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November, 2022
EXECUTIVE ORGANIZATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
– Toby Kravet – 808-224-1065
Vice
President - Anita Hodges
Treasurer - Jonathan Carr
Secretary - Stewart Taggart
Michiro Iwanaga
Alan Teramura
Caroline Sluyter
Mike Tsutsui
Karl See
Nelson Dang
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Newsletter Editor
Toby Kravet
(Click on Contacts for e mail addresses)
CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
Every Monday evening (except on holidays and, of course, during Hawaii Ski Week), at 4:30 PM, a group of ski club members and their friends play tennis at Keehi Lagoon Courts, off Lagoon Drive. Stay in shape and enjoy a "careful social hour" afterwards.
November 3 (Thursday) 5 PM: General Membership Meeting at Mangiamo by 604, Navy Marine Golf Course.
November 24 (Thanksgiving Thursday) Stay tuned for information on volunteering to help feed a morning Thanskgiving dinner to the "needy" with the Salvation Army at Blaisdell Center and a pre-event tailgate in the parking lot open to all Ski Club members before we go to our own Thanksgiving celebrations (See below).
December 10 (Saturday) (Time TBA) Following a two year hiatus due to COVID (what else?) Sam Wright is inviting us back to the Esplanade in Hawaii Kai for our traditional holiday party.
January 6 or 7 (Friday or Saturday), location and time TBA: Pre-Trip/Packet Pickup party for Big Sky trip. Stay tuned.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:
Happy November everyone! Ski Season is only a short time away. My friend, Anne, in Charleston, Utah (kinda near Park City), tells me that they got 19" of snow in the higher elevations of Alta over this weekend, but more important for us, Big Sky has 30", they are already grooming, and are looking towards a Thanksgiving opening.
Important: The update on our ski trips, below, has new information concerning newly avaliable rooms a change in the flights to Japan.
A lot of you renewed your memberships over the internet prior to the Kick-Off on October 6 and somewhere between 30 and 35 of you brought your checks to the Kick-Off but, as of last Thursday, 57 have yet to renew. Looking at the names, I know this is just an oversight so, ASAP, please sign up for the new membership year, just this past October 1 to September 30, 2023. You need to be an active member to go on our trips. Again, you can access the digital membership form through our website, www.hawaiisnowskiclub.com and can either send us a check (address on form) or, for a few cents more, pay by credit card. It's real convenient.
Talking about our website, we hope to soon be displaying a new "crop" of club shirt styles and colors on the site and providing you the opportunity to order online. The details have yet to be finalized, but we are working on it and hope to have new shirts in time, if not for Christmas, for the trip so you can "sport your colors" in Montana.
Up until the pandemic hit, one of the Club's continuing activities throughout the year was community volunteering. A number of us worked in booths at community events, volunteered for ushering and other jobs for special events at the Waikiki Aquarium, and helped repaint the exterior of the Palolo Chinese Home to name just a few of our efforts. The best attended volunteer event, however, has always been helping the Salvation Army feed Honolulu's needy at the Blaisdell Center on Thanksgiving morning, and it looks like--------maybe------- "It's baaaaaack!" See below and stay tuned for more specific information as well as our call for volunteers.
TOBY
UPCOMING SKI CLUB ACTIVITIES:
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP
MEETING
MANGIAMO BY 604
NAVY MARINE GOLF COURSE
943
VALKENBURGH ST.
November 3, (Thursday) 5 PM
We're back to Mangiamo for our November General Membership Meeting and, although the meeting itself won't begin until 5:30 PM, we'd like you to get there a bit earlier so you can get situated and order your food and drink. If you haven't yet been to Mangiamo, it is opposite the airport, off of Valkenburgh Street which runs between Nimitz Highway (under the viaduct) and Radford Drive. It is on the second floor of the golf course's club house. See you there.
TOBY
TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY
SERVING AN EARLY THANKSGIVING DINNER TO THE NEEDY
AND PRE-EVENT POTLUCK
Blaisdell Center
777
Ward Ave.
November 24, (Thursday) Time (TBA)
This is the 48th Annual Salvation Army Thanksgiving Day
Dinner served at the Blaisdell Center and, if it all comes together (we're still
in discussions with the Salvation Army) will be, at least, the 27th year that
the Hawaii Ski Club has joined with over 1000 community members from a variety
of civic groups and schools volunteering to make this event special for those
people who are less fortunate. This is an event where “it feels better to give
than receive.” You’ll enjoy your family Thanksgiving dinner more after you have
served meals to the elderly and poor of our community.
