Niwot residents honored with National Volunteer Service Award

On May 3, two Niwot residents, Mike Johnston and Terrie Clark, were awarded the Presidential Lifetime Volunteer Service Award, one of the nation's highest honors for volunteerism. The award recognizes Americans who contribute more than 4,000 hours of service over the course of their lifetime, a number far exceeded by both Johnston and Clark.

Johnston and Clark have served the community as patrollers for the Bryan Mountain Nordic Ski Patrol (BMNSP) for decades. Johnston has served with BMNSP for 33 years, dedicating thousands of volunteer hours to outdoor emergency care, trail safety, and winter rescue efforts across Colorado.

Clark currently serves as Patrol Director for BMNSP, has volunteered with the Girl Scouts in a leadership and mentoring role, and serves as a pet therapist at Boulder Community Health.

Several other BMNSP patrollers were also awarded this high honor.

BMNSP was founded in 1974 and became the first registered Nordic patrol in the National Ski Patrol system for both Colorado and the Western United States. The group focuses on providing public education and emergency care and trail support in the Boulder Ranger district and in Grand County.

Clark said, "We patrol the areas from early December to mid-April on the weekends because that is usually the busiest time. Our requirement is to volunteer four days a season so that the commitment isn't too much for any one person, and we currently have 99 patrollers."

"The age range for our patrollers is currently from early 20s to 86. We are comprised of 40% women and we are an extremely inclusive patrol as far as meeting people where they are with their entry experiences and knowledge. Don't be concerned if you feel you don't have enough experience, we don't recruit new patrollers, we develop them," Clark explained.

The process for patrolling is an important part of keeping people safe. Clark said, "We ski the trails of back country skiing systems throughout the day to see if there are people there that need help or directions. We also spend time in the parking lots to try to check to make sure they have the right gear to spend a day in the back country. That itself helps to prevent injuries and other bad things from happening. If the snow is a little iffy, we will go out on our snow shoes. We are really committed to helping people."

BMNSP has earned the National Nordic Ski Patrol of the Year award four times during its 50 year tenure. Its members also serve as public instructors for essential courses such as CPR, First Aid, Avalanche Safety, and Mountain Travel and Rescue.

Clark said, "The reason we are so passionate about the instructional part of our patrol is because it's not just an opportunity to teach others how to become ski patrollers, its also an opportunity to teach everyday citizens who want to enjoy the back country and learn about CPR and first aid, those skills to then help save even more lives if needed. The education is a gift that keeps on giving."

She continued, "When you are in the wilderness, seconds count, and volunteer patrollers are often the first responders in areas where other professional teams can't reach quickly. The way that we get to help prevent injuries and help lost skiers and teach people how to stay safe in that environment is very meaningful for us."

"Receiving the Presidential Lifetime Volunteer Service Award is a tremendous honor, but it really reflects the commitment of our entire patrol at Bryan Mountain Nordic Ski Patrol," said Clark.

"For decades, we've been volunteering our time to help people stay safe in Nordic/Backcountry environments through our National Ski Patrol education programs like Outdoor Emergency Care, CPR, Avalanche, Mountain Travel and Rescue and through our Winter patrols. It's quiet, consistent service, and I'm proud to be part of a patrol that's built its 50 year legacy on educating and helping others in some of Colorado's most beautiful and challenging winter terrain."

BMNSP patrollers are trained in Nordic and backcountry skiing, avalanche safety, mountain travel and rescue, and Outdoor Emergency Care. For more information on the Bryan Mountain Nordic Ski Patrol, or to learn how to be involved as a patroller, visit www.BMNSP.org.