Time for winter sports!

The Skiing Club Association ‘The Groundhogs’ (otherwise known as ‘Le Marmotte’), in collaboration with the Municipality of Forte dei Marmi promote and organize every year winter sports for the children and youths of the Secondary schools and the Scientific Lyceum of Forte dei Marmi in a locality called Abetone (approx. 100 kms from Forte dei Marmi). 

The Ski Club ‘Le Marmotte’ manages the lodgings ‘La Casetta’, property of the Municipality of Forte dei Marmi, where the children are hosted. This structure is open all year round and to anyone who wants to relax or practice sports. The association employs 4 full time people (a manager, a cook and cleaning staff). The organization of the winter school holidays is guaranteed by the Ski Club’s Sports Volunteer Associates (OSV – Operatori Sportivi Volontari). The organization of the events and services are provided free of charge.

This year’s winter sports events started a little earlier than Christmas and went on to include a special package for the New Year festivities. In February the schools skiing events began with the High School of Forte dei Marmi, followed by two weeks with the secondary school Ugo Guidi of Forte dei Marmi. After a week's break the last two weeks were completed with middle schools from Marzocchino, Forte dei Marmi.

This year approximately 230 children/youths have been accompanied on the Abetone slopes. A big commitment, but rewarding. The true strengths of the Skiing Club ‘le Marmotte’ are the volunteers who worked in shifts and showed their experience, professionalism and reliability in guaranteeing assistance to the youths at all times, on and off the slopes.

The Ski Club owns skiing equipment that it makes available to the children/youths. The equipment is prepared in advance by the volunteers before their arrival at the structure.

The week typically starts with the children being picked-up by the volunteers with transport made available by the Ski Club ‘Le Marmotte’ from Forte dei Marmi and dropped off at the predetermined meeting point in Abetone, and are accompanied back home at the end of the week. 

At the end of the skiing lessons with the instructors from the skiing school ‘Colò’, the children are accompanied for lunch to an affiliated structure and are supervised by both the ski instructors and the teachers. In the afternoon the children are accompanied back onto the slopes. 

The volunteers at the end of the day manage the collection, the return of all the equipment to the storage area and for taking the children back to their accommodation. On the Thursday after the final race there is an award ceremony and a torchlight parade with the ski instructors.

The Ski Club ‘Le Marmotte’ was formed in 2004 on the initiative of a few enthusiasts, with the specific intent of promoting winter sports amongst the younger citizens of Forte dei Marmi, more specifically the schools. Given the huge success encountered over the years the group of volunteers has grown to include staff with specific expertise and skills to ensure a more specialised and professional service to its users.

The Municipality of Forte dei Marmi has worked hard to ensure that the accommodation ‘La Casetta’ provides a service to the community. The Mayor of Abetone is always very responsive to any requests aimed at optimizing this service. The Abetone Cable Car company provides the Ski Club Association with a box for storing the ski equipment during the week of events. A big thank you also goes to Multipass and the ski school ‘Colò’ for their collaboration and professionalism. 

This venue goes to show how a common and collective objective can turn events of this ilk into a true success story and provides healthy fun for all its participants – arrivederci until next winter!