Hi Riverhillers,

I’m putting together a yoga weekend at the lodge. The first 10 -16 people who respond and get checks in should enjoy a great weekend. I will be getting our cook or Traci to cook. The weekend will include breakfasts as usual and dinner Saturday night. A healthy menu will be planned. The up front cost will include the lodge and food. Attendees will be responsible for the lodge costs of the weekend, their own linens, set-ups and clean-ups per our winter weekends, their own yoga mat and payment to our yoga teacher for classes. BYO beverages/wine/beer/etc.

Our yoga teacher is Lisa Hamel. She teaches locally in my area and is very careful with her students, doing a stretching yoga. Lisa will give a yoga class early Saturday morning, again Saturday before dinner, and early Sunday morning. Her generous cost is $10 per class per person. I hope that you will participate in all three classes. You should have practiced yoga before. Since there will be group sessions, Lisa could not be expected to teach someone who has not done yoga and to conduct a class at the same time. You MUST have your own yoga mat. We will have to move all central furniture in the living-room or work around it.

If you have a kayak, you might want to bring it. There is a beautiful pond near by on route 100 where we could kayak. Mountain kayak also rents and delivers kayaks there. That is an extra cost and although I left a message for them, I have not heard back from that source. The cost is per hour and we might stagger timing for different folks to use a couple or a few kayaks.

There should also be plenty of hiking trails to enjoy.

When I get responses from interested members, I will look into other Spa services which could be available in the area. I believe The Woods offers some. I’ll look into massage and facials and post costs for those.

Cost of the weekend:

Members: $58.00
Guests: $65.00
Plus $30.00 for 3 classes payable to Lisa.

Please make checks payable to Ellen Ross and send to :

433 Smithridge Road
South Salem , New York 10590

I will also try to have ingredients to pack sandwiches for picnic lunches for Saturday.

You may call me at 914 533-2769 before 9 PM with questions or reservations. Each individual is responsible for himself/herself. Neither Lisa nor I assume responsibility for another individual for any portion of this weekend.

Ellen Ross - esross@optonline.net

Late in the ski season there are many racing opportunities. Mostly fun but always with bragging rights for the off season. The CSC www.skiclub.com held the annual On Snow Carnival at Okemo Mountain March1-3. The 3 day event began with the CT State Super G race, a thrill seekers dream…Upper and lower World cup, top to bottom tuck run!! Of course HELMETS are required as well as the sexy super g race suit. Saturday River Hillers placed well in many races (see articles in this issue),16 clubs competed for bragging rights ending with Mt. Laurel on top.

For the second year in a row our RHSC Memorial Race was almost postponed on Saturday due to weather, Last year thanks to 2 feet of powder. This year, not so much (rain).

Lodge improvements…Membership just approved the Game Room upgrade, new carpet, tile and couches will give our house new appeal.

The board continues to find a way to get the membership approved bathroom remodeling done in such a way that it comes within the voted budget. Last years approved bathroom “expansion” was going to exceed $40 K. The membership has approved only $30K.

The Membership will be voting at the April meeting for the Board approved “mattress replacement”.

I hope to see everyone at the spring fling in MAY!

We have no programs scheduled for the remainder of this year, but we will be hosting an RHSC Election Wine tasting at the FAT CAT, May 6th, @ 8:30 pm.

For anyone left reading or wondering my Mid Fairfield youth hockey team won the CT Tier 1 Mite Championship, beating New Haven, Darien, East Haven and Eastern CT. New member and MF Goalie, Ajay Fernandez came up big in the championship game, stopping 19 shots from ECHO and shutting them out 2-0! Alex K had 5 goals in the tournament and will be skating for the Boston Junior Bruins this Spring, traveling to Montreal, Toronto, Boston and Las Vegas. Ajay and Alex will also play for the CT Yankees this spring in Boston and Canada.

As for Coach K…I have retired from coaching with my third state title.

See you on the slopes, there’s lots more skiing to be had!

Next General Meeting is April 15, 2008 8pm at the NBC see everyone there!

Walter Kostrzewski
RHSC President

Mail to
Bob Hener
470 Stratford Road
Stratford, CT 06615

OR hand them in to Bob at the April 15th or May 6 general meetings”

MAY 6th is the date Bob must have the tickets!

Rates:

• Regular Season rates are in effect through Sunday, March 30
• Late Season rates commence Monday, March 31 and are valid through Sunday, April 13 ($60 adult, $48 young adult & senior, $42 junior & senior plus)
• Rates for April 14-20 will be $49 / $44 / $39

The town of Killington has invited the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) to initiate a community study process to look at where residents, businesses, second home and condo owners envision Killington in the next 20 years.

The VCRD is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that conducts town meetings throughout Vermont. The Council acts as a mediator and facilitator, not endorsing opinions or outcomes.

Charles and I attended the first two town meetings. The first meeting on 28 January drew a huge crowd of about 225, including residents, second home and condo owners, business owners, and Killington Resort executives. Paul Costello, Executive Director, VCRD, mediated the meeting and brought a “visiting team” of VCRD administrators, as well as Vermont officials from the Departments of Tourism, Transportation, Commerce and Economic Development and others.

The town meeting began at 5PM with a lively “visioning” session, with a microphone being passed around the gym so that attendees could share their vision of what they would like to see for Killington, and what issues the town should focus on.

