Bridger Ski Foundation

A few snapshots of the 2025-26 season for the teams at BSF. We're super proud of all the hard work that went into these numbers: the donations from community members to the scholarship fund, the hours coaches spent developing training plans, organizing memorable camps and trips, the thousands of hours our athletes spent learning and developing, the thousands of hours from volunteers, and the can-do spirit that, despite a poor snow year, still made it a great season at BSF!

VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR:
Frank Silva has been a Ski Swap volunteer for decades. As a professional carpenter, he donated his skills for building, installing and maintaining the ski rack systems. Frank is the first person you will meet when dropping off consignment gear at the Swap. He is also on the floor all weekend helping customers find the perfect pair of skis. Thanks, Frank, for helping make the BSF Ski Swap such a great Bozeman tradition.

VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR:
A longtime volunteer for BSF, Sarah Nicholas spearheaded volunteer care for all BSF Nordic events this year. She has been instrumental in creating a culture that celebrates volunteerism and boosts enthusiasm at our events. She worked tirelessly to take care of the people who take care of our athletes! Thank you,

VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR:
We can’t begin to quantify Lauren Summer's annual contribution to BSF’s auction gala fundraiser, Apres Ski. She works countless hours throughout the year working on the organizing committee, soliciting auction item donations, and keeping us organized. She helped transform Apres Ski to a new level of crucial fundraising for BSF. But she doesn’t stop there: you’ll also find her coaching our Nordic Kinders, skiing the trails and slopes as “Freshie the Fox,” and volunteering at nearly every BSF event. Thank you for all your time, hard work, and the endless enthusiasm,

VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR:
We want to thank Amy Pakula for her devoted volunteer work on behalf of the . Aside from offering her services as a physical therapist to our Pro Team athletes, Amy is fully engaged with fundraising efforts for the Pro Team. Amy works incredibly hard behind the scenes to make sure Pro Team events are organized and successful. She is an incredible resource and a valued member of our team! Thank you,

VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR:
We honored these three amazing volunteers at the Freestyle banquet this year. A moguls course requires a lot of manual labor, and the BSF Freestyle team has Hunter Lacey, Stuart Schilling, and Dave Richards, in particular to thank for this past season's bumps and jumps on Boot Hill. Hunter, Stuart and Dave put in hundreds of hours helping with the course this season. Thank you!

The BSF Skimo team owes much thanks to volunteers Peter Belchwender (pictured) and Paul Dinkins. With tight transportation for the Skimo Team this past season, both of these parents traded driving a personal van for the kids on the days of the week BSF couldn’t. They spent countless hours at the trailheads and driving kids around. Thank you!

Next up! BSF's incredible volunteers. Let's start with James Willich. James is the BSF Alpine Race Timer and a key member of the BSF race crew. James brings enthusiasm, problem solving and a friendly ongoing conversation to the timing shack. James' daughter Grace started on the Alpine team and moved over to compete in Freeride. When not volunteering for BSF, James serves on the Livingston City Commission. Thanks James for being such an important member of the BSF community!

BSF GROOMER OF THE YEAR:
Meet Kimo Sullivan, lead groomer/snowmaker. Kimo brought the same fun presence, talent and enthusiasm to this ski season as he did his first year with our program in 2022-23, the biggest snow year any of us can remember. But, this season, instead of putting in hundreds of hours behind the wheel of the snowcat, it was hundreds of hours shoveling snow onto the trails, fixing fence blown over by the wind, working through the night to make snow during the few cold weather windows available, and during one especially sunny-warm stretch, sanding and refinishing the peeled wooden facade of our pump house. Thanks for your hard work and creative problem solving this season!