Celebrating Over 80 Years of Skiing and Lifelong Friendships
March 9, 2021 Vol. XIV, #18
Inside this issue
1. No Bad News (2020-21, Volume IV)
2. One of our own youngsters, Georgette Sake, seriously injured on the slope
1. No Bad News (2020-21, Volume IV)
Fifty degrees and sunshine. Normally I welcome the shift to spring that March brings. Sunsets, corn snow, après, etc. This year is different. Despite my season pass looking like it was hit with a machine gun, it feels like I’ve done very little skiing this year. Chalk some of it up to new fatherhood and some of it up to getting more involved in the crew that makes things happen out on the hill without really making many turns. I say this not to pat my own back but to bring attention to those folks for all they do to make our winters fun.
The anchor for that crew for decades has been Joe Host. Longtime manager and more recently owner of Sun ‘n Snow ski shop, Joe has been the glue bridging multiple high school ski coaches, iterations of junior race programs (now steadily under the Cadillac Ski Club umbrella), and Wednesday night adult racing. There is no way you grew up skiing here and don't know Joe. While the only thing he clings to is Wednesday nights these days, I believe this coming weekend will be the first time since a severe ACL injury a couple decades ago that Joe will not be at the Caberfae spring race series running the show. You can, however, stop by the ski shop and say hi. If he’s smiling under his mask, it’s because he knows his past times have been handicapped by his pristine first-to-run course conditions but also, more likely, because he knows his significant work product is in good hands.
On that topic, you’ll see a link below for donations to Cadillac Ski Club - the entity that underwrites all the equipment and personnel for racing at Caberfae. The Huckle Race held on Sunday is one of two large fundraisers for the club, the other being the ski swap. The ski swap didn’t happen and the Huckle Race will be sans-auction this year, both a big financial hit to the club’s efforts. Please save up your goodies (new for the auction, used for the swap) for 2021-22 and consider a good old-fashioned donation. Whether you are a racer or not, the Cadillac Ski Club is hugely successful at offering affordable ski programming to youth and adults, a win-win for everybody involved.
As I mentioned before, I’m not quite ready for skiing to end this year. I believe it has been a wildly successful season for Caberfae and very admirable effort by our all-volunteer club to bob and weave against the backdrop of the pandemic. Everyone’s adventurous spirit and adaptability underscores why nearly all my closest friends are skiers. I miss seeing your smiling faces (inside and outside) and look forward to what the next year will bring. I’ll save any farewell spiel in hopes of an April ski club newsletter since Caberfae has the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th on the calendar...
-Sam
Donation Link for Huckle Memorial Ski Race: https://checkout.square.site/merchant/7BB78KB4VH0VS/checkout/SS6XTE5TROKX6XCPSXQA46TW
2. One of our own youngsters, Georgette Sake, seriously injured on the slope
Hello to the greater Caberfae and Cadillac HS ski racing community,
As I'm sure most of you have heard, on the evening of Wed. March 3rd, Georgette Sake suffered massive injuries while free skiing at Caberfae. Georgette is a sophomore on the CHS Ski Team, and the whole Sake family are not only all strong ski racers, but have long been a loved and respected family within the Caberfae and Cadillac communities.
Georgette's injuries required ambulance transportation to the hospital in TC, then (I believe) had to be flown to the hospital in GR, where she was treated for a broken jaw, two broken bones in a forearm, and a severe liver laceration! She was hospitalized for five days, and this week, has had to go back to GR three times for follow-up treatments. Further surgeries are pending. More and greater expenses are pending. I contacted coaches Joe Host and James Netzley, and Brian Cooper to discuss how we could all help to relieve some of the financial stress the Sake family will incur no matter their insurance level. We agreed to have an anonymous fund-raiser.
Donations in the form of checks made payable to 'Brian Cooper' will be managed jointly by Brian and James Netzley. We've imposed a deadline of Friday April 9th, at which time Brian will submit a check to Sakes, with amounts of donations to be anonymous. If you'd like to donate, please send your check, payable to Brian Cooper, at 10575 E. 36 1/2 Rd, Cadillac, 49601.
Thank you for your consideration,
Sincerely, Ed (Waddy) Potthoff
COMMENTS, CONTRIBUTIONS & SUGGESTIONS
This is your club and we’d like to hear your ideas to continually improve the Caberfae Ski Club for the enjoyment of you and your family. Let us hear your suggestions. Email us at: caberfaeskiclub@caberfaeskiclub.org If you have a story or an article you’ve written that you’d like to share with club members in the eNewsletter, please email or call the eNewsletter editor.
CLUB CONTACT INFORMATION
Caberfae Ski Club web page: www.caberfaeskiclub.org
Send your favorite photo-moments from the club or the slopes to neffzone@yahoo.com
Club Wi-Fi Password: Check the bulletin board in the hall near the dining room
Caberfae Ticket Agent available Fri, Sat., & Sun. until 11:15 a.m.
Calendar of Events: www.caberfaeskiclub.org/calendar
Dinner Reservation Hotline: dinnerreservations@caberfaeskiclub.org
I Forgot to Make Dinner Reservation Phone Line: (231) 920-6769 (Sue’s personal cell phone)
General Caberfae Ski Club email address: caberfaeskiclub@caberfaeskiclub.org
Caberfae Peaks Resort: www.caberfaepeaks.com
Board Members
Pat Bourassa, President
Cathy Maher, First Vice President
Paul Waug, Second Vice President, Social Chairman
Mary Jane Canfield, board member
Ron Kimball, board member
Brian Nyland, board member
Stacey Potthoff-Dimmer, board member
Lauren Rule, board member
Club Secretary/Treasurer - Norma Roelfsema
Assistant Club Treasurer - David Reiser
Club Manager - Sue Egelus
Club Webmaster - Jim Neff