) candidacy, and are now full-fledged IT's.
- Kathy Glynn 11/8/2003

Check out the Awards and Recognition page to see who received this year's NSP Western Region awards.

We had a birth! The Western Region has a new Nordic Patrol.
Northwest Nordic C-210 serves the x-c skiing public at Detroit Mtn. and the surrounding area.
- Dave Squires 10/27/2003

Rusty Parkas Wanted!
We are looking for two Rusty Parka hip-length shells - size Large. Preferably Goretex or similiar breathable material. If you know of any for sale, please let me know.
- Mike Prigge msjprigge@charter.net 507-454-7807 (10/26/2003)

You can now register on-line for Western Region events! Simply find an event in any of the Calendar, Education/Programs, or Fall Region Meeting pages, and click on "register on-line".
- Roger Petry 9/5/2003

The Steeplechase Ski and Snowboard Patrol will be hosting the
Western Region 2003 Fall Meeting
September 26^th and 27^th
at
Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center
Come join in the fun!

A preliminary 2003-2004 calendar has been added, with links from the home page and the 2002-2003 calendar. Please send event information to Tom Gray or Roger Petry.

2003 NSP Western Region Spring BOG Meeting, and
Patrol Representative Retreat April 25 & 26, Lodging Information
David Squires   4/7/2003.

A Couple of Bookends

Coffee Mill Ski Patrol was fortunate this year to have a some super-talented candidates and on each end of that class of seven, are a couple of bookends.  What do I mean by "bookends?"  Here's how it works.  Matt Thompson is 15, Roger Vanderzee is 72.  That's what I mean by bookends.  That's a 57 year spread.  Can anyone out there in Western Region or Central Division land match those bookends?

I can't take credit for the "bookends" statement; that came from Matt.  He's a sophomore at Winona Senior High School in Winona, Mn. and the son of Coffee Mill patroller, Ed Thompson.  He's intelligent and witty, hence the bookend statement.  He's totally at home with adults and will fit in very well with all our patrollers.  He's from a skiing family as each year Mom, Dad, and brothers Peter and Andy, head north for Lutsen or west for Colorado to ski the big hills.

I met Roger Vanderzee last Fall when he came into the Coffee Mill chalet inquiring about a season pass.  I mentioned ski patrol and a week later I had his application and dues.  If you were to describe his skiing, you would simply say "a work of art," and he skis fast too.  He's a four time National Finalist in NASTAR for his age group and he won the National Championship in 1991.  He was a lot younger then, about 60.   He thinks he might like to try again.  Roger was in law enforcement in his working years and was part of the Border Patrol when he and his wife Jean lived in Grand Marais.  They were friends of the Nelson family who, if you remember, owned the Lutsen Ski Resort.  Remember a girl named Cynthia "Cindy" Nelson?  Roger was skiing with Cindy when she and his own son were 5 years old.  Cindy skied fast too.  She won a Bronze Medal in the 1976 Winter Olympic Games at  Innsbruck, Austria.  Roger and Jean (who loves to ski also) are still good friends with the Nelson's.

We at Coffee Mill are extremely happy to have these "bookends" and the rest of our 2003 candidate class.

Submitted by Mike Prigge, 3/12/2003
Coffee Mill Ski Patrol,
Patrol Representative

I would just like to express a huge "Thank you!" to everyone who helped out this season with Senior Emergency Management training, pre-courses, and the evaluation at Spirit Mtn. This was truly an historic moment for the Western Region; every one of the twelve candidates who participated in the Sr. Emergency Management evaluation at Spirit Mtn. on March 1st, passed the evaluation!!! As far as we know, this is the first time that everyone in a class of this size has passed the evaluation.
- Jim Ruzicka 3/1/2003

Help! We are in desperate need of volunteers to help with the Senior Emergency Mgt. (Senior OEC) pre-courses and evaluation this season. Please contact Jim Ruzicka or Kathy Glynn.
- Jim Ruzicka 1/10/2003

Como Ski Center has started up again, and Colin J. Sullivan has accepted the position of Patrol Representative. The toboggan they had was stolen, and they are in need of some equipment and supplies. If anyone has anything extra which they could donate, please contact Colin at 612-296-9757.
- Tom Gray. 1/9/2003

The January Roundtable Meeting has been rescheduled from January 8th to January 9th (See the calendar for details.) - Scott Young, Tom Gray. 12/2/2002

Bob Hart has designed a great addition to our Web site, called the "Western Region News Line". It is accessible from our home page. Bob has agreed to serve as the on-line WR News Line Editor. We ask Program Supervisors and Section Chiefs to encourage your staff's to submit timely articles.

