by Trail Sweep Staff | Apr 2, 2026 | Division News, Program News, Spotlight Articles
Rich Pietrafesa, Board Member
No matter how you look at it, the 2026 Eastern Patroller and Alumni Event was an outstanding success. There were over 100 people signed up to participate, more than double last year’s event. The evening events with NSP Board members Rich Pietrafesa and Butch MacQueen, the NSP Safety Team, and the history of the 10th Mountain Division were well attended and very informative.
Butch MacQueen, Board Member & John Crandall, former SVT Alumni Advisor
Stratton Mountain did a great job welcoming us. The daily events included touring the snowmaking operations, the Carlos Otis Clinic and First Aid Center, and the Patrol Summit HQ. These provided us insight into some unique attributes of the daily routine of different departments at Stratton. Matt Jones, CEO of Stratton, even came and talked about the resort, the ski industry, and answered questions from us all.
Melanie Musczynski, EDIV Safety Team & Oliver Loewen, Stratton Patrol
Special thanks to Stratton Patrollers Larry Kneip, Steve Sabastian, Ned O’Rourke, Bill Vosmer, and Oliver Loewen for spending the better part of the week guiding us on the mountain and providing great conversations. Having our own guides really made for great days on the snow.
There were patrollers and Alums from all 15 Regions of the Eastern Division and from the PRO ranks as well. Folks from Maine to West Virginia, Buffalo to New Jersey were present. Good times, good food, and great fellowship were had by all. Oh, and some pretty fine skiing too. Hope to see you all next year!
Written by The Alumni Advisors of the Eastern Division
by Allan Miller, Alumni Supervisor | Feb 24, 2026 | Division News, Program News, Spotlight Articles
THIRD ANNUAL EASTERN DIVISION PATROLLER AND ALUMNI EVENT
Stratton Mountain, Vermont – March, 15–20, 2026
Join us again for the Third Patroller and Alumni event. It will be a week of skiing, information, camaraderie, and après ski good times. We will again celebrate our shared passion for skiing and patrolling! Be there for as long as it’s fun for you! We hope you can stay the whole time, but your stay is up to you! No charge for notable alumni and patroller events. All costs for lodging, lift tickets, and meals are on you.
UPDATED INFORMATION 2/19/26
DATES: The event will coincide with their “Friends and Family Week”, March 15 – 20, 2026
LODGING: Stratton Mountain is AGAIN providing rooms for $99 per night plus tax and VT fees at Black Bear Lodge for the week of the event. This rate is for 1 or 2 people per room. The link for reservations is on the Patroller School website or call (800) 787-2886. Promo Code NSPA26.
LIFT TICKETS: Stratton Mountain is AGAIN giving us a great “Friends and Family” rate of $35.00 per day plus tax. Valid for the week of the event. Lift tickets will be available either through the reservation link or the outside ticket window on the uphill side of the Base Lodge. Identify yourself as a participant in the National Ski Patrol Alumni group and buy the appropriate number of 1-day tickets. Promo Code NSPA26.
OTHER EVENTS: Several after-dinner events are being planned. Last year’s events were well worth the time and a BIG BONUS to the week. Details and schedule of these events will be forthcoming.
Mark your calendars and be part of this unforgettable event. More details will be sent periodically.
VERY IMPORTANT: Let us know if you are coming or if you are interested in getting more information as it becomes available by using the Eastern Division Patroller School link.
Come for a day or come for the whole week. We can’t wait to see you there.
Organized by the Alumni Advisors of the Eastern Division for any member of NSP and their families.
by Allan Miller, Alumni Supervisor | Jan 21, 2026 | Division News, Program News
The Region Alumni Advisors of the Eastern Division are inviting you to a scheduled Zoom Forum.
This will be the first-ever Alumni Forum. We are creating an opportunity for Alumni to share stories, have their questions answered, and help us understand how we can support them in staying connected with their patrol and patrolling friends and getting the most out of their Alumni membership.
We will discuss the third Alumni and Patroller Celebration at Stratton in March. This is a great week with special low-cost lodging and lift tickets, plus opportunities to socialize and gain insights into the resort that the general public rarely gets to experience.
