Leavenworth, WA, a small mountain town on the east side of Stevens Pass, has seen more than its fair share of tragedy over the last two years, and the local (and not so local) community as become even closer in response. In honor of these fallen friends, the Leavenworth Winter Sports Club and Leavenworth Ski Hill Heritage Foundation will be holding events to help support the town’s small ski hill that Daniel, Chris, Jim Jack and Johnny all knew and loved. For a good time and a good cause, check out the event and full press release below:

Leavenworth Winter Sports Club and Leavenworth Ski Hill Heritage Foundation have come together to kick-off the fundraising efforts for the Ski Hill Memorial Project. The campaign begins with an auction dinner on Wednesday, October 24, 2012, at the Enzian Inn in Leavenworth, Washington. The evening begins with wine, beer and silent auctions followed by dinner and live auctions with our celebrity auctioneer, John Curley.

The Ski Hill Memorial Project will become a gathering place to honor friends lost to avalanches. The local community has endured great losses including Daniel Zimmermann on Mount Cashmere on March 5, 2011, followed by Johnny Brenan, Jim Jack and Chris Rudolph in the tragic Tunnel Creek Stevens Pass avalanche on February 19, 2012. This memorial will serve as a place to keep their memories alive in our community. All men were avid outdoorsmen and advocates of mountain culture. Daniel Zimmermann grew up in Leavenworth learning how to ski at our local hill. Jim Jack was a head judge for the Free Skiing World Tour. Chris Rudolph was the marketing director for Stevens Pass Winter Resort. Johnny Brenan was a former ski patroller, local business owner and regular at Leavenworth Ski Hill with his wife and daughters.

Auctioneer John Curley was the host of the award-winning KING 5 Evening Magazine starting in 1995 and is now a Sammamish City Councilman and president of John Curley Auctions which helps to raise $2.3 million a month for non-profits. Mr. Curley will be the auctioneer of the kick-off party that will serve as a launching of a 24-month campaign to raise $500,000 for the Ski Hill Memorial Project which will include a 2,000 square-foot patio, outdoor restrooms, upgraded septic system, “bunny” hill improvements, outdoor amenities and year-round event accommodations.

The club, which dates to 1928, operates two alpine rope tows, a tubing hill, a Nordic jumping hill and 26 kilometers of Nordic ski trails. The club hosts more than 20 races and community events throughout the year and employs more than 45 seasonal employees. The base of the operations is the Leavenworth Ski Hill which is supported by fundraising efforts from the Leavenworth Ski Hill Heritage Foundation. Together they will build this beautiful memorial for our ski friends. If patrons cannot attend the auction dinner they may make online donations at http://www.razoo.com/story/Skihillproject. To stay updated with the progress of this project visit https://www.facebook.com/skihillproject.