News Release: 2009 SkiTAM Marks Another Successful Year of Fund-raising for the U.S. Adaptive Ski Team
14 Companies Already Signed On as Sponsors for SkiTAM 2010!
Denver, CO -- (April 23, 2009) Despite the current economy’s impact on industry events, coinciding with several religious holidays and rescheduling to one of its latest spring weekends, the 14th Annual SkiTAM, a fund-raising event for the U.S. Adaptive Ski Team (USAST) organized by CTAM of the Rocky Mountains, attracted 966 registrants and raised over $1 million in team and event sponsorships and individual registrations.“When you consider that the challenges we faced this year, our results were truly outstanding,” stated Joe Rooney, SkiTAM Co-chair and Chief Marketing Officer for Cox Communications. “We are very grateful to the companies and individuals whose support for these incredible athletes allows them to represent the U.S. in championship ski events around the globe.”
“And with the Team preparing for competition at the 2010 Paralympic Games in Vancouver next winter, having a successful SkiTAM was even more critical this year,” added Steve Raymond, a co-founder and current Co-chair of SkiTAM and Senior Vice President of National Accounts for Disney and ESPN Networks’ Affiliate Sales and Marketing unit. “It’s truly gratifying to be joined by so many colleagues in the industry who share a commitment to the Team’s continued operation and the success of its athletes, who brought home a number of World Cup medals again this year.”
“My athletes and coaching staff are in awe at the great work from everyone involved with SkiTAM,” stated Greg Rawlings US Adaptive Ski Team Cross Country Head Coach. “We couldn't do the good that we do without all of the good work and support from our friends in the cable industry.”
Highlights of this year’s SkiTAM event include:
• 48 Ski Teams and 240 racers, with top awards going to NBC Universal, Team Luke (Vogel) and Time Warner in the Competitive Division and Retirement Living TV, SeaChange International and Sigma Systems/CAS Group in the Sport Division.
• 966 cable industry professionals and their families traveled to Vail, Colorado to support the USAST through their participation in the three-day event.
• 55 Youth Racers, with top awards going to Kate and Nick Kirwood in the “8 & Under” group, Gabrielle Trueblood and Andrew Wilson in the “9-12” group and to Mariah Zanka and Kevin Sangston in the “13 & Over” group.
• Mariah Zanka as part of the Sadler & Dorchester team and Mike Trueblood, Comcast, racing for NBC Universal, scored the fastest race times at 23.77 and 27.52 seconds respectively.
• The SkiTAM Silent Auction raised $53,000 for the Athlete Partnership Program.
• This year’s SkiTAM also featured a discussion with industry leaders on marketing to the “echo generation,” a Passover Second Seder and an Easter egg hunt.
• 14 Companies have already pledged nearly $270,000 in sponsorships for the 15th Annual SkiTAM, which will be held in Vail Colorado, April 8-11, 2010.
A substantial source of industry support for the USDST comes from the 50 companies that sponsored the event. Several of these companies also numbered among the industry businesses that donated to the Athlete Partnership Program over the past year. The full list of sponsors is available on the SkiTAM webs site, at www.skitam.com.
The structure of the annual SkiTAM event provides opportunities for participants to get to know the athletes and their coaches. The understanding and relationships that develop as a result of this interaction is a big reason that many SkiTAM sponsors and participants come back year after year.
SkiTAM provides more than half of the operating budget for the U.S. Adaptive Ski Team, enabling it to remain the top ski teams in the world for disabled skiers. More information about the USAST may be found on the team’s web site.
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Stephanie Howell
E-mail Stephanie 720-267-3044 Andy Holdgate E-mail Andy 303-791-3422 |
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