The winner of this year's John Day Award is Skip Tschanz of the Columbia Gorge Chapter.   This award and engraved bowl is presented at the end of the season to the person who has offered great service to their chapter as well as contributed to the winter sports community.  Skip's efforts are very quiet and unassuming, going unnoticed by most members. 

He is a dedicated and loyal member of the Oregon Nordic Club, believing in its existence without question and never turning down an opportunity to volunteer. Skip has held offices of President and Vice-President on the State ONC and he has kept the Columbia Gorge Chapter together; holding several offices through tough snow years and relentlessly recruiting new members.  He has managed the Tilly Jane Guard Station for the Columbia Gorge Chapter for approximately 18 years.  He has put much work and dedication into the John Craig Mail Carry event for several years.  He has been on a committee to give ski lessons to blind children since its inception 3 years ago, and he gives ski lessons to new skiers each year.

Outside of the ONC Skip is actively involved with the United Way Board of Directors, the Wilderness Steward program of the Forest Service, The Dalles senior center and the Discovery Center of the Columbia Gorge, and he does outdoors reporting for The Dalles Chronicle.

Other candidates for this year's award also deserve honorable mention:

Linda Frost has headed the Central Oregon Nordic Club for eight years, during which she has led some 842 club outings - both skiing and hiking. She is, without any question, the heart and the soul of the club. She is a strong and decisive leader who is unquestionably and willingly followed. She became president when the club was experiencing a severe decline in membership and took several innovative steps to successfully counteract the trend.

Jim Davis of the Central Oregon Chapter has been a leader of  nordic ski trips as well as bicycle trips throughout the Central Oregon region for many years.  As a Deschutes National Forest Volunteer and Pacific Crest Trail Volunteer, Jim has been instrumental in establishing the snowshoe trail system at Swampy Sno-park, Nordeen Shelter, Meissner sno-park, Edison sno-park, Todd Lake and is still going.