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News and Information about the People and Programs of Ski for Light, Inc.
Skiing. Sharing. LearningThe mission of Ski for Light is to enhance the quality of life and independence of visually or mobility-impaired adults through a program of cross-country skiing.
Q. Why did the tiny pepper put on a Norwegian sweater? A. Because it was a little chili.
Now that Ski for Light is turning 50, I guess we're all officially "can't resist seasonal Dad jokes" years old. Good gourd, how does an all-volunteer nonprofit organization even survive this long? It's almost beyond be-leaf!
Okay, enough with the fall pun-kins. But no kidding: Most nonprofits fail long before reaching the half-century mark. The typical reasons? Lack of funding, poor planning, mission creep, failure to develop new leadership…all pitfalls we at SFL have managed to avoid, so far, thanks to some incredible work over the past five decades by a long list of people, starting with our founders. Erling Stordahl and Olav Pedersen were determined to create a lasting program, "not a one-time stunt," recalled our friend Einar Bergh, speaking at SFL's 50th Anniversary Gala in Minneapolis on October 12. (Read on for more of that history, in Olav's own words.) That celebration at Norway House, so beautifully planned by Leslee Lane Hoyum and Marion Elmquist, and attended by dozens of longtime supporters, reminded me just how lucky we all are to be a part of Ski for Light. How blessed we are to inherit this organization that's as thoughtfully assembled, as colorfully one-of-a-kind, and as essential in winter (for people if not jalape?os) as a hand-knitted Norwegian sweater.
Around the same time as the Gala, SFL received a substantial bequest from the estate of Suzanne Pedersen, Olav's widow, who passed away in late 2021. That check, along with several other surprising and generous contributions in recent months, empowered the SFL Board of Directors to take some extraordinary actions: for the upcoming International Week in Provo, which you'll hear more about from our hardworking event chair Sheri Richardson, we've offset the overall cost for attendees by more than 20 percent, and we're awarding more stipends than ever before to participants and guides in need. The Board also authorized, as part of our 50th Anniversary celebration, the largest SFL Ridderrenn team we've ever sent to Norway. We'll announce those honorees during our Utah event, in keeping with that grand tradition, but I can tell you that these dedicated SFLers will do Olav's legacy proud.
Also this winter, Ski for Light returns to the American Birkebeiner in Hayward, Wisc., as a presenting sponsor of the adaptive ParaBirkie event. Interested in participating or contributing? Please contact our Birkie team captain, Mike Evelo, at evelosfl@charter.net.
Don't hesitate to reach out to me, at President@sfl.org with questions or feedback about anything we're up to here at SFL, in our "Fifty and Fabulous" era. With your continued help, I know we can keep beating the nonprofit odds, building on our past and present success to meet the challenges sure to come in future seasons.
And finally, on a sad note: Just as this issue of the Bulletin was going to press, we learned that our dear friend Charlie Wirth, an incomparable presence at twenty-one International Events as well as at many Northeast Pennsylvania Regionals and Ridderrenns, passed away on Oct. 31, at 103 years young. We'll have a lot more to say about Charlie in the next issue, and invite your fond remembrances; for now, you can find video tributes on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Godspeed, Charlie! You and your smile will ski in our hearts forever.
As the weather turns cooler and the days become shorter, I hope your thoughts are turning more often to Provo, Utah, Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, and SFL's 2025 International event-and the celebration of our organization's 50th anniversary! SFL has enjoyed three, prior ski weeks in Provo throughout the years, but this winter's ski week will see us reveling in our time there as never before. I am very pleased to report that we have received more than 300 applications from visually/mobility impaired skiers, sighted guides, and a host of other volunteers and companions.
The event planning committee has been working hard to make this event the perfect segue from our first half century to the next. To help us celebrate our past, we are likely to hear some pretty unbelievable tidbits throughout the week, and be prepared to don those old outfits from the depths of your closets for our crazy Friday. Some of you may think you have clear memories of the Soldier Hollow ski trails, but you might be very pleasantly surprised at some of the differences you'll find in 2025. There will be some gentle ski tracks for those of us who are new to the sport or just haven't made it to the big leagues yet, and there will be plenty of challenges for those who like to prove their ski prowess as well.