Although our club volunteers
for only 1.5 hours on Thanksgiving morning, we have a pre-event tailgate potluck outside the auditorium, in the grassy
area between the parking structure and the arena, for all club members. This is an annual
tradition where we enjoy the fellowship of other ski club members before we
serve dinner. Every club member is invited to join this tailgate even if you are
unable to volunteer inside the auditorium.
We haven't done this for a couple of years now, due to the padmemic of course, so stay tuned for confirmation that we are doing it and more information, especially, regarding the times and the tailgate.
ANITA, TOBY
ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY
The
Esplanade, 500 Lunalillo Home Road
December 10, (Saturday) Time: TBA
Sylvia "Sam" Wright has come through yet again to get us the recreation room/terrace at her condo, The Esplanade, on Hawaii Kai Drive. This is both pot luck and BYOB. Also, if you want to participate (almost all do) in the traditional gift exchange, bring a grab bag gift with approximate value of $15.00 You will be given a raffle ticket, and when your number is called, have the option of choosing a gift from the "pile" or one that has already been chosen, thereby forcing the original chooser to choose from the pile again: This can get pretty funny, satisfying, or frustrating depending upon whether you are victor, victim, or spectator----at that particular moment. and victors can turn into victims at the next ticket pulled. Also, (Trumpets, please), this is the same date as the annual Hawaii Kai Christmas Boat Parade in which boats, adorned like Christmas trees, sail through the waterways, and we should be able to view it from outside the building. The party will probably be starting at 6:00 PM, but we may want to get there earlier due to others looking for parking to view the boat parade: Information on this will be provided ASAP. To get to the Esplanade, turn left off Kalanianaole Highway at Lunalillo Home Road, the last traffic light before the highway goes up the hill towards Hanauma Bay. Drive in the mountain direction approximately .6 of a mile and look for the looming white building complex on the left. While parking is limited at the building (eleven guest stalls in the circle at the entrance) there is normally plenty of street parking available on the other side of the street and on side streets off the other side. The recreation area is right on the ground level beside the lobby.
TOBY
PAST SKI CLUB ACTIVITIES:
ANNUAL KICK-OFF
MEETING/COOKOUT
RAINBOW BAY MARINA
PEARL HARBOR
October 6 (Thursday)
Somewhere between 46 and 50 members (hard to count "moving targets"), new and old, came down to Rainbow Bay Marina on the first Thursday of October for our first "real" Kick-Off since the pandemic, and I was pleased to see so many new members come and introduce themselves to the "old guard." I would ennumerate here all the new members who came, but I was too busy handing our raffle tickets and awarding gifts to the winners to remember. For those of you who didn't come, you lost out on the chance to win Starbucks gift cards or cash with some of the individual cash gifts close to the total of the annual membership fee. Mucho Mahalos to Geoff (Chu) for ordering the Chinese food and grilling the main course and Mike (Tsutsui) for picking up the pie and cake for dessert: Everything was delicious and, unlike our last event at Rainbow Bay Marina in July, almost all the food was consumed: No need for begging everyone to make up a plate to take home. Also, Mahalo to Bill Hodges for, again, booking the venue: You need to be in the military or a "vet" to get it. The only negative issue of the evening, for me, was navigating home afterwards with all the rail construction work proceeding and blocking me from going up Kamehameha Highway to get on the viaduct by the airport: I had to detour to Radford Drive and Salt Lake Blvd. and didn't recognize where I was for a short while. I wonder how many more of you had the same or a similar experience.
TOBY
UPDATE ON SKI TRIPS FOR 2023:
BIG SKY MONTANA, JANUARY 13-21, 2023
We recently had a last minute cancellation and, therefore, we now have one double
occupancy hotel room still available at the Huntley Lodge. Contact Linda
Schewe
Lschewe@hawaii.rr.com if you are interested. 53 members have
registered and plan to go on this trip. The Trip Committee is also planning
several other activities including dog sledding, snowmobiling and hay ride
and dinner options. More information to come. As a reminder, Ikon Pass
holders must make an advance reservation for each day they wish to ski or
snowboard at Big Sky by logging onto their Ikon Pass account. For those
individuals not taking the group air package, you must let Linda Schewe know
of your airport arrival and departure times before Friday, October 28.
