Eastern Division NSP's News Magazine
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NSP History – Chapter 2 – A Fateful Day For Minnie Dole
Charles and Jane Dole
<<< In our last chapter, alpine skiing gains a toe-hold in North America and the Amateur ski club of New York is formed.
While sidelined from skiing due to an injury in 1931, Roland Palmedo, president of the Amateur Ski Club of New York, wrote a letter to the Postmaster in Stowe, Vermont. He had been to Stowe in the summer and knew that Mount Mansfield was a significant landmark, but was there life in Stowe in the winter? Did the town have the facilities to host the ASCNY if they arrived in the winter to ski? The reply came not from the Postmaster but from the Secretary of the Stowe Civic Club, and the response was very positive. Stowe and Mount Mansfield became regular destinations for the club. The response from the town would also eventually lead to the biplane flight in 1939. Our story, the story of the creation of the National Ski Patrol, falls in the intervening years between those two events.
In Memoriam – Morton M. Pear
Morton M. Pear
July 9, 1935–September 18, 2023
It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of a patroller who was a friend and supporter of most of us in the CT Region. Morton (Morty) Pear, NSP 134683 passed September 18, 2023. He was a longstanding member of the Powder Ridge Patrol
In Memoriam – Joseph A. Rao
Joseph A. Rao
August 19, 1929—April 18, 2023
Joseph A. Rao, 93, of Southington, formerly of Newington, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family on Tuesday, April 18, joining his beloved wife, Santina (Sandy) Morelli. He was a longtime member of the Church of the Holy Spirit…
In Memoriam – James “Jim” Chagnon
James “Jim” Chagnon
November 8, 1950—August 21, 2023
It is with sadness that I inform you of the passing of one of our former patrollers James “Jim” Chagnon of Southington, CT, who passed away on August 21, 2023, at his home. He patrolled at Mt. Southington in CT between 1970-1986, became a Senior Alpine Patroller in 1972, and served as a hill captain for the patrol.
In Memoriam – Henry Brisman
Henry Brisman
March 18, 1928–January 29, 2023
Six patrollers wearing their red patrol parkas, serving as pallbearers, escorted Henry Brisman to his final duty station on a damp, cloudy April day. They quietly joked that the gravesite at the top of a hill in the cemetery would make a great spot to ski when snow returns next season; an ideal location from which a skier could survey the countryside below.
In Memoriam – Kenneth Post Jr.
Kenneth Post Jr.
October 18, 1933—May 14, 2023
Kenneth Edwin Post Jr, 89, of Danbury, husband of Eileen (Galligan) Post, died on Sunday, May 14, 2023, at his residence. Born on October 18, 1933, the son of the late Kenneth Edwin Post Sr and Ethel Post, he was a lifelong resident of Danbury.
In Memoriam – Thomas H. Gillespie, Jr.
Thomas H Gillespie, Jr.
August 21, 1933-April 25, 2023
Thomas Howard Gillespie, Jr., a 55-year resident of New Canaan, CT, died on April 25, 2023. He was born in Chicago, IL on August 21, 1933, a son of Thomas Howard and Florence Stoker Gillespie, and raised in Kenilworth, IL. As a youth attending Joseph Sears School and New Trier Township High School, Tom was active in sports and achieved his Eagle Scout rank in Boy Scouts at the early age of 13.
In Memoriam – James J. McKay
James J. McKay
December 14, 1940—May 5, 2023
Jim McKay was a caring and attentive husband, a supportive and proud father, and a loyal friend to many. He was hard-working, generous, quick with a joke, and always ready with a story. Jim was a great man who will be sorely missed…
In Memoriam – Robert Carhart
In Loving Memory of a Dedicated Ski Patroller
Robert Carhart
April 12, 1953-May 15, 2023
It is with heavy hearts and profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved and esteemed ski patroller, Robert (Pappy) Carhart. He departed from this world on Monday, May 15, leaving behind a legacy of courage, compassion, and unwavering dedication to the safety and well-being of others. Born on April 12, 1953, Pappy discovered a passion for skiing at an early age…
You Asked…We Listened! We’re Revamping Trail Sweep
The history of the Eastern Division newsletter, Trail Sweep, stretches back a long time. I have copies going back to Volume 29, No. 4, Spring/Summer of 1986. Looking through the issues, I am amazed at how far we’ve come and all the changes that have been made. We used to publish four issues a year, then three, and finally, we were down to two, although as we reduced the number of issues, they gained in size. We removed some information, like the division and region rosters and event calendar, and the list of awards and obituaries increased. We are an aging organization.
But even though we’re aging, our members are savvy and connected. An electronic survey sent to Eastern Division patrollers in late February asked their opinions about Trail Sweep and how information is…
Interview with NSP Executive Director Stephanie Cox
Stephanie Cox was hired as the Executive Director of the NSP just over a year ago, in October 2022. She is the third Executive Director of the NSP in the last few years. Trail Sweep asked Stephanie if she would agree to be interviewed to discuss the challenges of the job and her plans for the future. We asked her about what skills she brought to the job, how she felt about the turnover of her predecessors, her plans for the growth of sponsorships and fundraising, and her plans to help resolve issues with the NSP website.
What experiences and skills do you bring to the NSP as Executive Director?
My prior leadership roles, where I had to manage large, diverse teams, make critical decisions, and motivate others – especially in difficult, changing, and complex environments…