Do you enjoy music and maybe even some dancing? Well, there will be plenty of opportunities for you throughout the week. One special offering will be an evening trip to Salt Lake City to hear the world renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir in rehearsal. We will also have an extraordinary band on Saturday night, so get ready for lots of dancing and fun. I suspect you might even hear a tune or two from the past to help close out our 50th year celebration.
And, of course, no SFL event would be complete without the silent auction and Norway night. So start thinking about what you might want to donate to the auction so we can all spend lots of money in the name of Ski for Light, and dig out those Norwegian sweaters for a festive Norwegian celebration.
Again this year, we will hold the ever-popular silent auction. This event will take place on Wednesday, January 29th at the Provo Marriott. For the newbies among us, this is a chance to bid on more than 100 items: Many things like jackets, gloves, and neat dog gear are donated by our corporate sponsors while other fun or gifty things are donated by SFL attendees. Lots of us especially look forward to bidding on those great locally sourced edible goodies such as wild rice from Minnesota, Almond Roca from Seattle, and chocolate-covered cherries from Michigan. Sometimes, there's even a nice bottle of wine or two. So if you have a one-of-a-kind something from your corner of the world, consider donating it to the silent auction. You will be amazed at how much such treats bring in for SFL. Here are just a few guidelines to keep in mind:
This makes the tasks of sorting, cataloging, Brailling, and recording sales more manageable for the worker bees who put everything together in just a few short days.
This year, we will again use an online submission form for all auction items. This process helps streamline things and vastly reduces the workload on our volunteers. The form will ask for the item name, Donated by, Description, Retail value, Minimum bid (fill this in only if you have a specific idea of what you would like the minimum bid to be, otherwise, we will set the minimum bid at 1/3 of the retail value), Your email address, and Your phone number. The auction item submission form can be found at sfl.org/auctionsubmission
If you would like to donate something to the silent auction, you may bring it with you to Provo. But if you are not attending the event, or would prefer to mail your item in advance, you can send it to:
Provo Marriott and Conference CenterIf sending your item to the hotel, please plan to have your item arrive within one week of our event. Whether you are bringing your item or sending it, be sure to submit the online form before we receive your item.
Please feel free to contact me, Judy Dixon, with any questions via email at judy@judydixon.net
Happy bidding!
Call for Apr?s Ski Session Proposals
By Lillian Goodman, 2025 Apr?s Ski Sessions Coordinator
Only three months to go until we are at last together again! I am beginning to put together a list of Apr?s Ski activities formally known as Special-Interest Sessions for all of us to enjoy during our wonderful week in beautiful Provo Utah. These will take place Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5:15 pm to 6:15 pm. Each session is presented by a Ski for Light participant who wants to share information about something that they are passionate about, something that they do as a career, something that they enjoy doing, a special trip that they have taken or anything else that they think their fellow SFL participants will be interested in spending one hour hearing about. Each presenter only presents one afternoon. Past topics have included bicycling across the country, ski waxing, hiking adventures, boating adventures, meditation, guide dog topics, a talk about the history of the dog, traveling while blind, technology topics, among others.
If conducting one of these activities sounds like fun, please fill out the Apr?s Ski Session form at sfl.org/applications/special
We have space for a total of 12 sessions for the week. It is strongly encouraged to plan presentations that do not use AV equipment, so you may need to provide your own AV if needed. Sessions outside the hotel could include things like a guided hike, music experience, or a local tour at a museum.
The offerings will be selected based on the variety of content we have once all the proposals are in hand. To ensure that your session will be assigned a time, please submit your Apr?s Ski Session form as soon as possible.
Questions? Please call me at (503) 522-5875 or email me at lilliangoodman98@gmail.com
Editor's Note: In honor of SFL's 50th anniversary, following below is an article that describes how Ski for Light came into existence back in 1975. It was written in 1995 by Olav Pedersen, the father of SFL, and describes how he became aware of the idea of teaching blind people how to cross-country ski, and how he brought the idea from his native Norway to the United States. You can learn more of the history of SFL in a forthcoming book that Laura Oftedahl and other SFL members have been diligently compiling.