After a free community dinner in the elementary school cafeteria we all reconvened in the gym to breakout into three focus groups to explore challenges, goals, and strategies: The Town of Killington Community Life; Building the Town of Killington’s Four-Season Economy and Sustainable Tourism; Designing and Building the Town of Killington’s Infrastructure for the Future.

I joined the Four-Season Economy and Sustainable Tourism group which came away with some main ideas and themes. Among these were the need for strong leadership; bringing events to town with an Indoor/Outdoor Cultural Center; Killington “Brand”: are we marketing the town well? ; what are other towns doing?; the need for a mission statement.

Charles’ group, Designing and Building the Town Infrastructure for the Future, also had recurring themes. A major theme was that Killington has many great natural and cultural assets; route 4 and 100 was the “Crossroads of Vermont”. Among the challenges: how to engage the relationship with Killington Resort’s new owners so that it is more convivial; look at other town models and not invent the wheel.

At 8:30 the three focus groups reconvened, with each group giving a summary presentation of their sessions. At this time the next meeting schedule was set, for 26 February.

Charles and I set our schedule to be in Vermont for the next meeting and, in fact, the entire process. Due to a major snowstorm (which brought 18 inches of the white stuff and powder skiing on Wednesday morning) on Tues. the 26th, the meeting was rescheduled to last Thursday, the 28th, from 6:30-9PM.

For this second meeting, Paul Costello once again kept the approximately 122 attendees (100 fewer than the first meeting) on target with a tight schedule rigorously adhered to. After a review of the agenda from the first meeting, we looked at a “First Draft Vision” that the VCRD had developed based upon elements of our visions at that meeting.

We were then given an “Opportunities” sheet which listed 12 categories that we identified as being important at the 28 January forum. Again, the microphone was passed around and many of us discussed and commented on these categories and whether to add other major issues, and should some be integrated with others that were similar or different aspects of the same issue. We had to vote on our four top “Opportunities”.

The four top issues, not in order of priority, were: Killington Town/Mountain Partnership; Expand Four-Season Events; Build an Indoor/Outdoor Arts Center; Comprehensive Marketing/Healthy Recreation Brand.

Based upon the vote for these four top issues we were asked to sign up for a task force for whatever issue we wanted to champion and move forward in the process. Charles and I signed up for Killington Town/Mountain Partnership and I also signed up for Building an Indoor/Outdoor Arts Center. We will be representing River Hills, as we informed meeting participants.

The town of Killington has 2600 taxable properties and 1000 residents. The town, in this process, has been very sensitive to inclusion of second home owners who contribute significantly to the tax roll, but cannot vote and feel they are taxed without representation. During this process, though, all votes will be counted as equal.

As a result of the enthusiastic response and community involvement, SP Land President, Steve Selbo, who attended both meetings along with Killington Mountain officials, put the Killington Resort Village Plan on hold until there is a consensus in the town as to what direction it will take.

One major theme, agreed to by all the focus groups and community members, is that there needs to be a shift in the relationship, from adversarial to one of mutual engagement, between the resort and the town. As one resident put it “we must bury the hatchet” and work with the resort, not continue fighting with it. Steve Selbo is in agreement and has welcomed any and all comments regarding the Village Plan project, and is readily accessible at his office above the Post Office on Route 4 or by calling him at 802/747-9280.

As an aside, at the first meeting I spoke with Chris Nyberg, head of Killington Mountain Operations, imploring him on behalf of myself, River Hills members, and other skiers, to open the Canyon Quad chair during the week. He said he would “take it up with my crew”. It was opened, on the spur of the moment on the powder day, Wednesday, 2/27, but is still closed during the week. I’ll have to follow up with him.

Vermont Public Radio (VPR) covered the entire second meeting, and as were driving home late afternoon on Friday, the day after the meeting, Charles and I were listening to VPR. It aired a segment on the town meeting, including comments by three participants. To our surprise, one was Charles. This was his first time on radio. I guess he’s a “media star” now!

For those who would like to follow this process The Mountain Times has begun a new town forum at its website called “Everybody’s Talking About Killington”.

Check it out at www.mountaintimes.info

Killington/Pico Ski Resort Partners also announced pass prices for the 2008-09 ski season with an unlimited pass valid at both resorts priced at $1,049 — $50, or 5 percent, more than this season.

The most expensive improvement for next season will be a lift replacement at Killington and associated trail reconfiguration.

Read the full article by Bruce Edwards at RutlandHerald.com 

Racing for the Team in place order…Tom Nolan, Walter Kostrzewski (aka Bob Hener), Curtis Casey and Gary Gash and guest PEPE finished in the top 15.

Also participating in this fun weekend…Bob and Kathy Hener, Mike and Madge Kellick, Alex and Luke Kostrzewski, Dakota and Montana Casey, Leslie Nolan, Jan Hansen, Bob Boothryod.

Link to all the Results: http://www.mtlski.com/OnSnow2008Results.htm

Link to CSC Website: http://www.skiclub.com/

In the Junior B Race Luke Kostrzewski took Fifth overall getting our club enough pts to finish 10th overall in the Festival.

Also participating Monti Casey and Leslie Nolan.

* Valid Sundays - Fridays
* from 2/27/08 to 3/14/08
* limit 4 Bring-a-Friend tickets over duration of the offer
* Season pass holder must present pass at any open ticket window to receive discount

Passholder Appreciation Days

Killington is planning some special events for both their Killington and Pico passholders.

Save these dates:

Pico passholders 3/22-3/23
Killington Passholders 3/29-3/30

January 2008 Town of Killington Planning Commission Minutes (PDF)