Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Edmonton Zone held its annual awards ceremony in Wilfrid Laurier Park on September 11. Zone President Michael Cava presided, and Zone VP Operations Mark Schendel operated the BBQ.
Long-Term Service Awards
Five Years: Grant Benevides, David Hazlett, Gord Smith, Michael Taylor, Rick Tchir, Ryan Williams and Glenn Wilson
Ten Years: Will Dempsey, Emmett Ganser, Sandra Mak, Don McFadyen, Devin Nicoll, Michael Sullivan
20 Years: Jay Kinoshita, Dwayne Kelly
25 Years: David Case
30 Years: Marcel Claveau, Cheryl McDowell, Dave Hughes, Darrell Littlejohn
45 Years: Jay Stewart
Zone Award of Merit
Awarded to members for outstanding and continued service in the zone in a manner beyond that normally expected and for which efforts the zone expresses sincere and grateful appreciation. Excerpts of nominations included below.
Devin Nicholl: Devin has an amazing ability to herd cats, manage an insane number of spare substitutions while always having a smile on his face.
Don McFayden: Don started the year on a very icy hill with his second hip replacement, brave man. Don is always willing to share insights from many years of patrolling.
Lee Malo: Lee unhesitatingly stepped up as a Shift Senior at Snow Valley and drew from his experience at Rabbit Hill, both as CSP member and a paid patroller.
Jacob van Nest: Jacob is dedicated, quiet and unassuming hero.
Chris Sainders: Became a shift senior at Snow Valley and provided orientation training for all rookie patrollers.
Snow Valley APL Team (Anita Chevalier, Brendan Finnegan, Will Dempsey): A great trio of support for Sandra in her rookie PL year.
Nicolas Poirier: Outstanding support the for Kinosoo Ridge PL and always ready to step up for extra shifts.
Isaiah Mercer (Junior), Alyssa Schendel (Junior), Logan Schendel (Junior), Jenna Valji (Junior): All showed outstanding commitment to the CSP and others on their shifts.
Devin Cantelo (Cold Lake Rookie): Outstanding commitment. Soon after he qualified, Devin filled most of the vacant shifts over the holiday break.
Cathy Copp (Rookie): Cathy is absolutely stoked about everything CSP.
Bernard Ehalt (Rookie): Bernard enthusiastically steps up and dives into any situation.
Katherine Faryna (Rookie): Katherine is a prolific and competent carnage magnet. If the CSP were a business, she’d own it within five years.
Steve Page (Rookie): Steve picked up a lot of extra shifts and set an example of calmness and professionalism when responding to 10-22s.
ZONE APPRECIATION PIN
Is awarded to members who have received the Award of Merit and continue to provide outstanding service beyond that which is normally expected.
Paul Girard: In his second year with the CSP, Paul stepped up to the role of shift senior. He continues to complete double shifts as able to support both the AM and PM shifts on his Sunday.
AREA PATROLLER OF THE YEAR
Is awarded to a member from each area in the zone who has exhibited outstanding leadership capabilities, a strong sense of responsibility to their area and commitment to the CSP.
Rabbit Hill
Catharine Trieber: This was Catharine’s seventh season patrolling at Rabbit Hill, as a member of the formerly Saturday #1 now #2 crew, this season Catharine was voluntold she would be the shift senior on her shift. I’m not sure if when Richard told us she would be senior he was serious or joking, but she brought to the position a keen sense of responsibility and accepted every challenge in stride. She is always willing to lend a hand and/or provide feedback. Following Richard from hill to hill through the ski season has to be exhausting but Catharine always seems to do it with a smile.
Cold Lake – Kinosoo Ridge
Benoit Côté: Benoit has been greatly involved, and is very passionate in our organisation. He took over the role of APL a few years ago, and was able to fix many issues and bring it back to a high standard. Benoit is no longer APL, but has remained one of our official instructors and a valuable member of our team. He has put numerous hours in teaching and mentoring the rookies, while never asking anything in return. Benoit is a key member of the Kinosoo Ridge CSP, and is a pillar to our success.