Certain experiences in life, which first seem to have little significance, may later turn out to be a sign of things about to happen to you. And when people ask me, "How did you get involved with Ski for Light?," I tell how one such experience transformed my life. It goes like this: A young, blind musician and entertainer, Erling Stordahl and his two companions, also blind, came to my hometown, Voss, Norway, to give a concert. It was October 1952. I was working at the railway station and when the three arrived on the train that morning, I assisted them to their hotel nearby. As I was about to leave them, I said, "Good Luck." Then Erling said, "By the way, would you be able to be our M.C. tonight?" I hesitated for a moment and then answered, "I'll try, Erling."
That night the three men turned my outlook on life almost upside down. The concert hall had never seen an audience more jubilant and appreciative; the applause wouldn't stop. And later that night in an interview, Erling told me his life's story. Since I also worked as a free-lance journalist at that time, the article I wrote about this young blind man was printed in several national newspapers.
Today - more than forty years later - I wish I had saved that article, because I know that was what got me involved in Ski for Light. It bonded me to Erling in a manner which I personally explain as an act of God; it was part of my destiny, my fate. I became even more convinced of that when in 1955, Erling again came to Voss, only this time on my invitation to entertain at the Norwegian Skiing Championships. As the chairman of the event, I was also host of H. M. King Olav V.
One afternoon Erling asked me to meet with him in his room. It happened to be my 38th birthday. He made me curious about what he had in mind. He said, "Olav, what I am telling you now nobody else has ever heard, not even Anna. I have had this idea for some time that I will give up what I am doing now and try to start a program to teach cross-country skiing to blind people."
Was I surprised to hear what he said to me? Yes, of course. Was he really serious? And why was he revealing this to me? But when he added, "I'll tell you, because I trust you," I knew he wanted an honest reaction to his idea, which he knew many people would find pretty crazy. However skepticism could not stop him. His vision found understanding and support from the public, the media, members of the government and last - but not least - from King Olav and the Royal Family.
We all know the results of his groundbreaking efforts: The Ridderrenn and Beitost?len Healthsport Center, an institution for development of equal opportunities for disabled and able-bodied people.
In September, 1973 I traveled to Norway to seek Erling's advice and help to try to export the concept to the U.S. As I explained my plan to him, I found that his trust in me was as strong as ever. He was glad to hear what I told him, and we reminisced about our conversation in 1955. We talked in some detail about how we could coordinate our efforts and laughingly he said: "We have to get the King with us."
With a strong handshake, I said good-bye knowing that having gotten his blessing of my plan, the next step would be to find interested people back home. Luckily my friends in the Summit Lions Club were ready. A committee was formed and a year of regular planning meetings were conducted. We heard that some newspapers in Norway enthusiastically had endorsed the idea of an American Ridderrenn, and private persons wrote to us and encouraged us to go ahead.
Soon our plans had settled on February, 1975 as the date for the first event, to be held in Summit County. But during the last few months of preparations it looked like economic shortfalls might threaten the final lap to our goal. And here is where the Sons of Norway Foundation came to the rescue. On February 17 (my birthday), we welcomed 40 blind Norwegian skiers and their guides to our very first Race for Light. Erling Stordahl and his wife, Anna, were among them. Also from Norway came some expert help from the National Guard to do the technical part of the event. Twenty American and Canadian blind people got their first experience in cross-country skiing. Some of them we will most likely see at this 20th anniversary. We also know that Erling had planned to be here, but cancer didn't give him the opportunity to once more show us that "If I can do this, I can do anything." How we are missing you, Erling, and thanking you for helping us to sow the seed in the United States.
After that first event in 1975 the torch was passed to Bjarne Eikevik and the Sons of Norway. Race for Light became Ski for Light to emphasize the recreational nature of the program. A non-profit corporation was formed, and blind participants got involved in shaping the future direction of the program. In the years that followed, Ski for Light was nurtured by countless individuals and groups, and took root in the United States as a program that makes a real difference in the lives of its guides and participants. Erling, Olav and Bjarne are all gone now, but their work and inspiration lives on in the Ski for Light of today.
