Build My Own FeedBlack Diamond's 16th annual Utah Avalanche Fundraiser a huge success!
Number 16!
To put that into a Black Diamond ski line perspective, when the very first Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center fundraiser was thrown in 1993 the prominent ski in the BD line was the state-of-the-tele-art 85mm/66mm/76mm Boundary. What a long way we’ve come!
As the unofficial “official” start of the Wasatch winter season, the Utah Avalanche Center fundraiser is THE event to catch up on summer doings, plan winter outings, enjoy a draft beer and a huge burrito and to generally feel good about throwing some cash to a worthy cause.
Always on the third Thursday of September, the fundraiser takes place in the Black Diamond parking lot, and this year featured beer from Uinta Brewing Co., food from Rico’s Mexican Delicatessen and music from local jamsters Lake Effect.
Front and center in the festivities (well, other than the beer trailer) is the tent that houses the silent action. There were more than 150 items donated for the auction, including skis, a splitboard, bindings, a myriad of ski accessories, art from local photographers, weekend getaways, packs, clothing, body work and lift tickets. A great place to meet, drool over gear and participate in some friendly bidding wars, until the last few minutes before the action ends. As in “there’s no friends on a powder day,” there also aren’t any friends as the bidding closes.
The festivities are coordinated by our Marketing Manager Colleen Nipkow (aka, “CCPQ”) who has done a fantastic job over the years making sure that the tent is up, the volunteers are enlisted, the prizes and auction items are acquired, the beer is cold, the food arrives and the music isn’t too loud.
This year the fundraiser was attended by more than 900 folks, and generated a contribution of more than $50,000 towards the Utah Avalanche Center’s season budget.
It’s a cool feeling knowing that you are a part of a small, dedicated, self-contained and active outdoor community that is situated in the Wasatch Front population of 1.3 million
people. You tend, over the course of the year, to run into the same like-minded folks; whether at an outdoor music venue, the crag, the lift line, the local Whole Foods, the state liquor store or the Avalanche Center fundraiser.
Revel in this fact… we here in Salt Lake are a part of the Utah outdoor community, which is a part of the Western US outdoor community, which is then part of the entire US, which is then part… well, you get the idea. Become active within and support your community wherever your current location might be.
And in case you were one of the unfortunate few who missed out on #16, you can still make a donation to the Utah Avalanche Center by visiting: http://www.active.com/donate/fuac
— Bill Kubilius
United States / English 
