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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.
As summer unfolds, many of us are reflecting on another remarkable season and looking ahead with excitement to the 2027 Ski for Light. This issue of the Bulletin highlights the many ways the organization continues to grow, strengthen friendships, and expand opportunities for people.
You'll read about the Ridderrenn in Norway, whose long tradition reminds us of the international community that inspired Ski for Light more than fifty years ago. You'll also learn about our new Fresh Tracks initiative, which is designed to encourage younger guides to continue their involvement with SFL and help ensure a vibrant future for the organization. Another article explains how the generous financial support we receive is put to work, making SFL possible, providing scholarships, training volunteers, and keeping Ski for Light accessible to those who want to participate.
Every story in this issue reflects the dedication of our volunteers, donors, guides, and participants. Whether you give your time, your financial support, or simply share our mission with others, you are helping create experiences that change lives.
Thank you for being an essential part of the Ski for Light family. I hope you enjoy this issue and look forward to seeing many of you at future events.
In just a few months, approximately 250 SFL enthusiasts will gather in West Yellowstone, Montana to celebrate our fifty-second International event. West Yellowstone is a small town with lots of rustic charm and a definite focus on outdoor recreation. We will be skiing on the scenic Rendezvous Trail System, one of the country's premier Nordic ski sites.
The 2027 SFL International week runs from Sunday, January 17 until Sunday, January 24. By the time you read this, applications and complete information about the event will be available at www.sfl.org/events/next. Because the 2027 event is earlier than usual, deadlines for submitting applications and related forms have been moved up a couple of weeks. So, I urge everyone to visit the web site and submit your application promptly.
If you are tired of dealing with summer heat, humidity and smoke from wild fires, try turning your thoughts to snow, clear skies and the joys of gliding along gently rolling hills on cross-country skis. The thrill of striding along well-groomed tracks with a kindred spirit is one of the primary reasons many of us return, year-after-year, to the SFL International week.
While skiing is our main focus, most of us can pack only so many kilometers in to a day. For off snow time, there will be numerous special interest presentations, evening activities, meal times together and ample opportunities to relax with old friends and make new ones.
For anyone new to cross-country skiing, this is an activity that challenges one's strength, endurance and flexibility. At www.sfl.org/events/fitness you can find some excellent resources for getting in shape for the week. Over many years of attending SFL, I have found that the better I prepare physically, the more I enjoy the thrills and occasional spills of this most enjoyable sport.
I hope to see many of you next January in West Yellowstone.
Did you know…SFL has a formal Code of Conduct policy that all program participants agree to when we submit our event applications? I know from personal experience that it is easy to overlook this and the other policies we agree to in the excitement of applying for the upcoming event. That is why I'd like to take this opportunity to highlight these important documents. After all, it is the code that supports the safety and camaraderie that we all cherish so much at Ski for Light!
Codes of Conduct are found in many organizations and are considered to be a best practice. Several years ago, a formal Code of Conduct policy was written and adopted by the SFL board with the goal of defining the expectations that we all share for a positive, respectful and safe experience when we participate in any SFL event. The current code was adopted in 2022 and includes a provision to review and refresh the policy every three years. It can be found at www.sfl.org/board/policy/conduct.docx
I encourage all of you to read the Code of Conduct, along with the other policies relating to communicable diseases and the general waiver, before you complete and submit your application. These policies are easily found as links on the event page and near the end of each application.
Now let's all have the most fun, safest, and most respectful SFL event!
As a first-time participant at Ski for Light in Colorado 2026, I was asked to share my experience at the end of the event with the other visually impaired, mobility impaired, guides and volunteers. I wanted to share more than my day-in and day-out activities, I wanted to encompass my experience as well as leave an impression for all to take home until the next time we meet.
I had an amazing time meeting amazing people. From the first encouraging smile I was greeted with off the bus, to the help lugging my suitcases to Aspenbrook Lodge in this 8,700 feet above sea level location, to my roommate and the roll of chocolate she bought me after an overwhelming emotional day, to the helper who assisted me in buying some gloves for my frozen fingers, to my guides who Show No Mercy: If you fall you get back up. I can truly say this week was one I will never forget.
I am from Georgia but my family is from Jamaica. If you have ever watched the movie, "Cool Runnings," that is where I am from. We do not do snow. Coming to Colorado in the winter was not on my list of things to do for 2026 but I am elated that I had this opportunity and now I am a Ski for Light Lifer.