Editor's Note: A common question asked by people new to Ski for Light is what the name of the organization means. Following below is the answer to this question, supplied by SFL pioneer Raymond (Bud) Keith, written in about 2005.
The name "Ski for Light" came from Erling Stordahl, founder of the Norwegian Ridderrenn. Erling was full of metaphors. Instead of focusing on blindness and the absence of light, he focused on the unknown and enlightenment. So, in looking at the Norwegian culture, he used or created a metaphor from Peer Gynt. In the legend, a Norwegian knight, the ridder part of ridderrenn, needed to escape some bad guys. He came to an abyss and not having any idea of whether he could safely make it, leaped with faith and succeeded.
Erling equated this with the human struggle and pushed the need for us to try things where success was doubtful, and discover some previously unknown strength or ability within ourselves that help us succeed. It is the metaphorical struggle from ignorance to enlightenment. So in cross-country skiing, blind folks are enabled to ski from the ignorance of not knowing anything about the limits of our abilities to the enlightenment of learning that we can succeed at much more than we had ever imagined.
The first event using an English name, in 1975, was called "Race for Light." Oral Miller and I were the first two blind folks who insinuated ourselves into leadership for the second event. We both insisted that racing and hard training for a race might fit in the Norwegian culture, but it wouldn't fit in our culture for many reasons. We insisted on something more appropriate, so we switched to Ski for Light, keeping the idea of enlightening oneself regarding possibilities and deemphasizing the racing aspects.
Nearly 150 folks gathered at Norway House in Minneapolis on Saturday, October 12 for a festive evening to kick off celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Ski for Light. Guides, skiers and other friends of Ski for Light traveled from far and wide to join the festivities.
A full program of videos, music, reflections, and perspectives was emceed by Einar Bergh, who traveled from Stavanger, Norway to participate in the celebration. Einar was deeply involved in the early days of SFL and has continued to attend International Week as a guide over the years. We were welcomed by a video greeting from the new ambassador from Norway to the U.S., Anniken Huitfeldt.
The event venue, Norway House, is Minneapolis's hub of Norwegian activity. It was the perfect place to hold the gala. The event center's lobby was decorated by past SFL event t-shirts, hung in the windows. A ski rack contained pairs of wooden skis with 3-pin bindings. Walls were festooned with photos from SFL events.
The guests dined on delicious salad, salmon or steak and dessert.
Gala Chair Leslee Lane Hoyum summed up the evening this way: "I became lost in the magic of the gala. Not only did we have attendees from throughout the U.S. and Norway, but supporters from all of SFL's five decades. It was inspiring to hear what started as a near impossible concept will take us to Utah 50 years later. Thank you to all involved in SFL and especially the committee who worked diligently for a year to ensure the magic."
For the past couple years, a number of Ski for Light members have been busy collecting memories, stories, and highlights of some of the amazing people who have been touched by SFL throughout the 50 years since the founding of the organization.
The book will contain 200-some pages and 130 color photos and will be packed with historical info and interesting experiences written by skiers and guides.
So look forward to the completed book in early January 2025. It will be available in print and Kindle via Amazon, and DAISY format digital audio, and hard copy and refreshable Braille for order from the SFL website. All formats will cost the same, (although the price hasn?t been established yet). ?Copies will also be available for purchase at the 2025 International SFL week in Provo, Utah.
The 2025 annual Ridderweek will be held in Beitost?len, Norway beginning Sunday, March 30 and wrapping up on Sunday, April 6, with the actual 20 kilometer race on Saturday, April 5.
Ridderweek is a wonderful opportunity to ski, to make new ski friends, to enjoy outstanding Norwegian hospitality, and to learn more about the program that spawned Ski for Light. The event is much like the SFL International week, with evening programs, dances, a talent show, and a live auction that raises money for the Ridderrenn. There are several opportunities to challenge yourself on the trails during the week: a biathlon, using laser rifles, and a 5 K race for women and a 10 K for men. In addition, there is an alpine slalom race for mobility and visually-impaired skiers. During the alpine race on Friday, there's also a picnic at the base of the ski area, so you can enjoy hot dogs wrapped in lefse or hamburgers, while cheering on the racers.
