[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 53 (Thursday, March 23, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E245]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





       CELEBRATING 75 SEASONS OF SKY TAVERN'S JUNIOR SKI PROGRAM

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                          HON. MARK E. AMODEI

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 23, 2023

  Mr. AMODEI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sky Tavern, a local 
nonprofit that is celebrating the 75th season of their Junior Ski 
Program.
  Located just 30 minutes from Reno, Sky Tavern was one of the area's 
earliest ski resorts. Motivated by her belief that sports were good for 
children, local skier and schoolteacher Marce Herz convinced the resort 
owners to begin an affordable learn-to-ski program in 1948.
  Since then, Sky Tavern's Junior Ski Program has taught over 100,000 
area youth how to ski and snowboard.
  Sky Tavern has switched hands a few times over the decades; most 
recently in 1991, when a group of dedicated parents formed the current 
non-profit organization that manages the Junior Ski Program and 
maintains the property. Today, the Sky Tavern Junior Ski Program is the 
oldest and largest volunteer staffed ski school in the United States.
  Notable alumni of the program include David Wise, Olympic gold 
medalist in the halfpipe, and Tamara McKinney, one of the top American 
alpine racers.
  While this program has turned out some of our nation's best skiers, I 
would suggest that Sky Tavern's most significant achievement has been 
to make skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports more accessible 
for local children.
  Winter sports are a way of life in northern Nevada. From keeping the 
prices low to helping children with disabilities enjoy the slopes 
alongside their peers, Sky Tavern has reached countless children who 
would not otherwise have had the opportunity to participate in this 
great northern Nevada tradition.
  I commend the team at Sky Tavern for carrying on Marce Herz's noble 
vision and positively impacting the lives of Nevada's children.

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