In the movie, "Cool Runnings," there were these four Jamaican men who wanted to go to the Olympics via Track and Field. They prepared themselves at the starting line, ready to be the winner of the race and to get that opportunity. The gun went off and so did they. Unfortunately, they did not make it to the finish line. Somewhere along the way in the 100 meter dash they fell. These men lay on the ground with dirt on their faces and watched as other racers won first place, second place and third place. They were watching others begin to live the life they were supposed to live. As VIPs and MIPs, we can understand that feeling; we are those men on the ground, onlooking others' success and thinking, "Why me?" But just like those Jamaican men, we get up and have to find another way.
These Jamaican men were put in connection with a coach from out of town. This coach introduced them to a sport called Bobsled. A sport that was way out of their comfort zone that included running on ice. As VIPs and MIPs we all have had to do something in this journey that is not in our norm. Just like these Jamaican men we had to practice at something that was uncomfortable. These Jamaican men practiced this new sport as others looked at them with high suspicion and doubt. All the while, these men stayed focused. What the onlookers did not understand was that as VIPs and MIPs you have two choices, you can stay on the ground of the dirt track wondering "Why me?" Or you can perfect the disability and transform it into something others do not understand but admire.
Eventually these Jamaican men got on a plane and flew across the way and landed on ice and snow. They were given an old, discarded bobsled. These Jamaican men fitted and polished that bobsled to their liking. To my fellow VIPs and MIPs, have you ever personalized your cane and or wheelchair? Made it so when you came in the room, heads had to turn? That is what this discarded bobsled turned into. On the outside it looks amazing and ready for the ice but on the inside, there are some loose screws, nuts and bolts.
It is now game day. These Jamaican men put on their gear and got their old, revamped bobsled and got on the ice. The gun went off and so did they. Down the ice at record speed, something no other Jamaican had ever done. Now the onlookers who had had high doubt and suspicion, are cheering and hooting and encouraging them toward success. I can imagine it felt remarkable to know how much hard work, determination and grit it took to get from losing the life you were supposed to live, to now thriving at this new found life.
Unfortunately these Jamaican men, who are now sliding down the track at record speed, realized their discarded bobsled is starting to fall apart at the height of their moment. The discarded bobsled cannot make it to the finish line. The finish line is just within reach but our eyes and limbs just cannot make it through. But just like these Jamaican men, we get up, there is no quit in our DNA. We have been here before. Instead of dirt on our face we now have shavings of ice. Regardless, we have to Finish The Race. We get our personalized cane and wheelchair; we hoist ourselves up and Finish The Race. As heavy as the bobsled is and as heavy as our disability can be we make it to the finish line.
So whether you did the 10k, 5k, 1k or 0k, know that YOU DID IT. Hold your head up, get your mobility device and FINISH THE RACE!
The SFL executive committee recommends to the board each year the size of the team to select to travel to the Ridderrenn at Beitost?len, Norway, usually held in March. The team is usually two guides and two skiers; the team size is approved by the board, but the names of the team members are held as a deep, dark secret until they are announced on Tuesday evening at the International event. This year's group consisted of 5: VIPs Marian Wildgruber and Lucas Rice, and guides, Greg Cox, Doug Sundberg and Allen Takahashi. They were joined by 10 others who traveled on their own dime: VIPs Michelle Curtis, Courtney Mazzola, Susan Bueti Hill, Kevin Whitley, and Anthony Nelson. Guides included Astrid Mullen, Bruce Slinkman (who suffered many travel delays, but was finally able to join us mid-week), Louis Peterson, Julie Coppens, and yours truly, for a total group of 15.
As has been the case most years, for a number of years, most of the group arrive in Oslo on Saturday before we depart Oslo on Sunday for the roughly 3 hour bus trip to Beitost?len. We stay at a centrally located hotel in Oslo, go out for pizza Saturday night (no tough culinary decisions to be made after long days of travel) and board our bus Sunday morning at the hotel for the journey, joined along the way by some Norwegians and Danes, also on their way to Beito.
The snow conditions were better this year than last, and we were able to ski on the trails that start from the Health Sports Center, a short ride down from our hotel. That said, the distance and variety of tracks were less than in most years. The skiing area is boggy, and there wasn't a good, hard freeze before the winter's snow fell, so there wasn't a good, solid base on which snow could accumulate, and some early March warm weather made for challenging conditions for track setting. But there were other tracks in the area and some of our creative group availed themselves of these alternative tracks. As you will read, there were a number of other outdoor activities to participate in.
