Working to make a better world

HIGH FIVES, SHANE MCCONKEY FOUNDATIONS

BY MIKE A.K. AKAY

Events

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22

Storytime

Zephyr Cove Library, Zephyr Cove, 11 a.m., (775) 588-6411, library.douglascountynv.gov

THURSDAY, MARCH 23

Golden Meet & Greet

Truckee Donner Recreation & Park District, Truckee, 9:30-10:30 a.m., (530) 582-7720, tdrpd.org

Sled Hill Tahoe Blue Cleanup

Spooner Summit Snow Play Area, Carson City, 10 a.m., (530) 542-4546, sierranevadaalliance.org

Family Storytime

Incline Village Library, Incline Village, 10:30 a.m., (775) 832-4130, washoecountylibrary.us/libraries/ incline-village.php

Mother Goose on the Loose

South Lake Tahoe Library, South Lake Tahoe, 10:30 a.m., (530) 573-3185, eldoradolibrary.org

Preschool Storytime

Truckee Library, Truckee, 10:30 a.m., (530) 582-7846, nevadacountyca.gov/336/Truckee-Library

Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship

In my last column, I wrote about losing two ski friends and now I’ll remind you how tragedies like those can be turned into wonderful causes. High Fives and the Shane McConkey foundations are charities that were both born out of tremendous loss.

High Fives Foundation

High Fives Foundation founder Roy Tuscany was an up-and-coming pro skier who became paralyzed on a terrain park jump landing that went bad at Mammoth Mountain. He turned his moment of despair into a thriving nonprofit that helps disabled athletes like himself and disabled veterans from the military regain strength or acquire new skills in fun, outdoor activities.

In 2009, Roy asked me to come to Sugar Bowl to help promote his new nonprofit at the Trains jump event and I was happy to help — and even happier to hit the beautiful, massive jumps (built by J.P. Martin) with the pros. Roy’s first events were simple with a ski jump, music, beers, branded T-shirts. Then 12 years later it become California’s Non-Profit of the Year and gave almost $2 million in disbursements in 2021. He’s built the C.R. Johnson Healing Center, started the injury-prevention program B.A.S.I.C.S., sponsored ski-athons, golf tourneys, films and even a bocce ball tournament.

Roy has overcome his physical obstacles to become a skier again and is able to ski and surf with the numerous athletes and veterans that he supports while never forgetting to give a high five, that small act being his first step on the road to recovery in the hospital back in 2006. A popular Tahoe High Fives Foundation event is the Skinny Ski-a-thon held during The Mothership Classic on March 26 (find details in this edition). | highfivesfoundation.org

Shane McConkey Foundation

In March 2009, I was on top of the world as a forerunner for the U.S. Freestyle National Championships in Halfpipe. After a great day of ski training, my world came crashing down when I learned my friend and mentor Shane McConkey had died in a ski cliff accident involving a BASE jump earlier that day. Shane coached me by e-mail in my first big-mountain event; he was there to be my beacon racing the first snowblade Chinese Downhills at Palisades Tahoe and gracious to give me interviews when I wanted to write about his over-the-top exploits.

Shane was such an inspiration and savior to many; from those he gave sanction in performing the craziest stunts on Earth to saving the then-dying sport of skiing by inventing the wide ski. Every racing and freeride program in this country has Shane to thank for the continuation and growth of their sport by bringing skiing to the masses. In 2011 his wife, Sherry, turned their tragic loss into a foundation to help others and keep the memory of Shane alive forever. The nonprofit Shane McConkey Foundation gives monetary support to other nonprofits and schools and has provided more than a $500,000 to dozens of benefactors locally and nationwide.

Shane was well known for his ski skills along with an amazing sense of humor, so perhaps the foundation’s flagship event, International Snowblade Day on March 25 at Palisades Tahoe this year will help jog your creative mind for ecological solutions while having fun on your snowblades (details in this edition). | shanemcconkey.org n

Alibi Ale Works, Truckee, 4:30 p.m., (530) 536-5029, alibialeworks.com

Science Speaks Series: Attraction & Relationships

UC Davis Tahoe Science Center, Incline Village, 5:30-7:30 p.m., (775) 881-7560, tahoe.ucdavis.edu

Release Party Fundraiser

FiftyFifty Brewing Co., Truckee, 6 p.m., (530) 5872337, fiftyfiftybrewing.com

Friends of Plumas Wilderness Community Meeting

Veterans Memorial Hall, Portola, 6:30 p.m., plumaswilderness.org

FRIDAY, MARCH 24

Ski With a Ranger

Heavenly Mountain Resort, South Lake Tahoe, 10 a.m., (775) 586-7000, skiheavenly.com