Snow Valley
Kariann Goodkey: Kariann has been a Tuesday night regular at snow valley for the past 4 years. We would like to recognise her commitment to the CSP through this time and reward the hard work and dedication she brings to her crew of patrollers. She is always the first one in the hut and brings her A game every night, the whole Tuesday team is improved by having her fun attitude and experience along for the ride. She has been an active part of CSP commitments to 5 peaks running races over the summer months in the past years and we have really enjoyed the opportunity to patrol with her all these year.
Marmot Basin
Barry Anderson: Barry’s knowledge and skill set has been a huge asset in his roles as trainer on the Camelherder weekend. Barry obtained his level 1 avalanche certification and has further bridged the relationship with the Paid patrol and avalanche team. Barry was a key player in the revamping of the training program for new marmot patrol and worked hard to maintain structured programs for new patroller orientation, training, and shadow weekends. His sense of humour balanced by dry wit and practical approach has been an asset to the team.
PATROL LEADER OF THE YEAR
Is awarded to the PL who best exhibits outstanding leadership ability, excellent rapport with both the area patrol and area management and best contributed to the success of the patrol.
Sandra Mak: It is big responsibility to take on the duties of a PL, but Sandra was up to to the task. She made sure that the Patrollers were kept in the loop with respect to what was going on with the hill.
We feel that Sandra has done a great job at forming a great relationship between Snow Valley and the CSP. She does a great job at making sure we have all supplies we need; that all radios are in good working order, and that we get CPR mannequins to practice on during our shifts.
APL OF THE YEAR
Is awarded to the APL who best exhibits the potential to become a patrol leader. This member provides assistance to the PL in an exceptional manner.
Michael Sullivan: Michael has been patrolling at Rabbit Hill for 10 years, during this time he has shown great enthusiasm as a patroller and later APL. Constantly mentoring other patrollers, filling numerous understaffed shifts, sending out training briefs, or articles and regaling patrollers with his experiences, and stories. Such enthusiasm is contagious to the rest of the roster making everyone excited to patrol and fill in where they can. You can often find Michael on the hill with ropes, carabiners, beacons, probes, or shovels showing other patrollers how they work, or drilling patrollers and working them to hone their skills.
Chris Black Safety Award Junior Safety Patroller
Is awarded to a Junior Patroller who has shown outstanding achievement and commitment to his/her area and the zone, and who exemplifies the Junior Patrol program.
Amy Curtis: This was her second season working as a Junior Patroller at Snow Valley. She is a reliable person and always shows up on time even in the challenging cold weather. Amy has demonstrated continuous enthusiasm in the weekly patrol activities with great interest to learn new things. Amy showed outstanding potential to be a professional in a health-care area and accomplished all the tasks assigned without hesitation. In one back injury case, she approached and secured the site, and directed bystanders away. After patient transport, she helped to collect the equipment and clean the site.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:
Is awarded to a new member of the CSP who has shown outstanding achievement and commitment to his area and the zone. Areas of fund raising, public relations, training, area commitment, function participation and extra-curricular patrolling activities shall be taken into consideration.
Rares Bistran: Rares has been an essential part of the Friday night crew at Rabbit Hill. Friday nights can be full of surprises, as most shifts can be, but he takes them in stride, ready to do what needs to be done and then be ready for whatever comes next with never a complaint.
In addition to fulfilling his weeknight roster spot at Rabbit Hill, he also patrols at Snow Valley on weekends as well as responding to many spare requests from his fellow patrollers.
He’s not afraid to jump in when needed. Ready to race from one side of the hill to the other to get the 10-23 to safely bring the patient down to the patrol hut to grabbing a pen and clip board to complete the daunting task of filling out the ski resort accident report form. All of these tasks are completed with a smile on his face.
He has a very calm demeanour when dealing with patients.
It’s been my great pleasure working together with Rares this year and we are looking forward to starting another ski season with Rares on our Rabbit Hill Friday night crew.
Rares also patrols every every second Saturday at Snow Valley and he has always gone above and beyond the responsibilities of a patroller, let alone this being his first season. Some notable examples are that he patrols the full day every second Saturday at Snow Valley. He continues to pursue training as a patroller and attended the week-long CSP ski improvement clinic at Kicking Horse.