Otherwise you will have to make your own shuttle arrangements to Big Sky
Resort.
Final payment due on or before December 1, 2022.
JAPAN SKI TRIPS
SAPPORO/NISEKO, FEBRUARY 11-19, 2023 & RUSUTSU,
FEBRUARY 18-26, 2023
We recently learned that Hawaiian Airlines has cancelled all
non-stop flights from Honolulu to Sapporo, possibly until March. According
to a senior HA pilot, HA hasn't flown non-stop to Sapporo since the pandemic
closed Japan in 2020. Current cancellations might be due to pilot and/or
equipment shortages, but no official explanation has been issued.
Regardless of the reason, Linda Schewe is making new reservations to
Sapporo via Tokyo. There are several airlines offering this route including
ANA and JAL. While Linda is getting group air quotes, the Trip Committee
asks that we give her time to find an alternative and not call her
individually since this will only cause additional delays. Linda will notify
everyone of the new reservation details as soon as they are confirmed with
the airline, hopefully, by early next week.
Since Linda is
only responsible for the group air reservations, individuals who booked
their own flights will have to contact the HA desk themselves for a refund.
If you still wish to make your own airline arrangements you need to wait until
the new group air details have been announced since this will affect the
group shuttle to the hotel and back to the airport. When making your own
airline reservations, make certain that your arrival and departure times are
compatible with the group air schedule.
Due to last minute
cancellations, we still have two double occupancy rooms available for both
the Sapporo/Niseko and Rusutsu ski trips. Contact Linda Schewe,
Lschewe@hawaii.rr.com , if interested in either of those trips. Presently, we
have 37 people registered for Sapporo/Niseko and 52 for Rusutsu. Final
payment for both trips is December 1, 2022.
ALAN
NATIONAL NEWS (From Far West Ski Association):
IKON PASS ADDS SUN PEAKS RESORT: Sun Peaks Resort in British Columbia, has been added to the Alterra Mountain Company’s Ikon Pass. The pass now provides access to more than 50 destinations in 10 countries for the 2022-23 season. It is the sixth destination in British Columbia on the Ikon Pass, joining Panorama, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, RED Mountain, Cypress Mountain, and CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures.
THREE MORE SKI AREAS ADDED TO THE INDY PASS: Bluebird Back Country, Colorado, Chestnut Mountain, Illinois and Snowriver, Michigan are the latest areas added to the Indy Pass, bringing the number to 96 accessible areas for alpine skiing, and 13 Nordic areas in the U.S, and Japan. Sugar Bowl has now been added to the Mountain Collective Pass, as the 25th resort on their list.
CANADA TO REMOVE ALL COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS: Canada has lifted their remaining COVID-19 restrictions to all international and domestic travelers as of October 1st. The regulatory changes come two and a half years after Canada first implemented requirements for all people coming into and traveling throughout the country to wear masks, take random testing, and other mandatory requirements. This shift will see the removal of all restrictions, testing, quarantine and isolation for anyone arriving into Canada, regardless of citizenship status.
THE BEST MONTHS TO SKI IN COLORADO: It’s always tough to decide when the best time to plan for a ski trip to Colorado. The months of January and February are typically your best bet. However, be mindful of the many holidays the first part of January. That, couples with shorter days and colder weather may make you re-think your trip. Late February to Mid-March is best as most areas fill in, more and better terrain is open, and big dumps of snow. PLUS, in March, the days start getting longer and a bit warmer. This means less clothing, chances to stay warm, get some rays and really enjoy yourself on the hill.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
HAWAII SKI CLUB IS ON FACEBOOK
Facebook is the best way to keep current on the Hawaii Ski Club. On your Facebook page on your computer, type "Hawaii Ski Club" into the search box on the top left. On your mobile device, tap the magnifying glass at the top to get the search box. Pictures from Ski Club activities and other items are posted as they are submitted. You can submit your own Ski Club pictures and other items you wish posted by emailing them to anita@hawaiisnowskiclub.com
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Contributions from the membership to future newsletters are encouraged and will be greatly appreciated: Please e mail them to Toby (see Contacts) no later than 9 calendar days from the end of the month. Thanx much.
Updated club info available at http://www.hawaiisnowskiclub.com and on our Facebook page.