Team members have shared their recollections of their time in Norway and at the Ridderrenn. Read below.
Lucas Rice
I definitely enjoyed the trip and it was the most fun I've had in years. I knew Ski for Light had a historical connection with Norway, but I didn't truly understand it until I went to the Ridderrenn. I appreciated the learning I did when it comes to skiing. Greg and I went to an instructor's session and she reinforced a lot of what people were telling me and I found that the time with the instructor was very informative; I hope to carry that forward. We mainly worked on putting more glide in each step when skiing and I appreciated how each guide after that session carried on with what the instructor had suggested and made me better at it. I immensely enjoyed the dog sledding; I'd never done it before, so that is something new that I would love to do again. I enjoyed the food, of course. I never went hungry that week! My appreciation for Ski for Light is always growing, but after going to Norway, I understand how special both organizations are and it's very important it all stays alive.
Doug SundbergWhen Tim McCorcle called me last fall and asked what was I doing in March, my first thought was, "Think fast, he's going to ask me to help him move!" Good thing I'm a slow thinker, because his next words were, "You're going to Norway." And so I did, and it was memorable on several levels. The entertainment was great. The King's Guard marched and played. And the voice of Lucas and Julie's skill on the keyboards did the Americans proud on talent night. The food? Well, I can tell you that it is possible to ski every day and still gain weight. The nightlife: The bar was always well-attended, where you could meet folks from around the world. There were even six Ukrainian wounded warriors. Despite missing an arm or a leg, or both, they shot down the alpine slopes on their mono-skis like nothing had been lost. If anyone needs inspiration on how to deal with what life throws at you, look no further than those guys and, of course, our skiers as well.
Marian WildgruberI want to express my gratitude for being chosen to represent Ski for Light at Ridderrenn 2026. Our team, plus the other SFL skiers and guides that made up our 15-member group truly represented the Ski for Light spirit and organization well, I believe. As in the past, Marion did not have a designated "Ski for Light" table in the dining room for meals, so we would be free to sit with other participants during the week and get to meet more people. That surely happened! I met so many skiers and guides from many of the ten countries represented, and got to know so many different, warm, interesting people. I had a long discussion with the leader of the disabled veteran group from Ukraine, and that was one of my highlights. The snow and skiing and support by the organizers and the King's Guard and army were ubiquitous, thoughtful and kind. The event organization was perfect from the participants' perspective.
Allen TakahashiAfter getting over the shock that I had been selected to represent SFL at the Ridderrenn I started to wonder what to expect. I figured the Ridderrenn was just akin to an SFL event on steroids. And certainly it was larger than SFL with more participating countries, some with large contingents, and the trail system we could ski was extensive and scenic. But the event itself had a completely different feel to it-beyond the more international flavor, there were events we don't do at SFL, like downhill skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, dog sledding. And there are sports university students there as part of their training and the military support running races and helping folks getting around adding to the support of the event. I had a chance to get to know the others in our SFL group and to meet people from Norway and Great Britain as well as skiers from many other countries. I had a chance not only to ski, but also to do some very enjoyable walking tours of Oslo. All in all it was a wonderful trip! Thanks SFL for introducing me to the Ridderrenn in Norway! I'll definitely be back!
Greg CoxOn October 9, 2025, at 2:50 P.M., I got this cryptic message from David Fisichella: "Greg, I have a quick question for you. Please let me know when would be a good time to call, or you can call me anytime. Thanks, David." Being new to the SFL board, all I could think of was Board this and Board that, but boy, was I surprised when I called him back! So, on March 11, 2026 at 3:00 P.M. I was on a Delta flight, destination Oslo, my first trip to Europe. Yes, you guessed it, I had been selected to attend the Ridderrenn in Norway, a wonderful surprise and honor. What was scheduled to be a 10 hour trip morphed into 20, but at 5:30 CET I arrived in Oslo and made my way to the SFL hotel. In the lobby, while checking in, I saw a very familiar face, Marion Elmquist (our fearless leader) confirming I was indeed in the correct place. The next morning I met up with some of the other members of the SFL group, then it was time to explore Oslo, a wonderful, vibrant and cosmopolitan city of about 730,000 people. A few days later, we all boarded the bus for a beautiful 3 hour ride to Beitost?len. Beitost?len is a ski town (Yay!) but the thaw freeze cycle turned many of the parking lots and sidewalks into ice rinks so you might want to bring your YakTrax. While the skiing conditions were less than ideal, the opportunity to get to better know members of our SFL group, and to meet new people of all ages from many countries was one of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of the trip.
