Although it's 65 degrees in Charleston, WV today, I'm not ready to say goodbye to ski season.  Crescent still has trips scheduled, and at least in WV, the resorts have lots of snow.  Skiing is excellent at Snowshoe and Silver Creek!  Unfortunately, most of us can't ski every day;  we actually work (got to be able to pay for those ski trips and the latest gear)!  For ExComm and committee members, there also is plenty of work involved in keeping Crescent running smoothly;  here's the latest.

TRIPS

Crescent has one last week-long trip scheduled:  Keystone, CO (March 14 - 21).  Currently, about 85 individuals are booked on the trip, and Ski.Com may be able to add a few more.  (Five were added for Kanawha today!)  There isn't much time left, so if any of your members are interested, they need to talk with your club trip director or contact Ryan Jordi, at ryan@ski.com. The final regional Crescent winter trip is at Silver Creek, WV, March 6-8.  Linda Redd, lindaelkview@aol.com, is its coordinator.  If you have any questions, contact her ASAP. 
 
CONVENTIONS
 
The Spring Convention will be held at Kingston Plantation, North Myrtle Beach, SC, April 23 - 26, 2009.  It is Crescent's 40th Anniversary, and the Saturday night theme party takes a look at Crescent's history and the changes through the years.  The actual dress for the night is "1969", the year Crescent was formed.  While most of us think of tie-dyed t-shirts, flower children, and mini-skirts, those aren't necessarily the symbols of 1969.  Just google "1960's fashion", and you will find a variety of styles that most of us have tried to forget.  For those of you who weren't born yet, think of your party attire as an opportunity to mimic/mock(?) your elders!  I've mentioned in previous correspondence that we want to decorate for the party with items that represent Crescent and skiing over the decades.  We also are trying to construct our history in several areas.  Unfortunately, we have gotten very little response from the clubs, and we really need your help so the 40th won't be a flop!  I've attached the 40th Anniversary Planning Guide.  Please look at it, distribute it to your members, and talk up the importance of aiding our endeavor.  The convention is less than two months from now, and Faith and her great crew need time to put the party together.  Also, don't forget that space will be made available for the clubs to display any items they wish - trophies from previous years, scrapbooks, t-shirts, etc.  We are hoping to make this convention a really fun and informative event.  Please help!  (By the way, I'll keep bombarding you with requests if we don't get some responses! :) Nine clubs have registered, and they have claimed all of the Brighton Tower 2-bedroom units.  While Michelle trys to get more lodging in Brighton Towers, a wait list is being maintained for others who wish to stay there.  For now, however, all other registrants will be placed in villas.  Please remember to adhere to deadlines;  it makes Michelle's life less stressful.  Confirmation and deposit deadline is March 1st;  rooming list and condo drop date is March 16th.  Don't forget that there is a $20 late fee for each missed date, and there are four of them, all listed on the convention registration form.  Michelle will accept an email with the confirmation attached (sent no later than March 1st) and the actual deposit mailed with a USPS postmark of March 2 as meeting the first deadline.  Registration and Lodging forms were attached to the January President's Update.  Golf and tennis registration forms are attached to this month's update.  All information is available on the Crescent website.  Website, scrapbook, and newsletter competition information and the schedule should be posted soon. Volunteers are needed to run the Beach Olympics.  Please email Michelle at skibumlong@aol.com or call her at 828-768-0120.  It's impossible for her to handle all of the events by herself, and your assistance with this VERY IMPORTANT part of the convention will be greatly appreciated. 

 RACING
 
The regular season is over for America's best club racing program, and only the Crescent Cup race remains (at Silver Creek, March 7 - 8).  Results for the regular season are:  Eastern Division - Raleigh placed first, Greensboro placed second, and Winston-Salem placed third; and Western Division -  Knoxville placed first, Asheville placed second, and Palmetto placed third.  Competition was close, and fun was had by all who participated.  Please remember, all skill levels are welcome in the Crescent / Subaru Ski and Snowboard Race Series.  You don't have to be an expert skier/boarder to have fun and earn points!
Crescent members are taking advantage of the Subaru VIP program.  If you have any questions concerning the Subaru VIP program, contact your Crescent Race Director. 

Although Extreme Freeskiing isn't Crescent's usual type of competition, a former Greater Charleston member, Ashley Woody, has won a national championship.  Check out this link:  http://www.charleston.net/news/2009/feb/26/go_cover73055/.  She gave Greater Charleston and skiing some good press.

MEMBER SERVICES
  
If I have sent this update to individuals who no longer are your club's reps or president, that means your club hasn't provided Bruce McMurray, Crescent's database coordinator, with the changes.   Please make sure that you keep your contact information current.  Email is the primary means of communication within Crescent, and it is critical that the database contain the correct information.  Bruce's email address is snowdawgasoc@bellsouth.net. 

 ADMINISTRATIVE
 
Crescent officers will be elected at the Spring Convention BOD meeting.  I encourage everyone to become more active in Crescent and volunteer for an office or committee position.  If you are interested in running for office or assisting a committee, please contact Margaret Jordan, Past President, at magjordan@msn.com.  Deadline for submitting names is March 15, 2009. 

Per Crescent's bylaws, yearly membership dues were payable no later than December 31, 2008.  Rod Davis, CSC Treasurer, has advised that two clubs haven't paid their dues;  I'll be contacting you directly.  Thanks to the other clubs for getting your dues paid quickly. 

This next item isn't really administrative, but I don't have any good place to put it. Pat Harvey, Charlotte Ski Bees, asked that I pass along this information about Jasmin Bambur, one of the Ski Bees adaptive racers, who is training to compete in the Paralympics in Vancouver in March.  Per Pat, numerous members of Crescent have met Jas and his wife, Sarah, through the racing program.  Jas and Sarah have relocated to Granby, Colorado.  The following is from his wife:  "Jas left on February 9th to go on a five week racing/fundraising tour. He raced at Park City, Utah last week and his best finish was 5th on the GS. He is working hard to get back in shape. Then to Serbia for the past week. Jasmin went to Korea for the World Championships a few days ago. He raced Slolam today, but I am not sure about his results. I will update his website this weekend. After Korea, he goes back to Serbia to fundraise and do more publicity. He said he was in three newspapers and did five TV appearences. Jeeze...he is going to come back so full of himself. :) Next he goes to Vancouver, Canada for World Cup Finals on March 11th. Then he comes home to me on March 15th. I can't wait!!!  Thanks again for all your support during the hardest time Jasmin and I have ever been through. You truly are a blessing. I will keep you updated with results and the road to the Paralympics March 12-21 in Vancouver via Jasmin's website www.teambambur.com."  If anyone wants to contact Jas and Sarah, their email address is sbambur@hotmail.com.  (Click on photos for a larger view.)

That's it for February's update.  I'm going skiing with Crescent at Keystone.  I hope to see you there and at the spring convention!