Keeping kids on the slopes NIMSEF BENEFITS LOCAL YOUTH
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By Dig Chrismer
et’s face it, skiing and snowboarding are expensive. From lift tickets to gear, cost can be an issue for anyone who wants to get out on the mountain. It’s challenging to find ways to promote the benefits of skiing and snowboarding to the local community when often, those families don’t have the extra financial means to get their kids involved in the sport. Working as a ski instructor for Schweitzer, Jeff Rouleau has experienced this dilemma firsthand. Over the years, he’s worked with Schweitzer’s Snowsports School outreach programs and has met tons of local kids who were thrilled to get a day on the mountain with their school classes. But it was heartbreaking when he realized that many of those kids wouldn’t get more than just that one day. “Back in 2010, we got thank you cards from some of the fourth-graders who had skied with us the week before. One of the cards said ‘Greatest day of my life. Too bad I’ll never see you again.’ And that just killed me.” Inspired by this glaring gap in opportunity, Rouleau hit upon an idea to find a way to get these kids back on the slopes. Working closely with Schweitzer and the local community, Rouleau founded North Idaho Mountain Sports Education Fund (NIMSEF) with the goal to get kids who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford skiing and snowboarding out on the slopes. NIMSEF’s primary function is to work with the local community in securing donations to pay for season passes and rentals as well as registration for the six-week Funatics program. Rouleau’s original intention was to promote the program to the local schools and social workers in the area, hoping to connect kids who come from challenging socioeconomic situations with an outlet that provides critical physical and mental health benefits. “In our first year, we helped 22 kids,” Rouleau said. “This past winter, thanks to word of mouth, we were able to help about 100 kids get access to the mountain. It’s incredible.” Community support has been key for NIMSEF to continue growing the program with their annual fundraiser, the screening of the Banff Mountain Film Festival at the Panida Theater. The three-day festival provides the bulk of
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Schweitzer Magazine | 2021 • 2022
NIMSEF’s fundraising efforts every year. “We have five board members who do so much to help raise the money we need to keep the program going,” he said. “Plus, the support we get from Schweitzer’s rental manager Kirk Johnson and his crew is just amazing. Everyone really believes in the value of what we are doing and that buy-in is key.” As much as the program relies on donations from the community, Rouleau also asks that each child who participates have a stake in making the program work, too. “The kids have a responsibility to raise $50 towards our annual raffle at the film festival fundraiser,” Rouleau said. “They can sell raffle tickets to friends and family or do what they can to earn the money by raking leaves, babysitting, you name it.” One Bonners Ferry family even launched a whole new business to cover their portion of participating in the program. “My parents weren’t skiers, but I really wanted to
