The 100 Mile Nordic Ski Society has been making a lot of improvements to its trails and facilities thanks to some grants and some hard-working volunteers.
The 100 Mile Nordics have been very busy improving trails, installing trail signage, making some improvements to the lodge and getting geared up with new ski rental equipment, says society registrar Kathleen Rottluff.
She notes the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and its Recreation Sites and Trails Division worked with the Nordics during the past two years on developing new signage for both the ski and snowshoe trails.
Recreation Sites and Trail has provided and installed signage on most of our trails and just this week installed a sign kiosk just outside the lodge with an overall updated sign of all the trails, Rottluff adds.
"The District of 100 Mile House and the Cariboo Regional District has been very supportive of the 100 Mile Nordics, granting us a total of $4,000 from their 2015/16 Grant In Aid program."
This funding will go towards new grooming equipment, she says.
In July 2015, the Nordics were successful in a grant application submitted to Western Economic Diversification under their Canada 150 Program and the society was approved for up to $20,515 matching funds to develop and improve around 12 kilometres of new trail, Rottluff explains.
"This trail work was completed this fall under budget with the club contributing around $18,000 and Western Economic Diversification matching our project costs with around $18,000."
In July 2016, the 100 Mile Nordics were successful in a grant application submitted to Northern Development Initiative Trust under their Community Halls and Recreation Facilities Program.
The grant will provide 70 per cent ($27,000) of the program cost for the following:
• New grooming equipment;
• New flooring for the lodge;
• Supplies to finish the interior of the new grooming shop;
• New ski rental equipment for children and youth (approximately 36 sets); and
• New snowshoe rental equipment.
Longtime member of the 100 Mile Nordics Barb Matfin is ecstatic about the new ski rental equipment for children and youth.
Noting there are poverty issues in the South Cariboo, Matfin says having the equipment will allow the club to rent it free to children and youth who might not otherwise be able to enjoy cross-country skiing.
The 100 Mile Nordics recognize the inequities in our society, especially as they relate to children, she explains.
"We want to be inclusive of all children, and to that aim, we are not charging the children and youth for our Ski S'Kool program.
Matfin says this means children and youth are receiving free rental equipment, free ski passes and free coaching.
"We are not embarking on this project as a fundraiser, she explains.
"We want more families to enjoy our great facilities, and to realize cross-country skiing is a low-cost outdoor sport that the entire family can participate in together."
The 100 Mile Nordic Ski Society is a volunteer run, community based and not-for- profit organization (Est. 1977) that encourages healthy and active living through competitive and recreational cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
The society is a registered member of Cross Country BC, a division of Cross Country Canada.
The Nordics maintain more than 50 kilometres of cross-country ski and snowshoe trails, provide and maintain a full functioning day lodge, open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. daily (except for Christmas day) during ski season.
As soon as there is enough snow to ski that's when ski season begins.
Once open, the lodge provides adult and children ski rentals, snowshoe rentals, day and season ski and snowshoe passes, hot soup, coffee and snacks.
"Tell everyone to come on up and check us out once things are looking white," says Rottluff.
Check out the club's website at www.100milenordics.com, or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/100MileNordics.