Overall, he is responsible and makes it to all the calls he can. Rares is personable and empathetic towards not only our 10-22’s but also to all the clients on the hill.
On-Hill Training Award
Is awarded to a member who has made a continuous and outstanding contribution to On Hill training above that which is normally expected within the zone.
Mark Schendel: Mark has been willing to take the extra time with Rookies, so that they have time to see how all the pieces are put together to safely bring a patient down the hill.
He takes whatever task is assigned to him and always comes back to see if there is anything else that needs to be completed, whether that is making sure that the toboggans are safely put away for the night, or helping a late arrival catch up with the group.
He teaches by the method of less is more. He gives the students one thing to focus on, rather than burying them under tonnes of detail
Executive of the Year
Is awarded to the executive member who best supported all executive positions by their assistance and commitment to achieving the goals of the zone.
Matt Ellis: It is always fun to be thrown into the deep end, you either swim or sink (good thing he is a triathlete). This patroller was “voluntold” to be an executive member when a position became unexpectedly vacant. Matt was added to the team just before the busiest time of the year for administration. He jumped right in, evaluated our current procedures, and came up with ways to do things more efficiently. He finally brought us into the 21st century by setting up e-transfer registration payments. In his “spare” time he provided valuable assistance with the recertification of returnees, and the teaching of rookies. He arrived at class prepared, as he had already reviewed the skills we were going to be evaluating that day.
He is an excellent ambassador for the CSP on the ski hill and at summer events such as the MS 150 bike tour.
Edmonton Zone Patroller of the Year
Is awarded to a member of the CSP who has shown outstanding achievement and commitment to his/her area and the zone. Areas of fund raising, public relations, training, area commitment, function participation and extracurricular patrolling activities shall be taken into consideration.
Mark Schendel: It is surprising how much work gets done in the back ground. Move all the equipment from the old storage room to the new storage room. Oh, and you have to build the new storage room – seven man days. Look at the options and price out a new Patroller back pack 40 hours. Repair the CSP trailer wiring – 6 hours. Assist in teaching Patrollers 100 hours. Make sure the hills are stocked with supplies throughout the season 150 hours. Being an excellent APL at Rabbit – 70 hours. Maintaining dual First Aid certification – 40 hours and the list goes on from there.
As a member of the education team and an executive member, Mark has taken the job of mentoring Patrollers with respect to “Hill” and “Patrol” procedures. He walks the fine line between over bearing and helpful. If he doesn’t know the answer, he lets the Patroller know and then goes and researches it.
EDMONTON ZONE LIFE MEMBER
To recognise important contributions in various functions over a period of at least 10 years by a member who has shown dedication beyond normal expectations to the System. A recipient should have received numerous Zone awards, most notably the Gary Wilson award. The recipient must have provided leadership or major contributions that have aided the growth of the Zone, and had a positive, lasting impact upon the zone.
Life Membership is the highest honour the Zone can bestow on a member or a former member.
Darrell Littlejohn: Darrell has been an important part of the Canadian Ski Patrol for thirty years. Since joining the patrol in 1990, he has continuously demonstrated excellent leadership in his many roles at all levels. He is a prime example of a fully-rounded patroller that contributes well above and beyond the average expectations.
In his early years Darrell became an assistant first aid and on snow instructor as well as a CPR instructor. He quickly moved his way through to becoming a valuable instructor and was one of the first to sign up as Instructor Trainer under the instructor certification program (ICP). Darrell was instrumental as Zone Education Officer in the implementation of the newly created ICP with the CSP. Edmonton Zone was used as a pilot when the ICP program was developed putting the zone and its training team at the forefront and the advancement of our training program.