Located about three hours from Oslo, Beitost?len is a summer and winter resort town that boasts a downhill ski area and many kilometers of Nordic ski trails. There are some gift shops, restaurants, bars, a couple of grocery stores, and ski shops.
After the week in Beitost?len, we'll spend a couple of days sightseeing in Oslo, a beautiful and easy to navigate city.
It's a great time, and I'll be having a gathering during SFL week to fill folks in on what to expect for the trip to Norway.
You will want to plan to leave the U.S. no later than Friday, March 28 for the overnight trip and arrival in Oslo on Saturday, March 29.
If you have questions about the Ridderrenn, feel free to contact me via e-mail at MLElmquist@aol.com or by phone at 515-279-3681.
Ski for Light, Inc. is affiliated with eight independent regional organizations across the United States that share our name. These groups are based in New England, Northeast Pennsylvania, Michigan, South Dakota, Colorado, Montana, Northern California (Sierra) and Washington State. Each organization hosts winter events focused on teaching and guiding visually and mobility-impaired adults in cross-country skiing, as well as snowshoeing and winter hiking in some instances.
For information about all SFL regional groups and their scheduled activities, including Winter 2025 event details and application forms, please visit the respective websites linked on the Regionals page of the SFL website at www.sfl.org/events/regionals
Explore the exciting activities that SFL regional organizations are offering for Winter 2025. Below are some of the upcoming winter events organized by four regional groups:
Ski and Snowshoe Trip; Craftsbury, Vermont; Thursday-Sunday, January 8-12, 2025
Winter Hiking Trip; AMC Highland Center; Crawford Notch, New Hampshire; Saturday-Monday, February 15-17, 2025
Late Winter Ski and Snowshoe Trip; Wayside Inn; Bethlehem, New Hampshire; February 28-March 2, 2025
Winter Day Trip & New Guide Training; Saturday, February 8, 2025
Annual Three-Day Event; March 8-10, 2025
Both events will be held at Tahoe Donner Adventure Center.
West Yellowstone Ski Event; February 13-17, 2025
Welcoming skiers and snowshoers of all abilities and inviting new guides to join in.
Winter 2025 Program; Sky Lake; Windsor, New York; January 12-19, 2025
Activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing (weather permitting), hiking, annotated nature walks, and an offsite activity (TBA). Evening events will feature board games, social activities, talent sharing, and a silent auction.
Our little organization has been around since about 1978, though the exact date depends on who tells the story. However, in the year 2000, we officially became The Northeastern Pennsylvania Regional Ski for Light and Sports for Health (NEPA SFL-SFH). A name nearly as long as our history. We put together outdoor events and activities for the blind and vision impaired. Specifically, our 501(c)(3) was incorporated for the following purpose: "To arrange and coordinate recreational, sports, and related activities that bring sighted and blind and low vision individuals together in an effort to enable them to participate in and experience such activities that may require sighted assistance."
For all of you who attended Ski for Light International Week 2024 in Rhinelander, Wisc., you experienced what a strong El Nino does to snow conditions in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. The dismal snow conditions continued for the 50th American Birkebeiner. This led to many unique opportunities to experience "Birkie Fever." In years past the Birkie has been cancelled due to low snow conditions, but modern snow making equipment and the foresight of the Birkie staff to make and bank snow when the weather was cold led to a huge 30,000 cubic yard snow pile being made. Enough to make 10K of trail more than a foot thick. With more than 13,000 skiers on their way to ski the Birkie events, the community stepped up to make it happen. Many contractors and municipal departments showed up with their loaders and dump trucks to get the snow loaded up and spread out.
