News Release
Super Bowl Sunday A Win for Alaska’s Women: Camaraderie, costumes, and contributions to local causes at Alaska Ski for Women
ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – Feb. 1, 2008 – Gridiron Girls? Anchorage, Alaska’s 12th annual Ski for Women (ASFW), slated for Feb. 3, 2008, at Anchorage, Alaska’s Kincaid Park, is a wildly fun event that gets women of all ages and abilities together for a short 2.4-mile (4 K) cross-country ski adventure. The entry fee is a donation to ASFW grants to benefit local non-profit organizations working to stop the cycle of domestic abuse against women and children.
“Our goal is to encourage more women to get outdoors and enjoy Anchorage's phenomenal trail system during the winter while exploring cross-country skiing and ski racing,” says Cheryl Moon, co-director for this year’s event. “At the same time, because the event just happens to take place on Super Bowl Sunday, it’s also a great opportunity to raise awareness and funds to combat domestic abuse.”
Unlike many ski races, women must sign up in pairs. Put a bunch of pairs together and you’ve got a team. And, whether its just two or a group of gals, it’s only natural that the question of “what to wear” comes up.
For Debbie Simpson, the Ski for Women is a special date with her two granddaughters.
“I’m a former WOMBATS [Women of Mountain Biking And Tea Society] of Anchorage member, but don’t ski with their team because I want to share this special event with my two granddaughters Aurora and Ceci,” says Simpson.
“We will be skiing again this year, but don’t know what we’ll be wearing or our team name as yet,” says Simpson.
The Happy Hikers, another team, started out as a foursome in the ASFW’s early years, with more joining each year.
“Some years we’ve had more than 20 skiers on the team,” says Cindy Cowling, who joined the team in 2002. “I was drawn to it at first to support the message that domestic violence victims are not alone, nor should domestic violence be tolerated. Then because it was a fun event to ski in,” says Cowling.
Each year the Happy Hikers chooses a different theme and costume. In the past they’ve been Hawaiian hula skiers, cars of an Alaska Railroad train, French clowns, and last year, the "Aurora Girlealis."
“The more talented among us leads the costume design,” says Cowling. “We all get together to help make, paint or sew them. Some years it’s done in an afternoon or evening, other times it takes more get-togethers to complete the project.”
“We laugh the most when we all gather the morning of in the Kincaid Chalet to assemble the costume bits. It’s all about skiing together – or at least making sure we start together and cross the finish line together. Some are waiting at the end for the rest of us to get there for a team finish,” says Cowling. “Some years we can easily ski in our costumes, but other years it’s been a bit of a challenge.”
Funds raised in the 2007 event allowed $61,500 in grants to be distributed to four Anchorage agencies: Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis (AWAIC), YWCA, Clare House, and Covenant House.
For more information log on to www.alaskaskiforwomen.org . Grant applications are also available online and are due April 15, 2008.
# # #
Media Contacts:
Shelly Wozniak
Public Relations Manager
Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau
swozinak@anchorage.net
(907) 257-2331 direct
(907) 250-5285 cell
(907) 222-3752 fax
Nance Larsen, APR
Vice President, Communications & Marketing Programs
Anchorage Convention & Visitors Bureau
pr@anchorage.net
(907) 276-4118
Explore www.Anchorage.net
