Volunteers needed to help plan American Cancer Society Big Sky ‘Hope on the Slopes’

Drawing from the continued success of its summer Relay For Life events, the American Cancer Society is now offering winter enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy their favorite sports while helping to raise funds to continue the search to find a cure for cancer.
Cindy McGinnis, Community Relationship Manager for the American Cancer Society, has announced that the organization is in the planning process for its inaugural Big Sky Hope on the Slopes, which is set for Saturday, March 6, 8 am – 4 pm, at Big Sky Resort.
Hope on the Slopes is an event where skiers and snowboarders make their day on the hill more meaningful by raising money for the American Cancer Society while competing for vertical feet.
McGinnis is presently looking for skiers, snowboarders, cancer survivors and anyone else in the area who would like to volunteer to help put on the fundraiser.
“Events the magnitude of Hope on the Slopes don’t just happen,” says McGinnis. “They’re successful because a lot of talented and caring people put in a few hours a week to make sure the event comes off without a hitch.”
Presently, McGinnis is seeking volunteers to help with day of event organization, placing info around the communities, recruiting teams and individuals, survivor recognition planning, commemorative flag coordinator, registration, and accounting.
Each participant and team will receive a personal web page they can customize with their own messages and photos. Features of the site will include the ability to fundraise online and via email, track fundraising progress, and honor loved ones touched by cancer. Registration for the event is $50 per individual or $150 per team up to 15 members. In addition, each participant is encouraged to raise a minimum of $200 to help in the fight to find a cure.
McGinnis explains that teams and individuals will compete for a variety of prizes on two levels: dollars raised, and total vertical feet. Teams and individuals who raise $500 per person will be in the VIP level for additional amenities. The combo package for the VIP level includes a lift ticket pass, paid registration fee, admission to the special VIP area, entrance into the special prize drawings, a VIP lift line pass, lunch and snacks, and a VIP picture of themselves or their team.
Commemorative flags will be sold prior to and during the event to remember a loved one lost to cancer or to celebrate their victory over the disease. Flags can be purchased by calling Cindy McGinnis at (406) 373-8487.
Every dollar raised by the teams and individuals after minimal expenses will be used to help the Society continue its funding of cancer research, its state and national legislative advocacy, and its many educational and patient services programs. In recent years, the American Cancer Society has helped fund two cancer researchers at Montana State University.
To learn more about serving as a volunteer for this spring’s American Cancer Society Big Sky Hope on the Slopes, call Cindy McGinnis at (406) 373-8487 or email her at cindy.mcginnis@cancer.org. To register online, go to www.bigskyhopeontheslopes.org.