Press Release

Media Contact:
Lori Rowell, Director of Marketing
Pats Peak Skiing, LLC
Henniker, NH 03242
(603) 428-3245, ext. 108
lori@patspeak.com

YOUTHFEST 2010 COMES TO PATS PEAK
Youths from the Boston area and other affiliate NBS clubs come to race train

Henniker, NH, February 26, 2010 –Pats Peak, New Hampshire's premier snowsports destination, is hosting YouthFest, March 5-7. YouthFest 2010 is a Boston Ski Party and Youth Enrichment Services sponsored effort to support the training of next generation Olympic champions. The event brings together more than 40 Boston area youth along with 20 youth from other East Coast affiliated National Brotherhood of Skiers (NBS) clubs, ages 6-18, for three days of competitive race training and skills building, conducted by experienced Pats Peak coaches. As a special treat, participants are expected to receive coaching advice from local US Ski Team athletes through a collaboration with the T2 Foundation, which provides support to potential world class athletes. Youths will be traveling from DC, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania to participate in this exciting weekend.

The Boston Ski Party, a member organization of the National Brotherhood of Skiers (NBS), are in their fourth year of a partnership with Pats Peak to introduce young athletes of color to the sport of skiing and to develop future ski racers and Olympic hopefuls. That partnership continues to be strong and has introduced a new generation of skiers and snowboarders (100+) to the slopes and dreams of Olympic Gold.

“Creating the first African American Olympic medalist will take a lot of effort,” says Richard Ward from the Boston Ski Party. “It is an expensive sport which makes it difficult for many children to break into. Through our club, other NBS national affiliates and the many partnerships we have formed we are beginning to inch closer to that dream.”

Nationally, NBS clubs are moving African American skiers of color forward in the sport. Paralympic skier, Ralph Green, at 28 became the first African-American to ski an alpine event at the 2006 Paralympics Winter Games in Turin, Italy. Lauren Samuels of the NBS club Thrillseekers was named to the USSA Alpine Development Team for the 2009-2010 season.

The Boston Ski Party is doing its share to build on that success by building a pipeline of athletes and budding stars that range in age from three to seventeen years old. During the off season these young skiers and riders participate in “dry land training” activities that improve their conditioning and build their racing skills in preparation for next season.

Jim Wall, Pats Peak’s Director of Services says, “Supporting cultural diversity on the ski slopes is not a new thing for Pats Peak. We have been hard at work for the last nine years to reach into the inner city of Boston. It is natural for us to do this. We are the southern most ski area in NH, with Boston in our backyard. Working closely with organizations like The Boston Ski Party provides us the opportunity to earn the respect of the emerging inner city market. We are delighted with the success of these many athletes and happy to play a role in achieving the organization’s mission”.

For more information about Pats Peak visit www.patspeak.com. For information or to become involved in The Boston Ski Party Youth Program visit www.bostonskiparty.org.

More about BOSTON SKI PARTY:
The Boston Ski Party is a member of the National Brotherhood of skiers, a network of 83 predominately African American Ski Clubs whose goal is to identify, develop, and support athletes of color who will win international and Olympic winter sports competitions representing the United States.

Related links:
Pats Peak, New Hampshire

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More about PATS PEAK:
PATS PEAK is in its 47th consecutive ski and snowboard season under the Patenaude family ownership. PATS PEAK has 22 well-groomed trails for all abilities, 7 gladed areas, 3 terrain parks, a snowtubing park, 10 high-capacity lifts, 100 percent snowmaking and some of the most challenging skiing in Southern New Hampshire.

PATS PEAK has a Weekday Learn to Ski and Ride Program for more than 8,000 kids from over 100 local schools and a Weekend Learn to Ski and Ride Program for adults and children, on either Saturday or Sunday for seven consecutive weeks. There are more than 70 Adult Racing teams in the Adult/Corporate Racing League. Many adults participate in the weekday Adult Ski & Snowboard Clinics, with half-day instruction, for all ability levels. PATS PEAK has 100% of its trails and slopes lit for night and is one of the state's most accessible learn-to-ski-and-snowboard mountains, with three separate beginner areas.

During the "Other Season of Pats Peak", Pats Peak Banquet Center is the perfect location for wedding receptions, parties, company meetings, company outings, or any social gathering!

PATS PEAK is located in Henniker, NH, just twenty minutes from Concord, forty minutes from Manchester, and ninety minutes from Boston. The latest information, snow conditions, photos and events are available at www.patspeak.com or call 1-888-PATS PEAK (888-728-7732).

PATS PEAK can be reached:

• By telephone at 603-428-3245
• By FAX at 603-428-7821
• 24-hour snow conditions at 1-888-PATS-PEAK
• Online at www.patspeak.com

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