Ski School Prizegiving

First of all, this must be the greatest difference in time between posts, compared to time between events in reality, in my blog so for. So, continuing on from arriving in town after Lake Louise (in a rather abreviated version)...

Most instructors' contracts run out in mid-April. This is because, after all the British people go home at the end of the UK Spring Break, most of the visitors to the resort are locals and most of the locals don't need (or don't want, but most often can't afford) to take lessons. There's just not enough work to sustain more than 100 instructors. So if Ski School are going to have an end of year party and prizegiving, it needs to be in early April, so that's what I went to last Friday evening.

We'd hired out (the better) half of the Paddock, an underground pub in Banff which I'd not been to before, for the event. Although I was the first person there other than the organisers, it soon filled up with the instructors, daycare staff, desk staff and supervisors who make up Sunshine Village Ski and Snowboard School (SSVSSS). We each got a couple of free drinks as well as a raffle ticket, and the raffle was drawn throughout the night. After just enough time to get people 'merry', food was announced and a network of lines appeared leading to the buffet, everyone convinced they were in the 'right line'...

After we'd eaten, prizes were announced. All the winners and runners-up were as voted by their peers, and most seemed pretty accurate in identifying the most talented, the most hard-working and the most charismatic instructors. The prizes were best Kids Kampus instructors (ski and board), then adults, then most improved and then best rookie. There were also prizes for the best daycare attendants and best desk staff attendants*, and last of all best supervisor.

After that, of course desert was announced. Then a few more drinks (including my first Caesar!) before hitching a lift back on hill. I appologise for the photos, they are all Alex's...



Hi Matt. Drunk much yet?



Oh dear. Oh dear oh dear...

Looks like the joke's definately on you, mate!


*Somehow, I picked up one of the 'Runner-Up of the Best Desk Staff of the Year' prizes. While on my way to pick up my bag of mug, socks and a certificate, somehow I was cajoled into giving a speech. So I blamed them all for being too good and causing us to work heaps, then went back to finish my ribs...