Dedication Ceremony Pays Tribute to Snow Summit Ski Patroller
Event to honor Generous Donors & Volunteers
Big Bear Lake, CA – “Built for Patrollers by Patrollers”, the new Jay Otto Patrol Station will be unveiled at a dedication ceremony this Saturday, October 25, 2008 beginning at 5 p.m. at the top of Snow Summit.
In honor of volunteer Ski Patroller, Jay Otto who passed away from Melanoma at the age of 37 in March 2007, the new 2,400 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility, features a first aid room, dispatch center, classroom, investigation office, operations center and storage area.
Spearheaded by volunteer ski patroller and Fallbrook contractor, Jeff Brand, the project began in March of 2007 and is now a reality through the dedication of dozens of volunteers. “I had a dream to build something larger and more efficient, and the idea of dedicating the building to Jay was a natural,” said Brand. “Jay was a quality human being and a dedicated Patroller. To be able to leave a legacy for his family seemed like the right thing to do.”
Donating hundreds of man-hours and thousands of dollars, Jeff and his team of volunteers which include patrollers Gregg Nolan, Nick Papageorges, Richard Wilson, Stu Eriksen, Barbara Baxter, Barbara Razo, Natalie Muraciov, Ian Burnett and Richard Sealy worked closely with Snow Summit and the Forest Service for 18 months to make this project a reality. With the support of Snow Summit, Brand and his team have raised over $250,000 in cash and have received an additional $200,000 in donations including excavation, utilities, building materials, fiber optics, flat screen television, sound/paging system, communications hardware and electrical.
“Our volunteer ski patrollers are the best in the country,” said Chris Riddle, Director of Marketing at Big Bear Mountain Resorts. “We are honored to be part of such a worthy cause and assist in providing our 200 volunteer ski patrollers with a facility that reflects their commitment. They deserve a facility that equals their passion and award-winning excellence.”
Jay is survived by his wife Barbie, her sons Daniel, Tyler and Noah, their son JJ and his loving family including parents, Jim & Betty Otto. For more information or to make a donation, please visit jayottopatrolstation.org or call Natalie Muraciov at 818.261.9922.
About BBMR
Real Snow. Real Close. Big Bear Mountain Resorts (BBMR) includes Snow Summit and Bear Mountain ski areas, Bear Mountain Golf Course and Sierra Summit Mountain Resort in Fresno, CA. Together, BBMR has the region’s most progressive terrain parks, most dependable snow conditions, the largest full-service learning programs and a multitude of premier services – just a tank of gas away roundtrip from most areas in Southern California. For more information, please visit bigbearmountainresorts.com. BBMR is an equal opportunity service provider operating under a San Bernardino National Forest special use permit.