The Sons of Norway Foundation has provided generous support to SFL to make possible the very first SFL event in 1975 until today. Foundation Director Amy Tuchenhagen writes that, "Ski for Light has been a special part of our 60 years at Sons of Norway Foundation!"
The Jean Replinger Fresh Tracks Scholarship Program is a new 3-year pilot program to help promising first and second-time guides return to Ski for Light and continue building friendships, skills, and community within SFL. We know that many guides who attend once fall in love with the experience, but life, travel costs, and competing responsibilities can make it difficult to come back right away. Fresh Tracks was created to help remove some of those barriers and support the next generation of lifelong guides.
The program is funded through a generous gift from the estate of Jean Replinger, a longtime Ski for Light guide who believed deeply in investing in younger and first-time guides. Over the years, Jean personally helped cover the costs for many new guides to attend SFL - many of whom became regular guides and lasting members of our community. This scholarship continues her legacy of welcoming new people into Ski for Light and helping them return year after year.
I am excited to announce that the five Fresh Tracks recipients this year are:
Their enthusiasm, energy, and contributions stood out to the selection committee, and we're excited about the role they could play in the future of Ski for Light. They will each receive a scholarship to cover the full cost of a double occupancy room plus up to $500 in travel costs for a future Ski for Light event within the next two years. We hope this is the beginning of a long connection with the SFL community.
Ski for Light has a somewhat atypical approach to fund-raising. Many small nonprofit organizations have a fund-raising committee with a single fund-raising chair. Rather than putting all that responsibility on a few people, Ski for Light has adopted a more diversified approach to fund-raising. This approach has worked well for many, many years. Here are the major fund-raising efforts:
In fiscal 2026, we successfully raised about $338,000 from the above sources.
So, what do we do with the funds we raise? A sizeable portion of it goes toward making the event more affordable for attendees as prices continue to increase. In 2026, each person's cost of participation was reduced by about $140. Our 2026 event was at a relatively inexpensive venue. In past years, we have provided subsidies of more than $300 per person, and in 2027, at a more expensive venue, we plan on subsidies of more than $650 per person.
We also provide additional subsidies to those who need it. In 2026, we provided $11,700 in subsidies of $400 to $600 per person to visually- and mobility-impaired participants and $4,300 to instructor/guides. In addition, we paid $3,600 to rent skis for first-time participants.
In addition to reducing costs for attendees and subsidies, other major areas of expense include Board and Executive Committee, and Event Planning Committee meetings; Guide training; awards to participants; publications; storing and shipping of event materials; and support for student interns. There are, of course, many other costs associated with running an SFL event. If you are interested in more detail about SFL finance, have a look at www.sfl.org/board/finance.
We have established a family tradition called Our Annual 3G Fishing Trip, with G meaning generation. Our son Erik, his son Tobias, and Tobias' friend and I go looking for serious-sized fish, in places along the coast of Norway with reputations for exactly that. This summer, we chose the island of Fr?ya in Mid-Norway. We rented a nice seaside cottage with a solid aluminum boat and a 150 horsepower engine tied up right outside. We were the only Norwegians trying our luck that week, the other fishermen being Poles, Germans and Swedes.
The weather wasn't perfect, and the big fish were few and far between, even though we went pretty far out in the Atlantic Ocean. Still, Erik came up with an 18 kilo (38 lbs) ling cod and I one of about half that size. A few sharks were caught as well, but they were released. The biggest experience was being surrounded by Minke whales, a whole family of them. And they were not far from our boat.
Naturally we had fish dinners, and they tasted great, since Erik is a Cordon Bleu-trained chef.
Our point of departure for this excursion was our family cabin, which meant that we had a five-hour drive to Fr?ya and five hours back. "The boys" (Erik is fifty) spent an extra day at the cabin before flying home, but I had an extra week there with family from Minnesota. On my last day, I was very pleased to catch a 6 kilo (about 15 lbs.) halibut to close out the fishing efforts.
