They come from all walks of life—new 20-somethings who just moved to town, parents, retirees, and everyone in between. For more than 80 years, Bozeman’s ski club has rooted itself in volunteerism—for the kids, for the good of the community, and for the good of skiing. And it’s that give-back spirit that has made Bridger Ski Foundation (BSF) the club it is today.
As we enter a busy volunteer season at BSF, we wanted to bust a few myths and welcome newcomers into the BSF family with an overview of our volunteer program.
At BSF, volunteers organize fundraisers, put on competitions and events, serve on committees, pour hot chocolate, hang posters, do trail maintenance and the list goes on and on. This vital work is done by parents of both current and former athletes, as well as many community members without children connected to BSF. We also encourage our athletes to volunteer—with us and other nonprofits—whenever possible.
Volunteering makes you feel good. It keeps our program costs lower. It keeps our winter trails in great condition. And you help make a real difference in the lives of skiers. You make it possible for more kids to ski, to experience the outdoors and all the lessons that come with those adventures.
We don’t mandate volunteering, nor do we require program participants to pay an extra deposit against their volunteer time. While we’ve floated the idea—we ultimately came to the conclusion that deposits and work requirements create a barrier to entry for some families. We don’t want to do that. And once you volunteer, we believe that the rewards will keep you coming back. Instead of putting down a deposit, please pass it on: encourage others to volunteer.
Whenever possible, we try to keep our volunteers well-fed at BSF events. Those who put in lots of hours as a volunteer are eligible for a beautiful winter Mountain Hardwear jacket, sponsored by Murdoch’s, with the BSF logo on the back.
Volunteer for an Alpine race and you’ll get a free lift ticket for the day (if you don’t already have a pass), plus a voucher for another day of skiing. We have lots of positions that don’t require Alpine race experience.
All of our fundraisers benefit all of our programs. And no, you don’t have to stay in your lane! Nordic families are encouraged to volunteer for an Alpine race and vice versa! No kids in the program? You can STILL come volunteer. In fact, some of our best volunteers are former parents who have been helping out for decades!
We have one web page that lists all of our volunteer signups:
(All Alpine races for the season are already posted!)
In addition, we’re always looking for volunteers on the organizing side for Ski Swap, Oktoberfest, Banff Film Festival, and Jim Bridger Trail Run. Likewise, if you have a skillset that you think might be useful to BSF—photography, graphic design, database management, etc.—we’re open to suggestions!
