October 24, 2012 – Already donated? THANK YOU – it’s just great to see everyone contributing, along with the supportive comments posted on our D25 page.

We’re a grassroots non profit organization that is asking OUR Nordic Community to come together from Alaska to Maine and donate for this cause. So if you feel inclined, please do pass this message on.

Lastly, our Juniors are stepping up to meet a $50k Challenge Grant. They need to raise $10k to get a $50k donation, yup a 5 to 1 match, it’s just a bit better match than your 401k, huh? So far they are at $7k… GO JUNIORS!

www.nationalnordicfoundation.org

May 01, 2012 – This year more than ever, NENSA members have stepped up to support xc skiing in New England! Every donation made a huge difference — the large and small ones, the first and last — just as importantly as the money contributed is that the way this drive puts on display the enthusiasm that we all have for skiing and for NENSA. It is never easy to keep things growing and moving forward in a small organization like NENSA, but a successful drive like this sure makes it easier.

On a personal note, today is my final day as Executive Director. Zach Stegeman gets started tomorrow and I hope you will all give him a warm welcome and help support him with as much positive energy and enthusiasm as you have supported my efforts over the past eleven years with NENSA. – Pat Cote, Executive Director

April 23, 2012 – NENSA is pleased to announce Justin Beckwith as our 2012 New England Coach of the Year! Justin has been quietly managing the Green Mountain Valley School Nordic Program for several years now. He has coached GMVS athletes through successful junior careers and instills a love of skiing and outdoor adventure into them as well. A world class athlete himself, he knows what it takes to be a student of the sport and his program ensures that there is enough of a challenge intermixed with plenty of fun!

Justin wrote via email: “I’ve been really lucky to work with an impressive group of skiers over the past six years here in Waitsfield. My goal as a coach is to make all around skiers and expose kids to adventures that create a passion for sport and competition. Pursuing your dreams as a ski racer is an ultimate adventure and it is inspiring to help kids follow that path. It has been awesome to watch our alums continue to ski and improve in college and beyond.

We’ve had five Junior National Champs and three athletes placed on the J1 Team since I’ve been at the Green Mountain Valley School. We are really excited about our summer training programs with athletes like Tim Reynolds, David Sinclair, Dylan Grald and Heidi Halvorsen leading guests from throughout New England.”

Justin has been coaching at GMVS for 6 years, was J1 Scando trip leader in 2009, World Junior Coach in 2012 and the New England Team Wax Tech 2009-2012. For four straight years in a row, Justin has also managed the production of 55- 65 pairs of skis per race at Junior Nationals- this is no easy feat to keep the New England train rolling! His calmness through the inevitable storms of wax testing and making the right calls, consistently put out the best skis on the best skiers day in and day out during a busy week.

Through all of this he stresses the team effort to make New England such a great ski community. In true spirit, Justin recaps his season on a recent blog post:

“Thanks for helping make this winter a success for New England– the enthusiasm of the Nordic Community in our region overshadowed any lack of snow. It was a huge year of successes for Eastern Skiers from the BKL level, at Junior Nationals and NCAA’s. I’m proud to be a part of this energy and I look forward to collaborating with many of you in the future.”

We congratulate Justin and wish him much success as he continues to educate and challenge his skiers to even more success in the future.

Coach of the year award history
– 2012 – Justin Beckwith
– 2011 – Sverre Caldwell
– 2010 – Pepa Milochoeva
– 2009 – Matt Boobar
– 2008 – Eileen Carey
– 2007 – Rob Bradlee

Donations Double-Matched – $10,000 Bonus
Another donor has stepped in to add to the challenge we announced on Friday. Instead of being matched $1 to $1, all donations to the Annual Fund are now matched with $2 for every $1 donated.

Your $10 donation becomes $30 to NENSA… your $50 donation becomes $150… And if we meet the $5,000 match (we’ve raised $2,005 toward it so far) then the new donor will also give a $10,000 bonus to the annual fund. Please be part of helping us reach this goal and earn this very important contribution to NENSA. I can’t think of a better way for our members to welcome our new Executive Director than with the energy and momentum that a successful annual fund can provide. And successfully meeting this match will mean that we’ll surpass our Annual Fund goal and have an opportunity, like last year, for our Board of Directors to designate even more funding to some of your favorite programs like the Athlete Fund and Skis for Kids.

So, please take advantage of the match today! Every dollar becomes three! How often do we have an opportunity like this?

Please donate today and help spread the word to your friends; we NEED your help to meet this challenge! And donating online will take just 5 minutes. Please help us reach the goal and continue to bring wonderful winter memories to New England families.

Click HERE to Donate.