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The History of SCWDC Earliest Days In 1936, when skiing was still a “way out” thing, the Ski Club of Washington, D.C. was formed by a group of “let’s do it once” Washingtonians and some misplaced New Englanders with ski experience. The first Club trips were to Glencoe, PA, about 20 miles northwest of Cumberland, Md. The Board (Council) met midweek in winter to decide if there would be a trip. They notified the trip chairman, who called eight people; each calling eight more, until all 81 members were notified. They met at Union Station, took a train to Pittsburgh, then Glencoe. There were no lifts; it was walk-up herringbone and ski down. There were no warming huts, no restaurants. The town’s ladies sold sandwiches and coffee. Ski instruction started in the earliest days of the Club, with the Dryland Ski School and informal on-slope instruction. Our Ski School expanded, and our amateur instructors became certified by the Amateur Ski Instructors of America. The infant club published a monthly mimeographed sheet in winter, telling of the monthly meetings, equipment care, best buys, and notice of trips. Annual dues were $1. The fall gave us trail and slope clearing trips as the Club opened up areas nearer home. There were exercise sessions for getting in ski-shape and an indoor dry course for teaching the correct stance, with practiced turns on rolled newspaper “skis”. 1939 The Club’s first recorded ski race, an impromptu event in Shenandoah National Park. 1948 Membership rose to 319. The Club installed a portable tow in Rock Creek Park to take advantage of local snow. There were weekend trips to Pennsylvania, and learn-to-ski weeks to Gray Rocks, Canada. A great milestone was the Board’s decision to have at least one monthly social event to provide better fellowship. So picnics, beach trips, and dances were inaugurated, followed by swim parties and fishing expeditions. Thus the Club progressed into a truly year-round organization. 1949 Our first Social Committee formed, and sponsored recreational events as well. 1951 The Club leased land at Cabin Mountain in Davis, W.Va. and developed a ski area (Canaan Valley today). In the summer and fall, trips for slope clearing, construction and maintenance. In winter, ski trips every weekend. The cost of lift tickets covered lessons given by member Amateur Instructors. The ski patrol was composed entirely of Club members. The Club conducted races with other clubs. 1952 First tennis event - a round robin tournament in Rock Creek Park. 1955 First Winter Carnival - at Cabin Mountain. It included slalom races, a costume obstacle race, parties, and a Winter Carnival Queen. 1956 First beach weekend - the “Mad Hatteras” trip to North Carolina. Beach weekends would include follies such as beach Olympics, greased watermelon contests, and body painting. 1958 Membership was 789, dues $5, with an 8-page color publication. Our club was the only experienced ski area operator in the “banana belt”, and was named the best ski club in the East. The Blue Ridge Ski Council (BRSC), consisting of clubs in the D.C, Maryland, and Virginia area, was formed by two SCWDC Past Presidents. Today, all Club members are also members of the BRSC, which continues to run multi-club ski trips each year. 1959 and 1961 The Club twice won the Best Ski Club award for the entire country. This competition with other clubs encouraged our club to round out its expanding programs with tennis, summer weekend trips, fall hiking, volleyball, skating, more parties, more dances, and a Winter Carnival banquet. 1960 The Club expanded its ski horizons significantly. It went skiing in Europe for the first time, with the trip organized by the Pennsylvania Ski Federation (PSF), of which our Club was a member. Eastern bus trips locally and to New England were offered to members by a local tour operator. 1962 The Cabin Mountain era ended, but a new era was gearing up. In January, the Club ran its first New England trip (Mt. Snow and Bromley, Vermont). In March, the Club ran its first European trip (Austria and Switzerland). The Club enjoyed its first ski fashion show in December, with models provided by the shops. 1964 Summer tennis at Hains Point began. Weekly indoor volleyball started. 1965 The Club published its first sizable ski schedule, with seven eastern ski trips in addition to access to trips run by the BRSC and PSF. 1966 Membership was 2000, and would grow rapidly from here, with numerous new activities being introduced over the ensuing years. 1967 In February, the Club ran its first western ski trip (Aspen and Vail). Sailing began, and soon became regularly scheduled. 1970 Our first distant cross-country trip, this to Norway. Our first ski fashion show with our own models. 1971 The Recreation Program was split off from Social, such was the success of these activities. 1974 First tennis weekend at scenic Camp Wohelo, Pennsylvania. 1977 The Club’s organizational structure changed significantly. The Directors gave up their operational role to focus on oversight. Other volunteers emerged as Program Chairpersons. With this change, came new ideas and renewed enthusiasm. 1979 The Club received the Outstanding Ski Club (500+ members) Award from the United States Ski Association. 1980 The Club purchased and moved into a three-floor office condominium on Lee Highway in Arlington. 1983 In anticipation of the Club’s Fiftieth Anniversary, the History Project was established to research and publish a book of the Club’s history. To gather support, the Club hosted a reception for past presidents, most writing a chapter for the book. 1984 The Club entered the computer age by purchasing a desktop computer. 1986 The Club celebrated its Fiftieth Anniversary. Events included a grand Kick-Off Party with over 1000 revelers, a VIP black-tie dinner for key volunteers going back to the Club’s beginnings, a Golden Anniversary Party, and other special events tied into some of our program activities from the past. 1988 Membership passed 7000, and our Ski Club was the largest in the country. The membership peaked at 7054 in 1989. The Past Presidents Advisory Council was formed as an advisory resource. 1990 The Club became smoke-free. 1992 The Young Adults (21-30) Committee was formed to encourage younger adults to join our Club and hook up with each other. This committee would sponsor and co-sponsor activities that would appeal to this age group. 1994 Sailing hopped to the Greek Islands for a two-week trip. The Young Adults Committee was renamed “20/30 Something”, thus redefining young adults. The name would change to “TNT” for Twenties ‘n Thirties the next year. 1995 Learn-to-Ski Weekends with our own instructors began. This was in addition to the existing one-day Learn-to-Ski trips. Snowboarding became accepted, with a snowboarding instructor added to our ski school. 1996 Our Sixtieth Anniversary year. We celebrated with a kickoff dinner in Union Station (where ski trips departed in 1936). Other anniversary events included a Ski Fest and a combination biking/sailing/walking tour activity. Sailing became further flung than ever with a trip to Tahiti. 1998 The Club established its own internet web site, a location for up-to-date Club information, and where non-members could learn about the Club. 1999 Hiking remained popular, and led to an excursion to Nepal, our most remote hiking event. 2001 In a new adventure, the Club embarked on an Alaskan sea kayaking/hiking/camping trip. 2004 The Club is actively working on ways to make the web site a better asset to members . . . with more to come. SCWDC has progressed a long way . . . and continues. Its major strength lies in its ski programs, with a generous helping of other recreational and social events. Its success is due to the volunteers who have contributed so much in terms of organizing, leading, and doing the little things.
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