Topic: Eastern Division Alumni – Forum
Time: Feb 5, 2026, 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 881 7853 4064
Passcode: 288574
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Join instructions
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by Allan Miller, Alumni Supervisor | Jan 21, 2026 | Division News, Program News
YES, IT WILL HAPPEN AND WE’RE GOING BACK TO STRATTON!
Join us again for the 3rd Patroller and Alumni event. It will be a week of skiing, information, camaraderie and Après Ski. We will again celebrate our shared passion for skiing and patrolling! Be there for as long it is fun for you. We hope you can stay the whole time, but your stay is up to you. No charge for notable alumni and patroller events. All costs for lodging, lift tickets, and meals are on you.
HERE ARE THE DETAILS SO FAR!
DATES
We are awaiting Stratton’s announcement of the dates. The event will coincide with their “Friends and Family Week,” mid-March, around St Patrick’s Day. Stay tuned for the details.
LODGING
The price needs to be confirmed, but it appears Stratton is again providing rooms for $99 per night, plus tax and VT fees, at Black Bear Lodge for the week of the event. This rate is for one or two people per room. We will post a reservation link once the final dates are announced.
LIFT TICKETS
The price has not yet been confirmed, but it appears Stratton is again offering us a great “Friends and Family” rate of $35.00 per day, plus tax valid for the week of the event. Just go to the outside ticket window on the uphill side of the Base Lodge, identify yourself as a participant in the National Ski Patrol Alumni group, and buy the appropriate number of one-day tickets.
OTHER EVENTS
Several after-dinner events are being planned. Last year’s events were well worth the time and a BIG BONUS to the week. Details and schedule of these events will be forthcoming.
Mark your calendars and join us for this unforgettable event. More details will be sent periodically. Come for a day, come for the whole week…JUST COME! We look forward to seeing you there. Stay tuned for more info and updates!
VERY IMPORTANT: Please let us know if you are coming or planning to come. Register on the PatrollerSchool.org website. We will send you information about the event as it unfolds.
by Allan Miller, Alumni Supervisor | Dec 22, 2025 | Spotlight Articles
Allan Miller
Division Alumni Advisor
We Know the options, so you don’t need to…until you do! For most of us, when we join the National Ski Patrol and choose the area where we want to work, we don’t think much about the future.
Life happens, and some situations may require you to seriously consider how to navigate them without leaving our organization. This is when you go directly to your patrol, region, or division alumni advisor to learn about your membership options. NSP offers several that can help you without requiring you to relinquish your OEC certification. It is our responsibility to work with you and your patrol director to establish a plan that works for you.
Alumni are not a bunch of old patrollers sitting around telling snow stories…although there is some of that! It is one of several options NSP provides to help you stay connected to your patrol and NSP. We can help you understand them all and choose one that works for you.
Visit the Eastern Division website to learn more about the alumni program.
by Scott Launt, Labrador Mtn., CNY Region | Nov 19, 2025 | Division News, Program News
First, a real human-interest story by Scott Launt, Central New York Alumni Advisor
In 2017, a young patroller named Melanie Harvey signed on with the Labrador Mountain Ski Patrol of the Central New York Region. Over the ensuing several years, she completed OEC and OET, and in 2018, she took courses towards OEC Instructor Trainer, having a background in teaching medical professionals. She was an active alpine patroller for two seasons.
Melanie Harvey
After having her first child, she made the difficult decision to sit on the sidelines. She joined the NSP Alumni in 2020, after her daughter was born. She maintained her OEC refreshers, making up one when her third child was born.
Now, with two additional children and missing the patrol, she decided to make a comeback! While on the sidelines, she stayed in touch with the patrol, making it clear she would eventually return. She was grateful that the patrol included her in patrol communications and alumni outings.
There are several keys to this success story. She kept in touch with the patrol, letting them know her intentions. Communication was key.
There were many moving parts to this story. In the background helping this happen were Mike Cassidy, our OEC Senior leader for the Region; RD Tom Hughes; Labrador Patrollers from her shift; and others.
It takes a Patrol that cares, and a patroller that wants to return to patrolling when life permits it.
Alumni Membership acts as a safety valve, allowing patrollers to handle life’s surprises and stay connected enough to their patrol family to make returning to active patrolling easier.
