LINCOLN PARK — For half a century, Lincoln Park Ski Club has not only taken the hassle out of planning group ski trips, but it's also fostered lifelong friendships.
The club is hosting a 50th anniversary gala Saturday at Fiesta Mexicana, 2423 N. Lincoln Ave., to commemorate the milestone. Both members ($20) and non-members ($30) alike are welcome.
Through the club, members go on up to five group ski trips a year — everywhere from Aspen, Colo., to Austria. A board of volunteers handles all of the planning, which includes scheduling air travel, lodging, lunch spots and everything in between. People of all skill levels are welcome.
"Skiing is a sport that you have to go somewhere to do, especially when you're in the Midwest," said Cindy Wilson, who has been a member since 1998. "The logistics are often daunting for people."
When Julie Goodman, a member for five years, embarked on her first ski trip with the club, she was shocked by the amount of planning the board had done.
"I couldn't believe it the first time I went on a trip. They handed me a plane ticket. All I had to do was show up," Goodman said.
While members pay for the trips in full, the tickets are often much cheaper thanks to the group rates.
Both Wilson and Goodman said the club is much more than vacation planning: It brings people together who might not have met otherwise.
"I've met some of my best friends on the trips," Wilson said, adding that some of her friends have found their future spouses through the club.
The club was originally formed by Lincoln Park residents in the Sandburg Village housing complex, who dubbed it the Sandburg Village Ski Club. Today, there are about 120 members from across the city and the suburbs — not just Lincoln Park.
The club also runs a golf league, which meets Monday evenings for 10 weeks at Sydney Marovitz Golf Course beginning each summer.
To learn more, visit the club's website. Folks are also encouraged to email the board directly at social@lincolnparkskiclub.org.
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