[FWM News] FW: An Invitation from Lila Lapanja & Team CLIF Bar Ski Racing

Far West Masters news news at lists.farwestmasters.org
Fri Nov 10 16:41:44 PST 2017


Colleagues:

I am forwarding a message from Lila Lapanja a former Far West Masters scholarship recipient and member of the US ski team requesting support for her independent effort through team Cliff Bar Ski Racing.  Normally we do not forward fund raising solicitations to our email list.  However, after consulting the Board I think this one is appropriate.  Not only is Lila a scholarship recipient, she has given back to programs that the scholarship fund supports and remains a supporter of what we do so it’s appropriate to assist her in return.

See you in Mammoth in a few weeks.

Dan

Daniel L. Simmons
President
Far West Masters Ski Racing
14790 Slalom Way
Truckee, CA 96161

530 587-4864

******************************

Dear Friends and Far West Masters,

Many of you have known me for many years: the Far West Masters’ personal and financial support helped solidify the foundation for my career. The Masters Scholarship provided vital funding for me as a junior racer, from my Diamond Peak “J3” racing years through the time I was named to the U.S. Ski Team and skied on to win two NorAm Cup titles and taste the World Cup. You have encouraged me to keep working toward my dream and the gratitude I feel is immense. Thank you for believing in me!

In my comeback season of 2016, after sustaining an injury that kept me from racing for 18 months, I regained my NorAm slalom title and scored my first World Cup points. I kept focused on my dream of the Olympics and standing on World Cup podiums through determination, perseverance, grace and most of all, my love of ski racing.  However, after a roller-coaster ride of results this past year—from personal bests at Europa Cup and NorAm races to the challenges of a full World Cup slalom circuit—the U.S. Ski Team informed me that, based on their computerized performance band algorithm, I would not be a named National Team member for this upcoming season.

Although I was incredibly disappointed, I knew I had more speed and that I brought value to the world-wide ski racing community. My first decision after receiving this news was to call Gary Erickson (a Masters racer) and his partner, Kit Crawford—the owners of CLIF Bar & Company—who have been with me on this journey since my beginnings as that determined and passionate J3 racer. We put on our ski-racing thinking caps and decided that we had an opportunity to create an independent, corporate-supported, world-class ski team.

Together we envisioned a team that offers a high-caliber program for success, including essential support, exceptional coaching and athlete management, and skilled ski service. We saw a team that rewards the racer for passion and hard work, where the Evolution of Excellence is the algorithm and the freedom to express yourself through your sport and bring your very best on the journey constitutes the criteria.

I am excited to introduce you to Team CLIF Bar Ski Racing, an independent, international World Cup and Olympic-level ski team that is presenting a new paradigm in the sport of Alpine Skiing. This season, as the alpha test athlete, we will race as an affiliate of U.S. Ski & Snowboard—I have clear-cut criteria to compete again in the World Cup and have also been officially named by the U.S. Ski Team as an Olympic potential athlete. I am thrilled to embrace the freedom that this opportunity gives me!

However, the costs of pursuing this level of racing are high. Although CLIF is generously committed to funding a majority of the team budget, we have set a goal to raise an additional $50,000 to establish a sustainable financial platform: additional resources will be needed for the extra travel, training projects and races necessary to qualify for the Olympics and stay competitive against the World’s best racers.

The success of Team CLIF Bar Ski Racing will truly take a team effort: Our Vision is to unite with the Masters community and other passionate supporters to create partnership and patronage opportunities on this quest toward success in Alpine Skiing. We also have designed Team CLIF Bar uniforms and will have space on our jackets and my website and social media channels to recognize potential company sponsors on an international level. Other visionaries, friends, dedicated patrons and sponsors are also invited to support this Dream – we are all a part of the Team of the Future.

Thank you for your consideration to join us on this new journey. I am honored to carry the torch for the Far West community on this path toward athletic excellence—and to World Cup and Olympic achievement.


Sincerely,

Lila Lapanja
Team CLIF Bar Ski Racing


“Every great dream begins with a dreamer.
Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
- Harriet Tubman

Thank you for
Supporting the Dream!

[cid:ae72e33f-e830-426a-bd0e-dda9b38dd002 at namprd08.prod.outlook.com]


Lila Lapanja
♦
Team CLIF Bar Ski Racing USA


Join Lila and support the Team on her journey to race World Cup and
qualify for the Winter Olympics in February 2018.

A tax-deductible contribution may be made by check and sent directly to:
CLIF BAR FAMILY FOUNDATION
c/o Thao Pham
1451 66th St.
Emeryville, CA 94608-1004

A non-tax deductible donation may be made by check to:
Team CLIF Bar Ski Racing
P.O. Box 5742
Incline Village, NV 89450.
(If you would prefer to make your contribution via credit card, please contact Margie at MLapanja at aol.com<mailto:MLapanja at aol.com> / phone: 775-772-3127).


Please visit www.lilalapanja.com<http://www.lilalapanja.com/> to follow the Team's Journey!

Thank you!
GO Lila! Go Team CLIF!





-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.farwestmasters.org/pipermail/news/attachments/20171111/feb22fc5/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: clip_image002.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 11713 bytes
Desc: clip_image002.jpg
URL: <http://lists.farwestmasters.org/pipermail/news/attachments/20171111/feb22fc5/attachment-0001.jpg>


More information about the News mailing list