By Dick Dorworth
The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation was founded in 1966 and is one of the oldest nonprofit organizations in the Wood River Valley. There are 678 athletes between the ages of 5 and 30 who have participated in SVSEF programs. There are 27 different teams of alpine, cross-country, snowboard, freestyle, freeski and IFSA big mountain athletes, including three south Valley-based teams.
The mission of SVSEF is to provide exceptional snowsport programs for the youth of the Wood River Valley so each can reach his or her athletic potential. The nonprofit organization also stresses the desire to help the athletes to develop a strong character through good sportsmanship, embracing strong values, and setting individual goals.
Its community partners include Blaine County School District and Blaine County Recreation District, U.S. Forest Service, Sun Valley Community School, Galena Lodge, Sun Valley Company, The Hunger Coalition, Kids Mountain Fund, and WOW Students.
SVSEF has a full-time staff of 22, including coaches, with a 13-member board of directors. Since the athlete-to-coach ratio is 6:1 for the nearly 700 athletes, SVSEF relies on around 500 volunteers and a coaching staff that is 40 percent alumni.
Twenty-four alumni of SVSEF have been Olympians, including Christin Cooper—a silver medalist in 1984; Picabo Street, who won a silver medal in 1994 and a gold in 1998; and Kaitlyn Farrington, who won gold in 2014.
By Hayden Seder
This year marks the 42nd year of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation’s annual Wild Game Dinner, an event complete with drinks, food, dancing, games, music, and both live and silent auctions. This year’s event will be held at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9, at the Sun Valley Inn’s Limelight Room.
The Wild Game Dinner is one of SVSEF’s biggest fundraisers with roots going back to 1976 when it started as a way for ski team families to celebrate the start of the ski season and the heritage of snow sports in Sun Valley.
“The Wild Game Dinner is awesome because it’s really a kick-off for the winter season for all of our sports and athletes,” said CC McCarthy, SVSEF’s director of Events and Volunteers. “It’s a way for us to raise money to make sure that all of our programs go off as a success each year.”
All proceeds from the event go to athletes and programs, much of which is subsidized by SVSEF. Last year, with the help of donors, SVSEF provided over $300,000 for need- and merit-based financial aid.
This year’s event kicks off with wine sponsored by Sturtevants and PK’s Ski and Sports, as well as a signature cocktail sponsored by Warfield Distillery & Brewery. New to the event this year will be a slew of games, including a cornhole/snowball-toss game, a hunting/archery game, and a wine pull akin to a bottle/ring toss that one would find at a county fair.
The dinner itself will feature a wild boar chop and a vegetarian option prepared by Sun Valley’s executive chef, Ken Pratt, who has worked with the Wild Game Dinner for the past several years. Music will be provided by DJ Dave from Boise.
Both silent and live (paddle-up) auctions will be the highlight of the night, with amazing auction packages such as a two-shooter hunting trip to the David Denies Pica Zuro Lodge in Argentina, a New Year’s Eve Party at Rotarun Ski Area, or a lobster dinner for 20.
This event is traditionally a sellout, with many alumni returning to support their favorite cause.
Tickets are $150, available at svsef.org or by calling (208) 726-4129.