You can promote your events "on the web" simply by e-mailing 1,2, or 3 small pictures and 5-6 lines of text to Bob. Please feel free to direct any questions to either of us. Thank you.
- Roger Petry 10/25/2002

The Western Region will be hosting the 2003 Central Division Fall Meeting and Awards Banquet. It will be held at the Airport Hilton near the Mall of America, September 12 - 14, 2003. This is a Region-wide event, and we are looking to each Patrol in the Region to help support this event. If there are instructors who would like to present a class, or if we know of vendors who would like to have displays, or if patrollers have an interest in helping on any of the committees, please contact Jeannine Mogan at mjmogan@msn.com - Tom Gray 9/27/2002

We will be having elections for Section Chief in Sections 1 and 4. Lee Stotsbery and Bob Hart have reached their term limits, so we will be looking for replacements. Anyone interested should contact either Lee or Bob for more information. - Tom Gray 9/27/2002

The field session for the Level I Mountain Travel and Rescue course will be held on Sunday, Sept. 29, at Giants Ridge. You will need to bring a pack, compass, plastic tarp, something to cook, cook in, cook with, something to carry water in, and anything else you may wish to carry, or equipment you may wish to share. - Daryl Coons 9/21/2002

The Western Region Newsletter with the PROFORM form will not reach our members in time for their refreshers so they can have it signed by their PR as required. Copies of the PROFORM are being sent to the PR's so they have them in time. Ask your PR for one at your refresher (or sooner if you wish).
The forms also will be available at the Fall Region Meeting.
- Shirley Schoenbauer 9/19/2002

Please welcome Mary Sapp as the newly elected Section Chief for W-6.
Congratulations to Mark Cross, who was re-elected as Section Chief for W-3.
Please welcome Dean Mitchell as the new PR for the Powder Ridge Patrol - Tom Gray.

The pricing, availability, and purchase policies for the fourth edition OEC materials have been posted to the What's New section of the NSP website. Please log on to
http://www.nsp.org/nsp2002/whats_new_template.asp?mode=new_oec_pricing to access this information. The NSP is excited about these new publications and thanks you for sharing this information with your members and OEC instructors.
NSP Education Department   6/10/2002.

In the very near future, we will be offering Mentoring workshops. Stay tuned to the website for further information and updates - Kathy Glynn   3/27/2002.

2002 NSP Western Region Spring BOG Meeting, and
Patrol Representative Retreat April 26 & 27, Lodging Information
Mary Sapp, Jodi Whitcomb   3/21/2002.

A Memorial for Frank Barnfield - Tom Gray, RD.

The Region Roundtable Meeting on the 9th of January (Wednesday) will be in St. Cloud at the Timber Lodge Steakhouse, 3950 2nd St. South, 320-251-0771. (Dinner at 6PM; meeting at 7PM.) If you're coming from the Twin Cities on I-94, take the Kimball exit and go north on Hwy. 15 to St Cloud. The Timber Lodge Steakhouse is located at the intersection of Hwy. 15 and 2nd St. (Hwy. 23) (see MAP)

Our 2001 Western Region Award recipients are now posted on our website! Congratulations to the recipients, and a big "Thankyou!" to those who prepared the nominations. Please check out http://www.d.umn.edu/~nspscdwr/awards.htm

We are looking for someone to fill the position of Recording Board Secretary, which is currently available. If you are interested, please contact Tom Gray for details.

December, 2001 Memo from Tom Gray, RD.

2001 Election Results for Region Director.
Mike Peters, Tom Gray  6/12/2001

2001 Election Results for Chiefs of Sections W-2 and W-5.
Tom Gray  6/5/2001

2001 NSP Western Region Spring BOG Meeting, and
Patrol Representative Retreat April 27 & 28, Lodging Information
Mike Peters  3/21/2001

Notice of 2001 Elections
Tom Gray   3/15/2001

Steeplechase is Open!
Martin Fahje   2/1/2001

Reminder... Outstanding, National Appointment, and Merit Star award nomination forms
are due by February 22nd for the March 1st Awards Committee Mtg.
Mary Engstrom  1/19/2001

Help Needed for OEC Senior Precourses & Evaluation.
Jim Ruzicka and Mary Pritchett  1/13/2001

Letter to Sr. Ski & Toboggan Examiners
John Thomas   12/4/2000

Letter to Sr. Ski & Toboggan Applicants
John Thomas   12/4/2000

Patrols in need of patrollers...

Birkie Patrol - preferably Nordic-qualified
Contact Bob Hart

Como Ski Center - patrollers and a Patrol Representative
Contact Lee Stotesbery

Wild River Nordic is looking for weekend Patrollers
...and for two special events:
Saturday, Jan. 06, 2001 (Candle-light ski and hike, 5PM - 10PM)
Thursday, Jan. 25, 2001 (Regional Special Olympics, 9AM - 3PM)
Contact Mark Monroe

Check out the new NSP On-line Member Services
and the new NSP Outdoor Emergency Care Online Review

Congratulations to Deb Endly and Jim Ruzicka...

"Put Your Patrol on the Web" Workshop at the 2000 Western Region Fall Meeting
Roger Petry   8/1/2000

Results of the Special Election
Tom Gray   8/3/2000

Area Registration Forms and PR Retreat
Mike Peters   4/20/2000

Western Region Expense Reimbursement Policy
Jack Ferguson   4/7/2000

Notice of Special Election
Tom Gray   3/30/2000

Western Region B.O.G. Spring Meeting
Jeannine Mogan   3/20/2000

2000 NSP Patrol Rep. Retreat
Jeannine Mogan   3/20/2000

Steeplechase Patrol Is Gearing Up...
Martin Fahje   3/14/2000

Return to the Special Events, Announcements... page.