The Birkie staff had to get creative for all the week's activities to happen. Some of the race events turned into foot races on the grass. I am happy to report that the ParaBirkie, of which Ski for Light is the presenting sponsor, was held on snow at the Birkie start line area. The race loop was only about 1.2 K long, but the racers were all smiles and warm hearts as they crossed the finish line. Some of the skiers were so happy to be on snow, they skied the loop several times. SFL was active at an aid station again this year. Due to the shortened 10 K looped trail, the races were spread out over 5 days and the skiers completed up to five loops. All the Birkie's participants had a great view of the SFL banner as they approached the SFL volunteers at the aid station. SFL volunteers got to experience the excitement of Olympic skiers Jessie Diggens overtake Flora Dolci and Gus Schumacher overtake Sam Handly as they went by five times.
On a personal note, skiing up main street Hayward, Wisc. to the finish line with the enthusiastic crowds cheering is always the highlight of the race. Without a snowflake in sight, I put on my Birkie race bib, strapped on the roller skis and headed up Main Street. I got some strange looks at first, but then they started cheering me on.
As part of being the presenting sponsor of the ParaBirkie, Ski for Light had a booth at the Birkie Expo for a third time this year. The attendance was impressive and our booth is in a spot where we get a lot of traffic. I was very excited to see some people come up and say "I have been hearing about Ski for Light, how do I get more information?" This is a clear indication that our organization's presence at the Birkie is leading to positive name recognition. If you are interested in sharing what SFL is all about by helping at the expo booth, or in being an SFL ambassador at the ParaBirkie and experiencing Birkie Fever, check out birkie.com and send me an email: evelosfl@charter.net.
With a little help from 80 or so members of his family and friends, Leif (Jorleif) celebrated his 95th birthday on November 2 (his actual birthday) in Huron, South Dakota. The evening, organized by his daughters Marit Kringstad and Shirley Halvorson, was full of Norwegian traditions. The group gathered for a social and a delicious buffet dinner-with lots of carrots. Leif loves carrots. Desserts included marzipan cakes and a large sheet cake decorated with a photo of Leif in a jacket covered with Ski for Light event patches.
The program included an opening table prayer, in Norwegian, the reading of a poem written by the late Ski for Light friend and many-years guide, Liv Markel, originally from Norway, and a performance by Leif's wife, Janis, on her musical saw. Leif's daughter, Shirley read what was called, "Optimism," that highlighted his many milestones and accomplishments. Among them were growing up in Norway in WW II, moving to the U.S., serving in the U.S. army, going back to Norway to meet in and marry his wife, Solbj?rg, returning to Huron and having a successful and active life there.
After learning about Ski for Light via the Black Hills Regional program, Leif began guiding at International Week in 1978. In addition to guiding visually-impaired skiers, for a number of years Leif worked each night at SFL events to set the tracks for next day's skiers. He built and transported track-setting machines to events and donated them to the Nordic centers upon our departure.
Shirley and Marit shared that their father's outlook on life is what keeps him young; that his positive, optimistic view of the world means that his glass is always at least half-full.
Leif will be at SFL 2025 in Utah and we hope for many more.
SFL is celebrating the union of long-time guide Patrick McManus and his wife, Jeanne. They wed this past April in Seaside, Oregon, surrounded by lots of family and friends. We wish them every happiness, and many years of wonderful adventures and great memories!
Our thanks go to the following companies that have provided products or services to help support Ski for Light. Many of these companies have stood behind us for years - and we're grateful. Be sure to think of our friends when you're gearing up for your next adventure.
Borton Overseas Travel * Dansko Shoes * Haiku Bags * Kuhl Clothing * Lodge Cast Iron * Wallaroo Hat Company
The SFL Bulletin is published three times a year. It is available in ink-print or via e-mail. If you wish to change formats, please send your request to: info@sfl.org
The current as well as past issues of the Bulletin are also available online at www.sfl.org/bulletin. In addition to an online edition that may be read in your browser, you will find a downloadable pdf version of the current issue.
For future Bulletins, remember that your contributions and feedback are always most welcome. You may submit articles as e-mail or as a word or text attachment. Send all items to:
Andrea GoddardThe deadline for the Spring 2025 Bulletin is March 15, 2025. We look forward to hearing from you.
Ski for Light, Inc. is a registered trademark. All rights reserved.