Giving Tuesday: Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club

The Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club is in their second year working with the portage health foundation’s giving Tuesday. Last year the group used those donations and funding from other sources to re work, re route and design new and existing trails in the Maasto Hiihto trail system in Hancock. The ski club saw disaster strike some areas in 2018 with the father’s day flood, shutting down sections of their cross country ski, and hiking trails. Slowly they have been able to re open areas, previously closed, and have once again begun looking at future trail opportunities.

“Keep in mind this only our second year in Giving Tuesday, and it’s really been great. we were really encouraged by last year, because frankly, we received about four times as we were expecting. We didn’t really know what to expect our first year. And we were just really grateful for the community for what we received. It kind of kept us working on trail services this last summer. We’re kind of in the process of trying to get some display cases for better map signage out there. We’ve got a nice new kiosk that got built last year.” – John Diebel, Treasurer, Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club

Membership fees with the club and trial side donations help cover most of the club’s operating expenses such as trail grooming and equipment repairs. Giving Tuesday has helped the club also open opportunities for snow shoe trekkers, bikers and hikers for year round recreation. Find out more about the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club and Hancock’s Maasto Hiihto trails at Keweenawnordic.org.