by Armand Gutierrez, President

May is here and that means it’s time to bring an end to the NSC 2020-2021 season. Unlike years past, NSC experienced an atypical season with all of our main accomplishments and events cancelled. Two of our main events, the annual ski week and the annual Luau and Membership picnic were the most significant sacrificial lambs for this season.

But now it’s June, which marks the start of the NSC 2021-2022 season, and it’s time to restart the upcoming season with a return of our standby events and perhaps a few new ones. Beginning this month you can take advantage of the $5 membership discount if you sign up and submit your membership form before May 31^st. Please submit your application to Tina Woo (Membership Chair). See her article below for more information.

The board has been meeting frequently because life with NSC does go on.  Plans are in the making for our annual Luau and Membership Picnic, our ski week trip to Steamboat, and a few other events that are in the planning stages.

Board Nominations & Elections

The nominations process has been completed and the next step is elections. The elections chairman (that would be Hoyt Nelson) tells me there were no nominations. Therefore, the slate consists of the incumbents, and we’re fortunate that everyone on the board has agreed to serve again. However, voting is important and although there were no new nominations you can still vote for a write-in candidate. Whether you’re voting for an incumbent or a write-in candidate, it’s important that you do vote. Your vote tells the board that you do appreciate the volunteer work performed by members of the board, so please take the very short time needed to cast your vote. The election ballot using Google Forms will be distributed in the coming week.

2022 NSC Ski Week to Steamboat, Colorado

Next year’s ski week will be at Steamboat, CO from 29 January – 5 February, 2022. Steamboat is an Ikon Pass destination so you can pick up an Ikon Pass for the next season. Once again, Sports America will be offering the Epic/Ikon Pass promotion-trip rebate for anyone that goes on the trip and purchases a pass through Sports America.

Steamboat is on the Ikon Pass, and is also good for local resorts Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. Here is what you need to know about the Ikon and Epic Passes for the Steamboat trip:

• Purchase an Ikon Pass (Squaw/Alpine) from Sports America and receive a:
  • $30 trip discount for an Ikon Base Pass, or 
  • $50 trip discount for an Ikon Pass.
  • Go to this link to purchase: : www.sportsamerica.com/ikon-nisei.
  • The Ikon Base Pass is good for five days skiing at Steamboat.

• Purchase an Epic Pass (Northstar, Heavenly, Kirkwood) from Sports America and receive a:
  • 20% discount offered by Epic Pass
  • $30 trip discount for an Epic Local Pass, or 
  • $50 trip discount for an Epic Pass
  • Go to this link to purchase: www.sportsamerica.com/epic-nisei.
  • Epic passes cannot be used at Steamboat.

• Purchase both the Ikon/Epic passes and you will receive a combination trip discount based on the type of passes you purchase.

If you have any questions about either of the passes then drop me a line at president@niseiskiclub.org.

QotM: Never confuse education with intelligence.

by Tina Woo, Membership Chair

2020 was quite a year!  2020-2021 proved to be a challenging year amidst the Covid-19 pandemic and California wildfires.  With the current widespread vaccine drive, we hope to return to a degree of normalcy in the coming summer and fall months.  Despite these uncertainties, the board of Nisei Ski Club is continuing to meet monthly and discuss plans for this upcoming year.  We strive to provide community and camaraderie for our members.  

The Nisei Ski Club board is excited to announce several events scheduled for the balance of the year.  In late summer we are planning for our annual picnic and are busy researching local parks.  Piggybacking on Karen Soo’s well-attended Thai Cooking demo, she has agreed to conduct another Zoom cooking lesson in September.  Also, our bike gurus, Curtis Otagura and Rick Dumlao, are planning another ride in the fall.  For something new, we are researching a “day” bus trip to a local winery. 

In terms of community, the San Jose Nikkei Matsuri is taking place now until May 8. Please check  https://www.nikkeimatsuri.org/  for a calendar guide to performances, food, artisans and exhibits.  Nisei Ski Club is also a proud supporter of the Mt. View Obon Festival tentatively scheduled for July.  And, in October of this year, we will once again sponsor the Silicon Valley Asian Film Festival (virtually).

June marks the start of the 2021-2022 Nisei Ski Club season. Beginning May, you can take advantage of the $5 discount if you sign up before May 31.  Download and complete the membership form to be eligible.  We have several events coming up, in addition to the week-long trip in January 2022 to Steamboat, Colorado.  And, we’re certainly open to suggestions for club activities.  I’m hoping you will join us! 

contributed by Judy Bracken, Newsletter Editor

Did you know that if you are a member of NSC, then you are automatically a member of the Far West Ski Association? They also host ski and adventure trips. Usually there is an international and domestic ski trip each year, as well as an adventure trip which might be diving or biking. The 2022 international ski trip is still in the works, but a reliable source tells me that it will be in Solden, Austria, February 25-March 5, with an extension to the Black Forest Region in Germany, Mar 5 – 11.  Here are some other events from the March FWSA News Flash.

FAR WEST 2021 DIVE TRIP:  Coming Up. Spots still available!  The 2021 Dive Trip will be October 9-16, 2021 to the wonderful Anthony’s Key Resort in Roatan, Honduras. We have great pricing for their top-of-the-line Key Deluxe lodging, meals, and 6 days of 3 tank boat dives. The registration forms and additional information are available on the website or contacting Randy Lew at divetrips@fwsa.org

FWSA SKI WEEEK 2022:  Aspen/Snowmass Resort will be the destination, January 29 – February 5, 2022 for the annual Far West Ski Week.  We will be staying in Snowmass Resort and participants have a choice of ski in/ski out lodging or units a short walk to the ski hill.  The Snowmass base area has many new restaurants, lodging, and activities such as a climbing wall and ice rink.  The Alpine “Breath-taker” Mountain Coaster now traverses the mountain slopes.  Put the dates of this trip on your calendar and watch for sign up information to be available in the near future.

FWSA ZERMATT MINI SKI WEEK:  Postponed to 2022.  The Zermatt Utah Resort Mini Trip has been postponed until March 20–25, 2022. Participants will have the option to ski/ride Deer Valley, Park City, and Sundance Resorts. Contact Gloria Raminha, Trip Leader: garski2011@gmail.com; 661-800-8229.  Stay tuned for further Information.

FWSA 2021 INSIDE PASSAGE CRUISE TO ALASKA:  Postponed to 2022!  There’s still plenty of time to sign up for the Denali Tour and Alaska Cruise.  Participants can sign up for the Denali Tour, June 21-25 or Alaska Inside Passage Cruise, June 25-July 2, 2022, or for the combined two trips.  The Denali Trip starts with two days in Fairbanks, AK, followed by two days in Denali, and ends in Anchorage for those doing this portion only.  The Inside passage Alaska Cruise starts in Whittier and travels southward with stops in Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before docking in Vancouver, BC.  Trip information and registration available on the FWSA.org website or contact Nancy Ellis, VP North American Travel, fwsatravelnancy@sbcglobal.net; (530) 414-8261.