Avalanche Canada Foundation
A Message from the President Last October, Gord Ritchie stepped down as President of the Avalanche Canada Foundation, ending more than 20 years of leadership within the Canadian avalanche sector. One can never fill the shoes of someone who provided such exceptional guidance and vision to an organization. I am so grateful for the healthy and professional environment through every level of this unique organization that I experienced in my two years on the Avalanche Canada board before transitioning to the ACF board in 2019. This solid groundwork laid over the past 20 years has been tested by the year 2020. In January, director Adam Campbell’s wife, Laura Kosakoski, died in an avalanche, a sobering reminder to our entire community of the fragility of life. Even for those who practice all available means of staying out of harm's way while pursuing our backcountry passion, incidents may still occur that we have little means to control. After a very successful Calgary fundraiser in October 2019, the plans were set to repeat for our Whistler event in March. However, with the rapid onset of Covid-19 on the west coast in early March, the board made the tough decision less than one week before the event to postpone. Hindsight provides a clear lens that it was the right decision, however challenging at the time. Throughout the lockdown and eventual shutdown in March and April, we observed, like so many other organizations, the ambiguity of how to fulfil our mandate with such uncertainty on the horizon. The year 2020 has also presented many opportunities. With the National Strategy funds secured, the ACF has started to formulate strategies for user engagement across Canada. Our fundraising efforts need to be dynamic and easy to access. These two criteria may be met by online platforms that offer novel ways to launch events and communicate with the public. Prior to Covid-19, we had started to pursue third-party fund-raising partnerships. There were unique ideas that included a brewery or distillery branding AvCan on a new product line, an online platform providing user-directed financial support to AvCan, setting up a “Text-to-Give” application, and a backcountry social media group engaging their followers with information on accessing AvCan services. We are excited by these new formats and look forward to discovering other opportunities and partnerships that can share our organization's message with existing users and those new to the backcountry world. Whether your pastime is skiing, sledding, snowshoeing, or early season hiking, we need your support more than ever before. The National Strategy funds are dedicated to specific operational processes. The Avalanche Canada Foundation would like your help in providing funds for existing programs and in ensuring avalanche forecasting is readily available for all users of Canada’s backcountry. Whether it is a $10 contribution or a large corporate gift, we greatly appreciate every dollar. May you and your family stay safe during these most extraordinary times.
Cheryl Goodwin, President
