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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> member@nfbtx.org <member@nfbtx.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Michael McCulloch<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, July 23, 2024 7:44 AM<br><b>To:</b> Michael McCulloch <mdmcculloch1@gmail.com><br><b>Subject:</b> [NFBT] 2025 Ski for Light Team Texas Kickoff<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Greetings,</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>I am Michael McCulloch, the 2025 Ski for Light Team Texas coordinator. <span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span>The mission of Ski for Light (SFL) is to enhance the quality of life and independence of visually or mobility-impaired adults through a program of cross-country skiing.</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Although it’s still in the upper 90’s and 100's across much of Texas, it’s time to start planning for the 2025 Ski for Light International Week. <span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span>We had 9 participants on Team Texas attending the 2024 SFL Event in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.<span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span></span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>We are so ready to get back on the snow and are looking to send an even larger Texas contingent to the 2025 SFL Event. We are also hoping to have some of our mobility impaired friends join us this year. <span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span>This will be a very special event since it will be the 50<sup>th</sup><span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span>anniversary of Ski for Light! <span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span>Please join us for the 2025 SFL Team Texas kickoff meeting on Zoom.</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>WHEN: Sunday, July 28, 2024, 7:00 PM Central Time.</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Join the Zoom meeting</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><a href="https://zoom.us/j/7428486329?pwd=M003RmZaa3pTbWRlZ00xbSs4YTlmUT09" target="_blank"><span style='color:black'>https://zoom.us/j/7428486329?pwd=M003RmZaa3pTbWRlZ00xbSs4YTlmUT09</span></a></span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>One tap mobile from a smartphone: <span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span>+13462487799,,7428486329#</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#222222'>,,,,*369978#</span><span class=gmail-apple-converted-space><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> </span></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> US</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Dial from a phone: <span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span>+1 346 248 7799 US</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Meeting ID: 742 848 6329, Password: 369978</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>First, we will share highlights from the 2024 SFL International Event that occurred this past January/February. Then, we will discuss plans for participating in the 2025 SFL International Week, scheduled for January 26 through February 2, 2025. </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The SFL event will be in Provo, Utah.<span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#555555'>Provo is located in the middle of Utah, about 45 miles south of the Salt Lake City airport. It is a clean, pleasant city of about 100,000 people, and is the home of Brigham Young University.</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#555555'> </span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#555555'>About Provo</span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#555555'>Provo is situated along the western base of the Wasatch Mountains, which form a rugged divider spanning the center of the state for 160 miles from north to south. The rugged terrain of the Wasatch, coupled with the lightest, driest and deepest powder anywhere, result in some of the finest skiing anywhere in the country, if not the world. If you plan to arrive early or stay late at SFL to downhill ski, you will be pleased to learn that within 30 to 45 minutes of Provo are the world-class ski resorts of Sundance, Park City, Alta, Snowbird, the Canyons, Brighton and Solitude.</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>The Ski Area</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#555555'>We will ski at the<span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span><a href="http://www.soldierhollow.com/"><span style='color:#AA0000'>Soldier Hollow</span></a><span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span>cross-country ski area. Soldier Hollow is in the town of Midway, about 27 miles from the Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, where we will be staying. The route to Soldier Hollow will take us through Provo Canyon, passing the Sundance Resort on the way.</span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#555555'>While the dry powder of the Wasatch has long been a magnet for downhill skiers, it has not been of much interest to cross-country skiers until recent times. The major ski resorts in the area are generally too rugged for good cross-country skiing, and there was no economic reason to develop good cross-country venues since the area already attracted so many downhill skiers.</span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#555555'>This all changed starting in about 2000, with the approach of the 2002 Winter Olympics. Park City was the Olympic venue for downhill skiing but it was not suitable for cross- country competitions. The Olympic Organizing Committee and state of Utah solved the problem by carving good cross-country trails into Wasatch State Park. They added a beautiful two-story ski lodge and built roads into the area, named it all Soldier Hollow, and the rest is history. The 2002 events that were held there were described by all who attended as among the best ever held.</span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#555555'>The 35k Soldier Hollow trail system has trails for all abilities. Trails are wide and wonderfully well-groomed. There is snow making capability at the site should it ever be needed, but the probability of good natural skiing conditions is quite high.</span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='margin:0in'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#555555'>Soldier Hollow contains, in addition to the cross-country trail system, a popular and large tubing hill operation. While tubing is not part of the SFL program, some attendees may want to give it a try on their own.</span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>In keeping with Ski for Light tradition, we will end the week with the Olav Pedersen Race/Rally and enjoy the customary array of many off-snow activities throughout International Week. <span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span>Check out the SFL promo video at the following link: <span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjC96E7cyzg"><span style='color:#954F72'>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjC96E7cyzg</span></a></span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>You may also check out some of the photos from previous Team Texas SFL events at the following links.</span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>2020: <span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span><a href="https://tinyurl.com/yvh2mrj6"><span style='color:#954F72'>https://tinyurl.com/yvh2mrj6</span></a></span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=DE style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>2023: <span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span><a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/fA4mqLvdmt9gnbTZ6"><span style='color:#954F72'>https://photos.app.goo.gl/fA4mqLvdmt9gnbTZ6</span></a></span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=DE style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'> </span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=DE style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'>Please share this email with other visually or mobility impaired Texans who may be interested. <span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span>For additional info, please contact Michael McCulloch,<span class=gmail-apple-converted-space> </span></span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><a href="mailto:mdmcculloch1@gmail.com"><span style='color:#954F72'>mdmcculloch1@gmail.com</span></a></span><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><br><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>Regards,</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:13.5pt'>-- michael</span><br><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><br>Michael McCulloch<br>832-453-7139<br><a href="mailto:mdmcculloch1@gmail.com" target="_blank">mdmcculloch1@gmail.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal>-- <br>National Federation of the Blind of Texas <br>"Live the life you want."<br>--- <br>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Members" group.<br>To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to <a href="mailto:member+unsubscribe@nfbtx.org">member+unsubscribe@nfbtx.org</a>.<br>To view this discussion on the web visit <a href="https://groups.google.com/a/nfbtx.org/d/msgid/member/CANPAw5rkugR6C%2Bcy6sRvMuMq%3DV%3DVfe0XEHW6h3oZL26J0eK1Dg%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer">https://groups.google.com/a/nfbtx.org/d/msgid/member/CANPAw5rkugR6C%2Bcy6sRvMuMq%3DV%3DVfe0XEHW6h3oZL26J0eK1Dg%40mail.gmail.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>