by Joe Wilhelm Jr.
Staff Writer
It’s been cool in Jacksonville, but not that cool.
To reach the truly cold areas, there’s been a ski club in Jacksonville for more than 40 years.
Its goal has been to provide affordable travel and opportunities to ski, which isn’t an option within Florida.
The former has come under attack lately because of rising fuel costs and new and increased baggage fees charged by airlines.
Yet, those factors didn’t keep the club from the slopes. This week, the members are experiencing 22 inches of new snow at the Snowmass ski resort in Aspen, Colo.
“Our members aren’t one particular type or age group. We are just a group of people who like to have fun,” said Corky Kegebein, president of the Jacksonville Ski Club.
The price of that fun has the club a little worried about its trip itinerary for next season. Most resorts are preparing to close for this season.
Ski club organizers are tentatively watching airfares as they plan for next year’s trips.
“We are more concerned with the price of fuel for airlines in the coming year than we have been,” said Kegebein.
Ski clubs from across the nation also banded together recently to voice their opinion on airlines increasing baggage fees.
“(Ski clubs) got organized when the airlines started to raise baggage fees. That also cuts into the cost of the trip when you are bringing skis and boots along with regular luggage,” said Kegebein.
“Ski clubs across the country participated in letter-writing campaigns to airlines, and they backed off on the charges for boot bags and ski bags,” he said.
The club takes seven trips a year, with most in the U.S., especially Colorado. One annual trip is planned to Europe.
There are also trips during the summer and fall, as well as happy hours for members at locations throughout Jacksonville.
Organizing and planning trips has changed throughout the history of the club, which is a nonprofit organization. While the general public began using travel websites, the club still uses a travel agent to find the best deals.
“Our biggest problem is the airlines,” said Sally Evans, a past president of the club. “We used to be able to get a discount flying in groups, but now it’s actually more for a group to travel.”
The club also communicates through social media, including its www.skiclub.org website and its Facebook page.
The club has 250-300 members. They pay annual dues.
Despite the rising travel costs and fees, the volunteer organization believes its membership provides value.
“People booking trips on their own may be able to touch some of the same lodging and airfare deals that we can get, but the group trips offer lift ticket prices that individuals can’t touch,” said Kegebein.
“But the main benefit is the group atmosphere. If you go on a trip, you are bound to come away with a new friend. It’s the camaraderie that occurs on the trips that makes them really worth it,” he said.
Evans agreed.
“The nice thing is that there are people of all ability levels that go on these trips and there is always someone to ski with,” said Evans.
The Jacksonville Ski Club is one of 17 clubs in Florida and the local club is a member of the Florida Ski Council.
The Florida Ski Council promotes and represents the ski clubs of Florida to the resorts and the ski industry.
It also hosts trips throughout the year that are attended by multiple clubs from Florida, so instead of one club with 30 skiers and snowboarders at a resort, there are 400-700 members from clubs throughout Florida at a resort at one time.
Organizing trips isn’t easy, but the local club is working on involving more volunteers.
“One of the more difficult things is to get people who want to step up and go through the (trip leader and club officer) training,” said Kegebein.
“People work hard on these trips, but they are also on vacation. So we’ve tried to put more trip leaders on a trip so they can divide up the duties.”
The volunteers help take the anxiety out of traveling because they plan dinners and activities for the trip.
“All people have to do is pack their gear,” said Kegebein. “We do the rest.”
The end of the ski season also marks the election of new officers for the club and a preview of the 2011-2012 trips. The club’s annual meeting will be May 17 at Dave & Buster’s.
356-2466