As the Division Education Officer Darrell coordinated all of the zones throughout Mountain Division (MD) for both first aid and on snow training programs. He ensured that resources and information were sent to all zones throughout MD in a timely and efficient manner. Darrell was also responsible for ensuring that instructor resources were in place ensuring that all zones had strong resources to host all of the necessary training requirements to meet National standards set as an organisation. Throughout his time in the patrol he has maintained an extraordinary commitment to education inclusive of the addition of e-learning. Thirty years later he continues to be fully immersed in first aid and on snow education. He is a reliable “go to” instructor to partner and mentor the first-year members and has helped with the Cold Lake patrol training both first aid and on snow and help orient and guide first year and returning patrollers to being proficient patrollers.
As former APL and PL at Marmot Basin, Darrell was instrumental in re-establishing a fractured partnership between Marmot Basin and the CSP. He has an excellent rapport with area operations and paid patrol, continuously exchanging ideas on matters that can only benefit the treatment of the patient and smooth operation of the patrol at the area.
Darrell’s history as it relates of being an original solid member of the Quick Chickens first aid and toboggan competition team is legendary and from there transition into the Division’s First Aid and On Snow Training Seminar formerly known as the Competition during a 10 year period. Those of us who have worked with Darrell over his patrol history can confirm that he truly is supportive of the competition being an important element of helping patrollers and team continuously build in developing skills that will benefit them throughout their patrol career. He continues his involvement as part of the team that coordinates the annual event and promotes to our new recruits the important of participating in the event that no one ever regrets.
In 2001 Mountain Division recognised the potential need for Critical Incident Stress Management, Darrell was one of a select few members that stepped forward for both the initial CISM course in 2001 (travelling to attend the course in Calgary during one of the most horrendous snow storms of the year), followed by the Peer course in 2002. Darrell was an active member of the Mountain Division Critical Incident Stress Team for a number of years especially during his PL role at Marmot Basin, where patrollers experienced many traumatic events that required CISM debrief to help manage the response and reactions to being a part of these traumatic events.
In addition to winter patrol, Darrell often volunteered for many off season events such as the MS150 bike tour as well as a number of summer events, inclusive of K-Days events held in Sir Winston Churchill Square, Trappers Baseball first aid responders.
The National Annual Conference was held in Edmonton in 2006, as well as maintaining his many zone positions of VP Education, PL Marmot Basin, instructor and mentor he became part of the zone organizing committee and was a superb resource providing guidance and reassurance in the planning process that started eighteen months in advance of the NAC. Darrell encouraged many of the Edmonton Zone members to attend the workshops that were being offered during the conference. Stepping up to work on additional committees is a trend when the conference was held in Edmonton again in 2012.
Throughout Darrell’s various roles with the CSP he has always demonstrated leadership, patience and passion for other executive members and patrollers from various areas. Darrell has always been a voice of reason. He has the ability to analyse situations and opinions or options and offer practical and logical solutions. Darrell is articulate and communicates well, whether asked to review programs and provide input or make presentations in front of a large group or in one-on-one situations. He is dedicated, exudes professionalism, and can always be relied upon to meet deadlines with well thought out and accurate information.
He participates fully at the Zone, Mountain Division and National levels for program or organisation development realizing the importance of representing the zone and division he has help build over his 30 years as a member. He realizes that being a mentor to our new members in encouraging them to be part of the patrol and in leadership roles to help continue building the future of what the CSP contributes to the snow sport and area operators. His insight and opinions are valuable in the future of the CSP and he continues to encourage and make way for the newer members to grow in these roles by being a mentor and sharing his experiences over his 30 years membership.
Darrell’s history with the CSP is extensive of which has not been included in the submission, his long term and continuing commitment(s) to the organisation in our ever-changing environment within the ski industry has assisted in pushing zone, division and national levels forward.
National Life Member
The Canadian Ski Patrol Life Membership is awarded to a person who has dedicated their life to the goals and values of the system over a long period of time. In addition, they will have spear headed a project or task that affected the system at all three operational levels; National, Division and Zone.
Pam FitzGerald
Pam is the epitome of a CSP builder by always giving generously of her time and sharing her professional knowledge across all zones, Mountain Division (MD) and at the National level. Her expertise and the many hours she has spent working on and tuning the financial process and advising patrollers at all of these levels, make her a shining candidate for Life Membership.