Questions? Contact your Patrol Alumni Liaison, your region’s Alumni Advisor, or your Eastern Division Alumni Advisor, https://www.nspeast.org/alumni.html.
by Grant Fullman, Division Director | Sep 13, 2025 | Division News
Earlier this month I instructed at a local OEC Instructor Refresher – something I’ve done in September for many years, but this one was particularly memorable.
To start the day, I was honored to present the Eastern Division and National Outstanding Alumni Awards to Roberta Fox, whose 50+ years of NSP service, and decades of leadership as an OEC Instructor, Instructor Trainer, and Senior OEC Trainer/Evaluator are legendary. Roberta continued in all these roles as an Alumni member without skipping a beat and received a Purple Merit Star for saving a life – proving the immense value of our skills and experience even when no longer actively patrolling.
Roberta and I share a special connection because 31 years ago I was lucky enough to be one of the candidates in the first OEC course she led as the Instructor of Record. At the time, I had no idea how fortunate I was to have had such an outstanding instructor!
L-R: ENY RD Jim Marco, EDiv Dir. Grant Fullman, Roberta Fox
Throughout the rest of the day, I had the additional privilege to work with a 15-year-old YAP Candidate named Ben, who served as a patient at our lower extremity injury station. Ben was packaged with various traction splints and backboarded at least ten times during the refresher – always with a smile and definitely learning from each cycle!
Roberta and Ben give us confidence in what we can accomplish in the NSP, and how bright our future can be if we seize the opportunities.
OEC Refresher Season and 7th Edition Textbook
This year’s Cycle C OEC refresher has been very well received. Don’t expect to fly through the online refresher modules at the last minute, as they are rich in content and professionally delivered. Work on OEC 7th Edition is underway by a National team, with a Spring 2027 target launch.
NSP National Board Elections
Six candidates from the Eastern, Central, and Pacific Northwest Divisions including our National Chair, Rich Pietrafesa (running for his second 3-year term), are running for four National Board of Directors seats this year. Please look for links to online candidate forums on September 22 and October 5; both sessions will be recorded, so you can view them at your convenience if you miss the live show.
Most of all, please make sure you vote in the election. Voting runs from October 15 until December 1, and we need a strong turnout to ensure we are well represented on the National Board. If you would like some advice on this, please ask your Region Director (or me) as the Eastern Division Board plans to endorse a slate of recommended candidates after the forums are complete.
Have a wonderful fall season. There’s a chill in the air and some of the trees are already in full fall colors here in North Creek! Miss Kitty is looking ahead to her big time, so let’s do the same and be ready when the snow flies! Enjoy every day!
by Don Emerson, Maine Region Alumni Advisor | Apr 15, 2025 | Spotlight Articles
It all began in 1968 when my dad, Paul Emerson, was approached by a ski patroller who said, “You look like you can ski. What do you think about joining the ski patrol?” That moment has led to a most wonderful, memory-making experience for our family that has spanned 57 years.
On February 1 of this year, Paul had the unique privilege of presenting a brand new patrol vest to his great-grandson, Wesley, who had just completed his OEC and OET training. That event marked four generations of ski patrollers in the Emerson family!
Saddleback Mountain in Rangeley, Maine, has almost everything a skier can wish for. The resort boasts 4,120′ peak elevation, a 2,000′ vertical drop, four quad chairlifts, one T-Bar, 68 trails, state-of-the-art snowmaking, grooming to die for, and a truly notable reputation. For three years running, Down East magazine has rated Saddleback, “Maine’s Favorite Mountain,” and in SKI Magazine’s “2025 Resort Guide,” Saddleback made a big splash this year by ranking #2 in the east and #4 in the nation!
In the mid ’60s, however, things were different. A 4,600′ Mueller double chair and two T-Bars serviced 10 trails, and when standing in the lift line, you learned to look uphill for runaway skis because not everyone owned safety straps! A full-day adult lift ticket was $7.00, and you could have a private ski lesson for $10.00. But what drew us in then, and continues to draw us in today, are the people, the family-friendly atmosphere, the laid-back attitude of some very serious skiers, the amazing vistas, and the opportunity to make memories with our family and friends every day that we are on the mountain.
