Lightning Strikes at Telluride's Ute Ceremony

Published: Thu, 19 Apr 2007, 19:04:00 GMT
Edited by Carly Zander

TELLURIDE, Colo. - Apr. 19 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Thunder, lightning, snow then sunshine heralded a touching Gratitude Ceremony in Telluride's Mountain Village on Closing Weekend led by 13 Ute Mountain youth. "The bolt of lightning and half foot of powder perhaps had something to do with Ken Stone, Telski's Marketing Director, announcing developing a plan that would raise the bar nationally for partnerships between ski areas and tribes," said Olympic skier Suzy "Chapstick" Chaffee, co-founder of Native American Olympic Team Foundation.

Ute Ceremony - (c) Send2PressAt a pizza party that followed, Stone said, "Telski wants to greatly expand the number of ski passes and lessons to students showing improvement in school, along with a few scholarships to Olympian Johnny Moseley's Freestyle & Snowboard Camp here, and jobs for your tribal members.

*(Photo Caption: Ute Mt youth welcomed home to Telluride's Mt Village with Ute sculpture to ski, snowboard and celebrate by Telski and town leaders: L-R Rabbi Michael Saftler, Olympian Suzy Chaffee, Kit Collins (cowboy hat) and Mayor David Glynn. Atop, Timber Manning holds baby eagle feather. Credit: Karen Goldman.)

Four year old Timber Manning, beaming from conquering the mountain, presented Stone, as well as Telski Events Director Katie Singer, with stunning Ute Mt Pottery Cups on behalf of the 13 Ute Mt kids and chaperones. Lisa, supermom of the renowned Manning Dancers, also offered to launch "Telluride's Ute Snowdance Days" next Thanksgiving, to help inspire the early snows, as well as dance in Telluride's fun 4th of July Parade, led by Grand Marshal General Norman Schwarzkopf, their hero.

At the Ceremony, Ophir's Mayor Glynn welcomed the Utes to their ancestral home. Lanzin Manning led a beautiful prayersong and gave tobacco to the 4 Directions in appreciation for the season's abundant snow. Ute Mt Princess Mayla Manning presented a bear T-shirt to Kit Collins, Telluride's Chief Nurturer, following the passing of Loey Ringquist, Suzy's Earth Mom, to whom she paid tribute.

Chaffee also presented Lisa and Nicole Foster, Youth Coordinator, with boxes of NuStevia, Proud Sponsor of the Native American Olympic Teams. "This tribal-discovered tasty sweetener doesn't raise blood sugar and keeps you lean, clean and fast," she explained.

"We are so grateful to the Utes and Telluriders, especially Telski, Rollingbears (Lakota) and the General, for planting the seed 12 years ago, which resulted in a billion Earth Family members participating in an Elders-led Prayer for our Mother Earth on Valentine's Day (Feb 14th). Together giving Her love and appreciation brought the snows back to Europe, suffering from the warmest winter in 1,250 years," said Chaffee.

"There's no downside to these 'Spiritual Solutions to Rebalance Mother Earth,' and it's almost free," said Texas-born Collins. "Perhaps this should be called 'Karmic Offsets,'" said Rabbi Michael Saftler, a Native American Olympic Team Foundation (NVF) founder.

NVF is a Colorado 501(c)3 partnership of U.S. Tribal leaders, Elders and Olympians, whose mission is "to create joyful unity through sports and education to help heal Mother Earth for all our children."