Back home in Stavanger, we have enjoyed a series of outstanding concerts organized by the Stavanger Kunst & Musikkfestival, with brilliant musicians from many countries. I am a volunteer for the festival, doing whatever is required from writing funding applications and press releases to driving musicians to and from the airport and rehearsal and concert venues, to introducing some of the concerts. It is very gratifying to do one's little bit to make it all come together.
It's funny how time flies! January 2020 was my first and only Ski for Light trip. I was lucky enough to have the very patient Amy Brannan as my guide. She also made fantastic jewelry, which, of course, I had to snatch and bring back home with me to New York.
I remember being stuck on the mountain with a bus full of fellow skiers. A nice couple saw us sitting there and came back with boxes of pizza! There may or may not have been adult beverages passed around while we waited to be saved. My memory, just like my vision, is a little fuzzy on the details…
At that time, I was providing services to children who were blind or visually impaired and my son (who is also visually impaired) was a junior in high school. Now, he's a college graduate, living on his own with roommates and I received my doctorate in educational leadership.
As a woman with vision loss, I love Ski for Light and all that it stands for. I share all of the info for upcoming events with my undergrad and graduate students in hopes that we can poach some of them to become captains.
You may not see me out there in the tracks, but I'll always cherish the memory of sharing that space in time with you.
The responsibility of the Site Selection Committee is to identify and evaluate potential new sites for future Ski for Light events. We like to think that ALL Ski for Lighters are part of this committee. After all, you like a fine venue right?
A site with the right stuff is a unique combination of location, hotel and ski area. The hotel should be accessible, have at least 150 rooms, banquet facilities for 250 to 300 people, as well as meeting rooms and space for the Information and Sales Rooms, morning stretching, equipment storage and Special Interest sessions.
The ski area should be reasonably close to the hotel. It should have "reliable" and "consistent" snow, with 25-40 kilometers or more of double-tracked cross-country terrain and a good balance of beginner and more advanced trails for skiers. There should be accessible lunch facilities and restrooms that can a group of 200. Optimally, there are also things to do in the immediate area in case of a low snow year.
It is also important to consider how far the location is from a major airport (within about 3 hours). Smaller airports with limited flights may have difficulty accommodating a large number of people traveling on the same day, and multiple airline transfers can increase costs.
Chances are that you have attended at least one International event. Think back to that time and stack your proposed venue against your memory of the event you attended. Would it fit the bill? If so, reach out to Nino Pacini, Site Selection Committee Chair, with your suggestion at NinoPacini@gmail.com. Be prepared to answer general questions about your find!
So, while you are out skiing in the winter or online poking around, be on the lookout for that just right site.
Open to all, our mantra is, "Modify, modify, modify." We follow an audio, strength-training workout on Zoom, using a mat and a few dumbbells if you want. The level of the workouts is advanced beginner/intermediate, but since no one is watching, you just do what you can do! Come when you can and join us.
Wednesdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. Pacific/ 6 p.m. Eastern, 45 minutes long.
Email me for Zoom info at MWildgruber@comcast.net.
The new mailing address for Ski for Light, effective now, is:
Ski for Light, Inc.Ski for Light, Inc. is loosely affiliated with eight regional organizations around the United States that share our name, but are independent organizations. They are located in New England, Northeast Pennsylvania, Michigan, South Dakota, Colorado, Montana, Northern California and Washington.
Each group holds one or more winter events that include teaching and guiding visually- and mobility-impaired adults in cross-country skiing. Many of them also offer summer programs, ranging from single-day hikes to week-long adventures.
To check out the offerings of each organization for this year visit their respective websites, all linked from the Regionals page on the SFL website at www.sfl.org/events/regionals
Our thanks go to the following companies that have provided products or services to help support Ski for Light 2026. Many of these companies have stood behind us for years. We are grateful for their ongoing support. Be sure to think of our friends when you're gearing up for your next adventure.
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.
The SFL Bulletin Committee: Donna Paterson (Chair), Marion Elmquist, Larry Showalter and Deni Elliott
Layout, Graphics and Printing: Grizzly Print Co.
Ski for Light, Inc.
913 E Franklin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55404
Phone: 612-827-3232
Website: www.sfl.org
General Information info@sfl.org
Ski for Light, Inc. is a registered trademark. All rights reserved.