Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
BRUCE NOREN, general manager at Big Powderhorn Mountain Resort, informs Ironwood sixth graders Friday they will be receiving free ski passes this winter for the resort.
By RICHARD JENKINS
Ironwood - Representatives from Big Powderhorn Mountain Resort were at Luther L. Wright Friday with a surprise for Ironwood's sixth graders, telling the students that they would all be able to ski for free this winter as part of the resort's decision to give away ski passes to all sixth graders at four area schools.
Sixth grade students in the Hurley, Ironwood, Bessemer and Wakefield-Marenisco school districts will receive the free passes, said Bruce Noren, the resort's general manager.
As a locally owned ski hill, Noren said that it was part of an effort by the resort to give the community a way to enjoy winter.
"We just feel that the communities, particularly young people, just aren't getting out and enjoying winter. It's something we can do to try to make it more affordable and try and encourage kids to get out," Noren said.
He also said the passes were a good way to introduce kids to the sport.
"Skiing is a lifetime sport, so if we can get them started early (it's good)," Noren said. "This is a good age, because the parents can just drop them off if the kids are already comfortable (skiing). It's a fun age."
Ironwood Superintendent Tim Kolesar explained the effort to give the ski passes to Ironwood students began when the district was contacted by Big Powderhorn.
"This all came together when (the owners) contacted us looking at ways they could help out the kids in our district," Kolesar said. "They get a lot of kids in the high school and middle school out there and just felt the sixth grade would be an ideal group to come out there and to learn how to ski, or have a place to ski."
He said the passes coincide with the district's continuing effort to promote a healthy lifestyle to students.
"Sixty minutes of exercise a day is the key to keeping kids healthy ... this is directly in line with keeping kids active year round," he said
There are approximately 60 sixth grade students in the district, according to Kolesar.