Pam has responded to requests for review of National proposals and plans (the latest being the National Uniform proposals) with well thought-out and researched responses, with suggestions for modifications to such plans, and above all ensuring the CSP operates within the charitable umbrella established by the CRA. This has meant many hours of work, above and beyond the exceptional level which she has already reached within MD and the Edmonton Zone.
Pam is an outstanding financial resource and a friend to patrollers across the country. Pam liaises with zones directly across the country along with other Divisions and the National Office. It has taken a lot of her time, patience and goodwill, with Division and Zone Presidents, to get their financial houses in order. She volunteers many hours of her time to provide general accounting consultation to these zones and divisions, purely and generously beyond her local roles. This is all done by Pam, due to her love of the patrol and her desire to see that the zones, divisions and National, get aligned with CRA principles. This could of course, all be downloaded to a CA, at great cost to the individual zones, divisions and the National system.
Besides fine tuning the national budgetary and financial reporting process, to produce better transparency and fiscal reality throughout the year, Pam continues as Edmonton Zone VP Finance and MD VP Finance and is the key to their healthy fiscal state. Pam has found many ways within her Zone and Div financial portfolios, to support MD and the National system, with cash infusions on many occasions. For National, this has meant a one-way cash flow, of well over $100,000 during the last 10 years.
Within her position as MD VP Finance, Pam has stepped up in her professional accountancy role, to oversee the financial reporting from all 11 zones within MD, to smooth out and guide their reporting for the National body, keeping statements in line with CRA charitable guidelines. She has helped zones across the country in a similar way. For example, Pam directly assisted Atlantic East Division with the accounting details for their zone amalgamation. She worked directly with the Zone Presidents and provided professional support while striking a rare balance of supporting while allowing autonomy on zone financial matters.
For all of her efforts, above and beyond her positional responsibilities, Pam was awarded MD’s ‘Most Valuable Patroller’ Award in 2008, a second Mountain Division Appreciation Award in 2011 (the received her first in 1998), Edmonton Zone Life Member Award #2 in 2013 and after receiving her 20 year pin in 2014, her Mountain Division Life Member Award #18 (also in 2014).
Pam is always to be found at Edmonton Zone executive meetings, MD executive meetings and MD board meetings, where she shares her considerable expertise. She also volunteers her time fundraising in the zone at bingos and casinos and at the division level at the casino and at the two-day, First Aid and On-Snow Training Seminar (FAOST).
Pam was the patrol leader at Snow Valley Snow Resort until 6 years ago. For many of her years in Edmonton Zone, up to the present, she took on more duties; as an Assistant First Aid Instructor, then becoming an AFA Instructor and finally an AFA IT, fulfilling those roles for her Zone, both within the city and in outlying areas. She has helped-out in neighbouring zones, certifying Instructors, returnees and rookies, and is always a role model for the CSP.
At Snow Valley, rookie patrollers were lucky if they were on Pam’s shift. She has provided a perfect environment for the development of skills and confidence. Under her mentorship she would allow rookies to take the lead on certain accidents, guiding them as necessary through the process. Confident, skilled patrollers grew from rookies to experienced patrollers, with loyalty and fondness for Pam, identifying her as the major positive influence in their patrol experience.
Pam has continued to operate in that role, with the calm professionalism that she demonstrates while instructing or patrolling. It is rare to find someone who strikes such a balance between supporting while allowing autonomy. Pam does an admirable job of walking this line, whether on the hill, or working with financial groups across the country, at all levels of the system, providing the security of a highly skilled and reliable person to back you up.
There are few patrollers within the CSP, who have been able to reach across the system to the betterment of individual zones, divisions and National Office, to the extent she has. We applaud her hard work and her dedication to the CSP.
Pam sees her fellow patrollers as family. When spouses of her fellow executive members have been hospitalized, Pam has welcomed the other spouse into her home, not over the weekend or for a few days, but for prolonged periods of time.
On an annual basis, Pam compiles a report and statement (three inches thick!), for the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Control Board, on behalf of MD.
There are few people within the system who have been able to reach across the system to the betterment of individual zones, divisions and the National Office, to the extent she has. We all applaud her hard work and her dedication to the Canadian Ski Patrol.