The Brit Peterson Award is presented to individuals whose cumulative lifetime generosity to Ski for Light is in excess of $25,000. The award is named in honor of Brit Peterson, who was also the first recipient of the award, in recognition of her nearly thirty years of support to SFL. Our thanks and gratitude go to Brit and the other recipients of this honor. What a difference they have made to the lives of Ski for Light attendees over the years.
Brit and her late husband Roy have given to SFL in many, many ways for nearly 30 years. She was a guide from 1979 to 1985, when a car accident crushed both of her ankles. Undaunted, Brit came back to SFL as a volunteer and mobility-impaired skier, until retiring after the 2003 event in Alaska. Over many years Brit also solicited thousands of dollars worth of Norwegian food for our Norway Night dinners that so delighted attendees. Roy was a dedicated worker-bee for many of those years. On the occasion of their 50th anniversary Brit and Roy asked that friends and family donate to SFL in lieu of gifts. Brit did this again when she turned 80 years old. She has given generously nearly every year to the Endowment, Goodfellow, or general operating funds. Brit has donated and inspired others to donate more money to SFL over the years than any other individual.
Valerie Anders became acquainted with SFL back in the seventies when Bud Keith first journeyed to Norway to visit the Ridderrenn. At the time, her husband, former astronaut Bill Anders, was the United States Ambassador to Norway. Valerie and Bill attended Ridderrennet with Bud, and they became fast friends. They attended SFL in 1981, and again in 1999. Valerie got the SFL Endowment Fund off the ground with a gift of $25,000, in Bud's honor, during the 1999 event. She has continued to support SFL with subsequent gifts to the fund.
Liv Markle attended her first SFL event in 1980. She had known about Ridderrennet while growing up in Norway, and had heard of SFL after immigrating to the U.S. After attending her first event, she was struck by how much the program effected the lives of those who attended, and decided to do all that she could to support it. Since that first event, she has hosted holiday SFL fund-raising parties in her home in Indiana nearly every year, while also continuing to guide at most events.
Jean Replinger Has attended every SFL event as either a guide or worker-bee since her first event in 1980. A college professor in Minnesota, Jean found that SFL combined many of the things she valued in life: teaching, helping others and fun in the out-of-doors. She decided to do what she could to make the benefits of the SFL experience available to others, and over the years has sponsored about 40 attendees. She has also supported the program annually with significant gifts to the general operating, Goodfellow and/or endowment funds.
Kjell Skavnes emigrated to the U.S. from Norway back in the early seventies. He first attended SFL in 1977, and has guided at most events since then. For more than a decade, he transported skis and equipment to and from each event, and handled ski fitting for participants. For many years he also donated his earnings from competitive sport car racing to Ski for Light, and flew the SFL flag on each of his cars.