Paul recently turned 98. He is a retired Navy Senior Chief who was deployed overseas during WWII and the Korean War, lives alone in the home he built, plows the driveway, and runs the snowblower so the oil man can get to the fill pipe. He does his shopping and hits the local diner a few days each week. He patrolled for 35 years and hung up his skis at age 84. Don, your author of this story, is 69, began patrolling at age 16, patrolled 43 years, and has been an Alumni member for the last four seasons. Jared, my son, also began patrolling at age 16 and has 25 years of service. He dropped the chain on hauling tobos a few years back when he was promoted to Director of Mountain Operations, but keeps his certifications current and can often be found in the FAR. Wesley, at age 15, is one of a large group of YAPs this year completing all of their OEC and OET training. He is smart, calm, and likable, and he can ski circles around all of us!
This brief tribute to my family’s four generations of patrollers has some unique elements that I hope will leave you thinking “Wow, that’s so cool!” But beneath it all are some common elements that you and my family undoubtedly share: a love of skiing, a desire and a willingness to help those in need, and above all, a love for your family and a grateful heart for all that you have been blessed with.
About the author: Don Emerson is a second-generation patroller at Saddleback Mountain in Maine and serves as the Maine Region NSP Alumni Advisor.
by Rich Pietrafesa, NSP Board Chair | Apr 15, 2025 | Division News, Program News
Stratton Patroller Lewis Berman, CT Alumni Advisor Bob Cassello, Eastern Division Alumni Supervisor Allan Miller
Stratton Mountain buzzed with camaraderie and shared passion as alumni, active patrollers, regional leaders, and friends of the National Ski Patrol (NSP) gathered from March 18-22, 2025 for the second annual Eastern Alumni Event. Organized again this year with meticulous attention to detail by Eastern Division’s Alumni Advisor, Allan Miller, and the Region Alumni Advisors, the event proved to be a resounding success, offering a perfect blend of engaging activities, insightful discussions, and excellent spring skiing.
The Black Bear Lodge served as the event’s hub, providing a cozy and convenient location just a short stroll from Stratton Village. Attendees traveled from across the entire Eastern Division for a few days or the entire week, and were offered five days of thoughtfully planned activities, fostering connections and celebrating the rich history and future of the NSP.
The event started on Sunday evening with a warm welcome get-together in the Black Bear Lodge lounge, followed by a delightful dinner at Table 43.1. This set the tone for a week of shared meals and lively conversations.
Each day began with a meet-up and boot-up at the Gondola side of the Main Base Lodge, ensuring everyone was ready to hit the slopes. Monday’s agenda featured a mountain tour led by Stratton Ski Patrol’s Lewis Berman, providing attendees with an insider’s perspective on the mountain’s terrain.
Tuesday offered an opportunity to tour the very unique Stratton Mountain Urgent Care, led by Executive Director Seth Boyd. This visit provided a glimpse into the incredible medical support system that not only keeps skiers safe on the mountain but also provides health services for the entire community.
Wednesday’s schedule included a tour of the Summit Patrol HQ, led by Patrol Director Chris Schilling. This afforded a fascinating look at the inner workings of the very efficient Stratton Ski Patrol. That same evening, I was offered the opportunity to speak with a group of about fifty members. As one might imagine, sage and savvy alumni peppered me with very specific questions about programs, program delivery, current initiatives, and the future direction of the NSP. And I survived.
Thursday’s activities included a presentation by Kathy Fitzpatrick from the NSP Safety Team, focusing on crucial safety protocols and best practices. Later, National Historian Rick Hamlin captivated the audience with a presentation on the rich history of the NSP.
Friday provided a final day of skiing and socializing, with attendees enjoying the classic spring conditions and each other’s company.
In attendance were 50 patrollers and partners from all over the Eastern Division. A special thanks to Minnie Dole Award recipient Dick Woolf, a Stratton patroller, who ensured the group felt welcomed and well-cared for, allowing everyone to experience the best of Stratton.
NSP is extremely grateful to its loyal alumni members, who continue to contribute through instruction, mentoring, and board/committee participation. There is a great deal of knowledge in this group, and we deeply appreciate their input. The Eastern Alumni Event at Stratton Mountain was a testament to the enduring bonds within the NSP community. It was a week filled with skiing, learning, laughter, and the shared passion that unites all who are dedicated to the safety and enjoyment of the slopes. Watch for this event next season. Regardless of your NSP status, the Alumni Group welcomes you to attend.