Interpretive Mountain Tours

Diamond Peak Ski Resort, Incline Village, 10:30 a.m., (775) 832-1177, diamondpeak.com

Ski With a Ranger

Heavenly Mountain Resort, South Lake Tahoe, 1 p.m., (775) 586-7000, skiheavenly.com

Nordic Nights

North Tahoe Regional Park, Johnny Winters Field (Field #1), Tahoe Vista, 5 p.m., northtahoeparks.com

SATURDAY, MARCH 25

Nordic Skier X ASC Training Center, Soda Springs, 8 a.m., (530) 426-3313, auburnskiclub.com

Methodology: Presented by Vans

Sierra At Tahoe, Twin Bridges, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., sierraattahoe.com

4th Annual Luggi Foeger Uphill/Downhill Festival

Diamond Peak Ski Resort, Incline Village, 9 a.m., (775) 832-1177, diamondpeak.com

Clean California Community Cleanup

South Lake Tahoe, CA near Stateline, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., (530) 541-5388, keeptahoeblue.org

Spooner Summit Cleanup & Outreach Day

Spooner Summit, Carson City, 9 a.m-2 p.m., (530) 541-5388, keeptahoeblue.org

Pain McShlonkey Classic

Palisades Tahoe, Olympic Valley, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., (800) 403-0206, palisadestahoe.com

Ability Challenge

Palisades Tahoe, Olympic Valley, 9:15 a.m., (800) 403-0206, palisadestahoe.com

Gunbarrel 25

Heavenly Mountain Resort, South Lake Tahoe, 10 a.m., (775) 586-7000, skiheavenly.com

The Three Little Pigs Puppet Show

KidZone Museum, Truckee, 11 a.m., (530) 587-5437, kidzonemuseum.org

Donner Snowshoe Historical Tours

Donner Memorial State Park, Truckee, 11 a.m., (530) 583-9911, sierrastateparks.org

Celebrity Hound Hobnob

Gallery Keoki, Olympic Valley, 5 p.m., (530) 4148500, gallerykeoki.com

Crab & Pasta Feed

Truckee Donner Recreation Center, Truckee, 5 p.m., truckeerotary.org

SUNDAY, MARCH 26

Wild Winter Early Morning Snowshoe Hike

Diamond Peak Ski Resort, Incline Village, 7:30 a.m., (775) 832-1177, diamondpeak.com

4th Annual Luggi Foeger Uphill/Downhill Festival

Diamond Peak Ski Resort, Incline Village, 8 a.m., (775) 832-1177, diamondpeak.com

Methodology: Presented by Vans

Sierra At Tahoe, Twin Bridges, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Sierra Skogsloppet XC Fun Ski Race

Tahoe Donner XC Ski Center , Truckee, 9 a.m., (530) 587-9400, tahoedonner.com

Mothership Classic

Palisades Tahoe, Olympic Valley, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., (800) 403-0206, palisadestahoe.com

Donner Snowshoe Historical Tours

Donner Memorial State Park, Truckee, 11 a.m., (530) 583-9911, sierrastateparks.org

MONDAY, MARCH 27

Crawl Space Baby and Toddler Program

South Lake Tahoe Library, South Lake Tahoe, 10 a.m., (530) 573-3185, eldoradolibrary.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 28

Play and Learn Program

South Lake Tahoe Library, South Lake Tahoe, 9 a.m., (530) 573-3185, eldoradolibrary.org

Family Storytime

Incline Village Library, Incline Village, 10:30 a.m., (775) 832-4130, washoecountylibrary.us

Golden Hour 55+

North Tahoe Event Center, Kings Beach, 11:30 a.m., (530) 546-7249, northtahoeevents.com

Reading Furends

Zephyr Cove Library, Zephyr Cove, 3:30 p.m., (775) 588-6411, library.douglascountynv.gov

Teen Tuesday

Incline Village Library, Incline Village, 4 p.m., (775) 832-4130, washoecountylibrary.us/libraries/incline-village.php

Play & Learn Program

El Dorado County Community Hub 5, South Lake Tahoe, 9 p.m., eldoradocommunityhubs.com/hub-5

Discover more at TheTahoeWeekly.com/family

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 events

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29

Storytime

Zephyr Cove Library, Zephyr Cove, 11 a.m., (775) 588-6411, library.douglascountynv.gov

Community Garden Kickoff

NTPUD office, Tahoe Vista, 5:30 p.m., ntpud.org