Date: Fri 08-Dec-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Illustration: C

Location: B-7

Quick Words:

Winterset-Ski-Meyer-Osterman

Full Text:

(feature on Winterset Ski Club of Newtown, 12/8/95)

Skiing Is Year Round For Winterset

(with photos)

By Shannon Hicks

Next Wednesday is the 25th birthday of the forming of the Winterset Ski Club,

Newtown's answer to affordable family skiing.

Winterset was formed primarily by two Newtown skiers, Mike Mazaika and Fred

Marchionna (who would also become the club's first president), who had worked

previously with the St. Rose Sports Guild in offering a ski club for children

in 1969. After a tumultuous first season, the two sat down and decided to try

again, this time offering instead an independent, town-wide, family-type ski

club.

On December 13, 1970, the No Name Ski Club was "formally brought into the

world and officers were elected," reads an opening paragraph from the club's

history. The club's name - Winterset Ski Club - came as the result of a name

contest the group held.

Twenty-five years and 26 presidents later (in 1991-92, Winterset was

co-presided over by Paul Dohrenwend and Carole Spolar), Don Meyer is now

leading the long-standing and popular club into another season of downhilling,

cross-country skiing and snowboarding. President since last August, Mr Meyer

is working with the club's board to continue promoting a family-oriented ski

club where everyone takes part in planning and orchestrating events.

"They've been after me for a long time [to become president] and I just kept

putting it off," Mr Meyer said recently. "But I want to see the club move

ahead. It seemed like we were getting a little bogged down, stagnant.

"I wanted to go back to the things we were noted for."

Winterset originated two and a half decades ago with the thought of promoting

skiing. Organizers wanted to teach youngsters how to ski, and for adults to

learn more about and advance their level of skiing. Don felt too much emphasis

was being put solely on the enjoyment of weekend ski trips, which isn't a

terrible thing, but not the club's original intent.

This year the club is backing a Learn To Ski program, where Winterset will be

subsidizing lesson packages at two Connecticut ski areas. According to Don, it

shouldn't cost members more than $10-$15 to take the lessons, after the club

works out its input and the ski areas counter with a reduced rate for

instruction and lift fees.

The club now works very closely with the Connecticut Ski Council, an

organization of 17-22 ski clubs across the state working to arrange bargains

for members at ski areas across New England. The Council will sponsor a Kids'

Council Day this season at Stratton Mountain in Vermont, for example, for just

$25 per child.

"We're more interested in the family," the president emphasizes. "It's a

family organization and that's where our backbone is.

"We accept anybody and everybody," he continued. "We do have singles in the

club, but that's not our primary goal ... What I stress when I hear someone is

interested is are they willing to help in the club? A lot of clubs are more

interested in numbers, but I'm more interested in whether members can add a

little something to the club, even if it's just for a few hours during the

year, like the ski sale."

Which brings up one of the things Winterset Ski Club is best known for in the

area: its annual ski and skate sale. Held each year since the club's

inception, first at the St. Rose Parish Hall for a few years before moving to

the gymnasium in Newtown's Edmond Town Hall. The club accepts consignments of

used equipment and ski-related clothing in good condition, and then sells it

to the public.

The sale had become an established event in Newtown by the third year of the

club's operation, drawing buyers from across Fairfield and neighboring

counties. When sale co-chairmen Frank Johnson, Ed House and Stan Main opened

the doors for the 1974-75 sale, the line of anxiously-awaiting buyers extended

clear across the parking lot of St. Rose!

It is the club's single largest fundraiser each year (the group also holds a

raffle night offering tickets to ski areas), and the one that brings the club

into the public's eyes every fall through advertising and the bargains it

offers skiers of all ages. Al though the sale realized nearly $1,400 this

year, Don Meyer was more pleased with the amount of time club members worked

together to prepare for the sale.

Everyone Has Something To Share

Don Meyer joined Winterset in 1976. At the time, he had taken only a few

lessons, but once he joined the club his skiing improved tremendously. He now

considers himself an advanced/intermediate skier. That, says Don, is what he

wants for every member: to improve their own level of ability, while meeting

other families and enjoying the ever-popular winter sport.

Like any organization, Winterset has seen membership levels rise and fall over

the years. In 1975 the club boasted 50 memberships, representing 150-175 total

members including children; this year's roster shows 99 memberships, with 244

members. The majority of the members are from Newtown and Sandy Hook, but the

club has also found interest in people in surrounding (Trumbull, Brookfield)

and not-so-surrounding (Stratford; Katonah, NY; North Andover, MA) towns.

Winterset is an appealing club for all ages. From the youngest members - two

to three years of age - to 70-year old Tony Anufrijevas, everyone has

something to share. Mr Anufrijevas, says Don, is "probably one of the best

skiers in the club... he out-skies most everybody in the club." The

septuagenarian also keeps busy by water skiing and sky diving during the

warmer parts of the year.

Obviously one of the biggest advantages of being in a ski club is the day and

weekend trips the group makes. Right now there are nine day trips planned, the

first to Pico on December 17, with trips continuing through the end of March,

when Winterset will travel to Okemo.

In between the day trips, however, are the big trips members look forward to

each year: the annual journey to Mount Tremblant, in St. Jovite, Canada (above

Montreal), February 16-19, and the Sunday River Ski Week in March. The Mount

Tremblant long weekend has always been scheduled over Presidents' Weekend in

order to take advantage of school closings. It is probably the group's most

popular outing.

Winterset is a year-round club. Its board meets monthly, and there are four

general membership meetings during the year, including the annual Kick-Off

Meeting in September. The club holds a dinner dance in May and a Christmas

party in December.

The club is big on tradition, says its president. Even for members, membership

is traditional, as demonstrated by some of its longest-term members like Rudi

Szigeti, Bill Meyer and Ed Osterman. Mr Osterman has been with the club since

its inception.

Membership fees have remained constant ($20 for a single membership, $25 for a

couple; the least expensive of any club, its president claims), while a

membership deadline was recently instilled. The club, which recently saw an

upsurge in cross country interest, will now be adding racing to its list of

things to do.

And although Don Meyer is hoping to get more members involved with the group's

planning and execution of events, he isn't planning on monumental changes

within the Winterset infrastructure.

"I think it's good to keep [tradition]," he says. "I don't want to change

everything one-hundred percent, just emphasize more of the good things we do."

For additional information on Winterset Ski Club, contact its president, Don

Meyer, at 730-2602. Meetings are held at the Dodgingtown Fire House or St.

Rose Parish Hall.