Avalanche Canada has presented this year’s winner of the Al Hodgson Memorial Fund. Mark Hillary of Invermere, BC has been awarded $1000 to help with the expenses associated with obtaining his Avalanche Operations Level 1 - Sled course.
“I applied for the grant because I took a big financial hit paying for the course. I have always tried to apply for scholarships because even a short application can be worth your time,” says Mark. After completing the course, Mark felt inspired to go out and promote the importance of avalanche awareness and education through his employment as a tail guide in Panorama. We would like to wish Mark all the best with his future endeavors in the backcountry industry.
This award provides support to snowmobilers who wish to take recreational or professional level avalanche safety training. Interested applicants 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. The next application deadline is December 31, 2016.
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.
