December 10, 2004 – But the unlikely happened! When the dust cleared and the VISA slips were totalled, the bottom line said $20,000. Norm Crerar and his team from Silver Star Nordic and the Atomic Masters Camps – with a little help from Beckie Scott, Beckie’s team-mates, the NST’s sponsors and suppliers and CCC’s marketing staff – were successful in matching the 2003 record!

In the course of some 15+ years of organizing the Silver Star banquet and auction to coincide with the American Thanksgiving Weekend, Norm has raised over $200,000 for the NST program. In recent years the chemistry on Silver Star Mountain appears to have been ideal for Norm’s purposes. Some of the notable factors this year included the following:

The room was packed – over 250 tickets were sold, and there was a waiting list hoping for cancellations.
Beckie Scott was the keynote speaker. And Beckie has both a message and a style of delivery that are hard to beat. Beckie recounted how she struggled at first with the speaking responsibilities and expectations that come with an Olympic gold medal. Not to worry, Beckie, you do as well at the speaker’s podium as you do on the medal podium. Beckie’s self-assessment – an ordinary person who accomplished something exceptional – made a powerful impression on everyone in attendance, not least her team-mates who are set on following the same path.

Norm was in great form. After Beckie’s presentation, the Senior NST surprised Norm with the gift of a branded leather jacket, suitable for wearing at the next Olympics. And Norm responded by working the room with pressure, tact and humour for the rest of the night – eking every measure of generosity out of his willing audience.

The Supplier Pool rose to the occasion, providing an attractive array of auction goods and services, and the bidders responded. Darryl Remmler of Yoko poles set the tone with a cash donation of $1,500, and the rest, as they say, is history. For those who have not attended the auction, there are always feature items in addition to an exceptional range of cross-country skiing hard and soft goods. Prominent among these features is Lyle Wilson’s donation of a weekend at beautiful Nipika Lodge in the Kootenay Region of BC (which sold for $1,200 this year).

The NST got into the action, both as models for ski gear and as “novelty” auction items. In the latter category, Beckie Scott, as usual, set the pace. A “Ski with Beckie” sold to the Hollyburn Jackrabbits Club (see photo below this article) for an impressive $1,000. Also bringing home the cash were Chris Jeffries and Perianne Jones, pairing up as Team Nakkertok, who were sold for $300 – to the dismay of Devon Kershaw and Drew Goldsack who could only generate $250, despite offering a beer, a hot tub and a peek at Drew’s six-pack to sweeten the pot.
And the truly unexpected and exceptionally generous happened as well. At the end of the evening, Bob McDonell of Vernon made the final bid on a Silver Star toque that had been used to collect cash donations throughout the evening. Bob’s bid of $1,700 was over the top – but he then went an extra mile by donating all of the cash in the hat (another $1,200) to the cause. Bob – we salute you!

Without a doubt, there are a lot of factors that contribute to a successful fund-raiser. Silver Star has the right recipe! But beyond the mechanical aspects that can be addressed in planning and execution, the Silver Star event works because of the people who attend. They represent many constituencies within our ski community, and they come together with the common goal of celebrating the benefits and pleasures they derive from our sport. They also see the value in giving back to the sport they love and they agree that investing in the athletes who are carrying forward the Canadian flag in international competition is a meaningful way to do so. The National Ski Team wishes to acknowledge and thank everyone who attended and contributed on this special evening. The athletes profit in more ways than one. Yes, the auction puts critical funding into the NST program at a crucial juncture. But it also fuels the spirit! It is extremely motivating to be on the receiving end of such positive and enthusiatic support.

Finally, what can we say to Norm Crerar but another heartfelt THANKS! Norm has distinguished himself as a leader in our sport in countless ways. Keep on doing what you’re doing Norm. We think the world of you!