NA TIONAL SKA TING MONTH
More than 500 people turned out to celebrate NSM at the North Olmsted Skating Academy in Ohio.
Ice Skating Academy offered free assistance and guidance to anyone skating that day. A donation of more than 100 food items and $50 was deliv- ered to “Somebody Cares New England.”
GARDEN STATE SC AND HOWELL ICE WORLD
Te Garden State Skating Club (GSSC) in conjunction with Howell Ice World kicked off the New Year by celebrating NSM with its inau- gural open house at the Howell Ice World arena in Farmingdale, N.J., on Jan. 7. More than 300 participants attended and enjoyed a fun-filled day at the rink. Festivities kicked off at noon with two hours of public skating. Te GSSC coach- ing staff volunteered their time to skate and play on-ice games and other fun activities with all the skaters. Te public skate session was followed by a youth mite hockey game exhibition by Howell Ice World’s hockey players and a figure skating performance showcasing the talents of GSSC ac- complished skaters. Te day’s events concluded with complimentary half-hour skating lessons taught by GSSC professional coaches and in- structors. GSSC also had members available to speak with parents wishing to learn more about
their U.S. Figure Skating Basic Skills Program and the club. Te first 200 participants received goodie bags filled with U.S. Figure Skating pro- motional items, and everyone earned two-for- one admission tickets to the rink for their next visit.
Adriana Ryan, Howell Ice World’s academy
skating director, was excited to coordinate and bring the NSM open house event to the pub- lic, which she says “encouraged all to enjoy and learn more about the sport of skating in addi- tion to our comprehensive instructional skating programs and the modern facilities at Howell Ice World.” Lara Walsh, president of GSSC, was de- lighted that many of the club’s skaters had the op- portunity to share their talents and help celebrate the great sport of figure skating.
OLYMPIC REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (ORDA), LAKE PLACID, N.Y.
Blizzard conditions and a closed Northway did not keep skaters away. While temperatures dropped below freezing and snow fell through- out the morning, the skatefest held in Albany, N.Y., at the Empire State Plaza was a huge suc- cess. With registered numbers of 210 skaters and
SC of San Francisco member and NSM video contest winner Maya Schwartz takes in the fun with Olympic champion Kristi Yamaguchi at the NSM gala celebration in downtown San Francisco.
a waitlist of approximately 75 more, area coaches taught those who had never skated before and those who had experienced the fun and joy of skating. Tis studio-sized outdoor rink facility lent charm and ambiance as skaters learned the fun of skating.
Te highlight of the day was a visit from
Olympians Sarah Hughes and Emily Hughes, who spoke with every skating group and signed autographs. ORDA, New York State Office of General Services and the New York State United Teachers sponsored the SkateFest, with hot choc- olate donated by State Employees Federal Credit Union. Mascots visited from the Albany Devils and Siena College and raffle prizes were donated by the Albany Figure Skating Club and Lake Placid Olympic Arena and ORDA. Volunteers worked endlessly to help make the event a huge success. True to the Northeast, we did not let a little snow get us down!
NORTH OLMSTED, OHIO Te city of North Olmsted’s celebration was
held on Feb. 5. Preparation for this day began with advertising the event through the hometown newspaper, flyers to local elementary schools and information placed in the quarterly recreation department mailer. Flyers and e-mail blasts were sent to Basic Skills members, Cleveland Edges Figure Skating Club and North Olmsted Hockey Club, inviting their friends and family. Te event was to run from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., but the public lined up for skate rental starting at 12:15 p.m. A record 517 people participated. Te day’s activities included free ice skating, free skate rental, free be- ginner skating lessons, raffle prizes and giveaways, along with on-ice games and skating exhibitions. Information tables were set up for the Basic Skills Program, the Cleveland Edges Skating Club and the North Olmsted Hockey Club. At the studio rink, Basic Skills staff ran four,
20-minute free skating lessons. For each set of lessons, 20 skaters enrolled, for a total of 80 new skaters taking a free start-up lesson. U.S. Figure Skating recognized the North Olmsted Skating Academy’s decade of celebrating NSM by send- ing a banner for it to display during NSM. To sign up for 2013 National Skating
Month, remember to register early as supplies are limited. Online registration is available begin- ning in August. Remember that you can organize an open house any time you need a membership drive. It really works!
52 MARCH 2012
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