Ski Race for Seniors ages 70+ being held at Ski Butternut
Great Barrington - Dozens of skiers ages 70-years and older are poised to take part in Ski Butternut’s annual 70+ Ski Club Race to be held Wednesday, February 13th, an event open to club members ages 70 to 90-years and older!The modified Giant Slalom race, its course set on Butternut’s Main Street trail, will offer enthusiastic and determined senior racers a chance to test their experience and skills while vying for Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in five separate age categories (70 – 74 years, 75 – 79 years, 80 -84 years, 85 – 89 years and 90+ years)
Contestants must be members of the 70+ Ski Club, which requires a modest membership fee of $10. The club, which was founded by Lloyd Lambert in 1977 with 34 charter members, is the only club restricted to skiers 70-years or older.
Lloyd’s involvement with the club ended with his death last year at age 97!
Now operated by Lloyd’s son, Dick Lambert, the 70+ is the largest discount ski club in the nation, offering its members discounted lift tickets to ski areas around the country.
“This club was my Dad’s dream and passion for many years,” observed the younger Lambert. “He loved helping keep the sport alive for hundreds of senior citizens!” He added that many older skiing Americans often lose interest in the sport due to its cost.
“It takes significant money to keep your gear up to date and to pay for lift tickets,” Lambert said “And for some seniors, it’s often difficult to squeeze extra dollars from their limited incomes or maintain interest in a sometimes physically demanding sport.”
The 70+ Ski Club helps ease the economic challenges facing older skiers by offering lift ticket and other discounts obtained by leveraging the combined buying power of their membership. “This allows many of our members to remain actively involved in skiing,” explained Dick. The exercise and activity afforded by skiing, he noted, also helps seniors keep mentally and physically fit and socially engaged in the communities around them.
The popularity of the 70+ Ski Club is projected to increase over the next few years as the number of older Americans swells to record levels. In fact, skiers who are 70 or older now comprise around 3 percent of all skiers, a number that is predicted to rise to 20 out of every 100, or nearly 400,000, within the next ten years!
Registration for the Wednesday race will be in Ski Butternut’s Lower Lodge at 9:30 a.m. Information on 70+ Club membership can be obtained at its website, www.70plusskiclub.com or by calling Dick Lambert at (518) 346-5505.
Readers desiring a free brochure, or wanting to learn more about Ski Butternut, can call (413) 528-2000, email info@SkiButternut.com, or visit www.SkiButternut.com
