To donate to the Al Hodgson fund, please call the Canadian Avalanche Foundation (403) 678-1235 or click DONATE
Al Hodgson was the President of the Association of BC Snowmobile Clubs (ABCSnow) for many years. In that position, he was instrumental in building support for Avalanche Canada and fostering a culture of avalanche safety within the snowmobiling community. Even as he stepped down from his role at the helm of ABCSnow, he continued to encourage avalanche safety training for all mountain snowmobilers.
In memory of his passion, vision and influence, donations to the Al Hodgson Memorial Fund will be used to award scholarships to support snowmobilers who wish to take recreational or professional level avalanche safety training. More specifically there will be two types of scholarships:
Recreational Training-- Avalanche Skills Training or Companion Rescue course scholarships.
This scholarship is intended for young snowmobilers (18 to 25 years old) who wish to become an active participant in the safety culture of their snowmobiling community. More information on both of these courses can be found here. A maximum of $400 will be awarded for this scholarship.
Professional Training-- Avalanche Operations Level 1 or Level 2
This scholarship is intended for snowmobilers who wish to become leaders in the safety culture of their local snowmobiling community. Riders must ensure they meet the prerequisites for this training, which can be found here. A maximum of $1500 will be awarded for this scholarship.
Interested individuals must apply to the Avalanche Canada Foundation (ACF) by December 31 of each year. Winners will be chosen by the ACF’s Grants & Allocations Committee, based on the criteria below. Recipients will be notified before January 31 of each year. The number of scholarships awarded will depend on funds available.
Criteria for Al Hodgson Memorial Scholarship
Avalanche Skills Training and Companion Rescue Scholarships
- Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 25
- Must show proof of having completed an AST or Companion Rescue course with an AST Provider
- Must submit a letter describing why they wish to receive this scholarship and how they intend on becoming an active participant in the safety culture of their snowmobiling community
- Applications must include:
Contact information, including address, phone number and date of birth
Description of snowmobiling experience
Avalanche Operations Level 1 or 2 Scholarships
- Applicants must be enrolled in an Operations Level 1 or Level 2 course with the Canadian Avalanche Association. Scholarships will be paid upon completion of the Level 1 course or each module of the Level 2 course.
- Must submit a letter describing why they wish to receive this scholarship and how they intend on becoming an active leader in the safety culture of their snowmobiling community
- Applications must include:
Contact information, including address and phone numbers
Description of snowmobiling experience
Please send completed applications:
by e-mail to: [email protected]
by regular mail to:
Avalanche Canada Foundation
Box 8800
Canmore, AB T1W 0C1
