Love of Skiing Brings Together Young and Old
The Nisei Ski Club started off as a San Francisco JACL weekend skiing activity. Now 50 years later the club is gearing up for its Golden Anniversary.
The advertisement announcing a fun week of skiing in Whistler, British Columbia immediately peaked Liz Slocum's interest. It was the perfect chance to brush up on her skiing and snowboarding skills, she thought to herself. Before long she and her boyfriend were making plans for a trip to Canada.
Liz, a 30-year-old Yonsei from San Mateo, had never heard of the Nisei Ski Club (NSC), the group heading up the Whistler excursion. In a passing mention of her upcoming trip, she was shocked to learn that her parents had been members of the club some 40 years ago.
"When my parents found out, they were very excited," said Liz.
"I didn't even know that the Nisei Ski Club was still in existence," said Virginia Slocum, 67, of Sacramento, who was a NSC member while in her 20s. "It surprised me because my daughter even mentioned a couple of names of people I actually knew."
Seven years after her inaugural Whistler trip Liz is still an active member and former board member of NSC, a club that will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. What was once an annual event sponsored by the San Francisco JACL chapter is now a successful non-profit skiing club.
"The people are friendly and the trips are very organized," said Liz, explaining what attracted her to NSC. "We have a lot of potlucks and it's great to have home-cooked meals."
And of course, "I enjoy being outdoors."
Liz is one of the youngest members of NSC today, a club whose membership is around 200. Although most members are in their 40s and 50s, there are some in their 20s and 60s.
On many of the NSC weekend trips you can still see Hi Fujii, 77, skiing down the blue square runs. As the first NSC president in 1968 and a current board member, Hi has had a first row seat in the development of the club over the years.
"I am amazed at how organized it has gotten today," said Hi, currently the oldest active NSC member. "But it's the same camaraderie today, lots of people who love skiing together."
One thing that hasn't changed are the savory home-cooked meals provided for the skiers on the bus rides to and from the ski resorts. But the amount of alcohol consumption has definitely decreased, joked Hi.
"We used to drink a lot of beer," sometimes four or six cases on one weekend trip, he said. "Now one case is enough. Now we bring a lot of bottled water."
When Japanese Americans returned to the Bay Area from the internment camps, few recreational organizations welcomed them. The San Francisco JACL chapter became a hub for local JAs to gather. In the late 1950s, the chapter decided to host a weekend ski trip. By the 1960s the trips had become so popular the club had to separate and form its own non-profit.
Although some skiing clubs have moved to change their names today to attract younger skiers and snowboarders, NSC has kept its name largely to honor the pioneering Nisei.
"While there are probably few Nisei in the club at this time, we have kept the name of the club as Nisei Ski Club to pay tribute to the founding members," said Pam Yoshida, 50, former NSC president.
Today, the all-volunteer skiing club works hard to attract a diverse membership. Although Asian Americans make up the majority, there are a number of non-AA members.
"The club is inclusive since it has to be to survive. We believe that you should always attract 'new blood' to keep the club fresh and not stagnant," said Curtis Otaguro, 49, current NSC president. "New members bring enthusiasm, new ideas, and different perspectives."
Each year NSC hosts around five to six weekend trips and also plans one week-long trip, usually out of state. This year the group headed to Vail, Colorado for a week of slopes and fun.
During the non-skiing season activities like hiking trips, picnics, and dances are also planned so members can keep in touch year-round.
"Many of my closest friends are people I met in NSC. Some are still in the club, some are not," said Yoshida, who no longer attends the skiing trips but is helping to organize the club's 50th anniversary celebration in June.
"Even though I am no longer a member of the club, my heart is still there and I feel welcome at events even after being 'away' for awhile."
NSC has also helped bring a number of couples together. In 1970 Hi met his wife Phyllis on a NSC trip to Sun Valley. Within three months of hitting it off on the slopes they were walking down the aisle.
"We both enjoyed skiing ... and we continued dating after we got back from Sun Valley," said Hi. "The next thing I knew I was introducing her to my parents."
"There are so many people I know who met their spouses through the club."
But like many JA organizations these days, membership numbers are starting to dwindle and fewer young people are joining their ranks. It's a trend the NSC is actively trying to change by offering free weekend trips for newbies getting their first taste of the ski club.
NSC hopes their efforts will pay off in the long run.
Liz often brags about the fun she has on the NSC ski trips but only a few of her friends have taken up her offer to join the club. They would rather drive up on their own and scope out the cheaper hotels, she said.
"But my friends who have tried it, love it."
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