Earlier this month, we had the opportunity to host something special at the Chair 5 Pub.
Friday night’s Badger Mountain Benefit Dinner brought our community together for an evening focused on supporting one of the most important pieces of our region’s winter culture. By the end of the night, that community showed up in a big way, raisingover $7,000 to support Badger Mountain Ski Area.
Badger Mountain is a different kind of ski area: operated entirely by volunteers and supported by the Waterville Lions Club, it represents the heart of grassroots skiing in North Central Washington. For generations, it has been a place where people learn to ski, where families spend time together, and where a connection to winter begins.
This past season, a lack of snow meant Badger was unable to open. Like many community-driven ski areas, a missed season has a real impact. Operating costs remain, even when the lifts do not turn.
That is why this night mattered. The Chair 5 Pub was full, with a sold out crowd coming together to share a meal, connect with one another, and support something bigger than any one organization. Guests gathered over dinner, but the focus of the evening went far beyond the meal. It was a shared belief that places like Badger Mountain are worth supporting.
Dinner proceeds contributed more than $4,000 toward Badger Mountain’s continued operations and preparation for next season. The raffle, organized by Badger Mountain and supported through item donations from Mission Ridge, raised an additional $3,000.
More than the total raised, it was the energy in the room that stood out.
This valley has always shown up for winter recreation. Thank you to everyone who attended, donated, and helped make the evening a success. We are proud to have hosted this event and to support the efforts of the Waterville Lions Club and the volunteers who keep Badger Mountain going year after year.
Supporting places like Badger Mountain means supporting the future of skiing and snowboarding in our region, and that is something worth showing up for.
