A Message from the President*

To say that the last couple of years have been a challenge for the group is a bit of an understatement. We went from about 9 board members to 3 when Covid hit and did our best to hobble through the first year of the pandemic. Last season was better and we were able to have a pretty good turnout for our trips and social events.

 

But we knew some things needed to change and improve to get us to where we needed and wanted to be. The core board members decided to pull in some additional ‘recruits’ to help with some strategic initiatives that we had started to talk about (and uncovered via the official survey of members), but knew we could not pull off with just the 3 of us.

 

We are now 7 strong on the board and soon to be back to 9 which helps to spread the load of work that needs to be done. All those trips and events don’t get planned and executed on their own! It is an enormous amount of work, but it is our passion. Please check out all the board members profiles on the Board of Directors page. Send us a message to communicate with us directly. This is YOUR club. Tell us what you think. Tell us what you want!

 

First up: a NEW WEBSITE! As I came in as the new club President, this was initiative #1 for me. A 12-year-old website just does not do the things that people expect it to. We now have a dedicated board member (Steven Nofziger) who has spearheaded this effort over the past year. We hope you like it! We knew that members wanted updated functionality and ease-of-use was what we were going for. There will be more features unveiled as we are able to afford enhancements. The ultimate goal for us would be an Outryders app for all communication and group engagement, but that will cost some serious coin. 

 

To that point, for two seasons now we have been a zero cost club (if you are new to the group, Outryders always charged dues to be a member). The board discussed this topic at length and we all felt that to have a truly great club with strong benefits, ability to secure hotel rooms, capital for a functional and updated website, and an expanded social calendar, then we needed to rethink our funding mechanisms.  It was decided to take the approach that many non-profits take and establish a tiered membership structure.

 

Please understand that members provide the funding that allow us to improve the club. If you can afford a little more, please consider donating at the highest level that you can. Be assured that we have a very passionate Board that wants this club to provide the best possible experience for its members.  We have also revamped our social media presence. Tim Pranaitis, our SM guru, has streamlined both our Facebook and Instagram pages. Make sure you follow the latest versions for Facebook and Instagram.

 

Okay, enough housekeeping …let’s talk about the FUN STUFF! Tons of trips…check out the calendar of events for the coming season. Some big news is that we approached the new organizers of the Snowbound Expo who have donated a booth at cost at the show for Outryders. We are going mainstream folks! Who says the gays don’t recruit for new members? For three days in November we will be promoting Outryders to all that attend the show. Come see us at the show. Make sure to get your free/discounted passes here. 

 

In closing, this club is what the members make it. I have developed some of my closest friends from my involvement and attendance. So please join. And join in on the fun! If you aren’t a member already, it’s the best money you will spend all year.  Find me on the slopes, at an event, or contact me directly, I want to know what YOU want this club to be! Let’s hit the Mountain!

 

Marty Smith

President