Soldiers' ski club caters for families

Ruapehu Bulletin, 22 June 1993, Page 6 (Supplement)

Soldiers' ski club caters for families

Club profile

BY JENELLE FREWEN Begun in the early 1970s, the Waiouru Alpine and Ski Club is today thriving, with a membership of around 150 members. Although it is based at the Waiouru Army Camp the club is open to all personnel who wish to join, even those living out of Waiouru. Club president, Capt. Scott Kerr said the aim of the club is to promote family skiing, offering such enticements as reduced hire rates, along with many socially-based club activities. The club is run on a purely voluntary basis and has provided a continuing service to the community out of goodwill and a keen

membership, Capt. Kerr said. The club's range of equipment includes around 130 full sets of skis, as well as snowboards and a large selection of children's equipment. In a relatively isolated area the Waiouru Alpine and Ski Club is commilted to offering the easiest possible access to skiing as an enjoyable, familyorientated leisure activity. In the future the club also hopes to expand their actiyities into the summer months by offering water-skiing to members. Turoa work In recent years the club has become more of a commercial enterprise and so has developed a working relationship

with Turoa Skifield. As part of their membership agreement members participate in several offseason work parties at Turoa, providing vital

manpower assistance. Already this year the club has held two work parties to assist in the assembly of the lifts at Turoa. The club holds several *club

days' during the season where members can take advantage of significant discounts at Turoa, and can also spend the day togetner as a group. And,

at specific times during the season, the club will also hire professional instructors to teach members at all levels, at a subsidized cost.