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Plymouth Ice Festival
Page 24
‘Snow’ much fun
Local business offering free skiing lessons during Festival
No matter what type of weather
Mother Nature plans for the weekend,
there will be snow in Kellogg Park
where staff members of Sun and Snow
will be giving free cross-county ski les-
sons.
The family business has been offer-
ing the lessons during the Ice Festival
for four years, noted co-owner Rob
Parent andmore than 1,000 youngsters,
and a few adults, went through the
mini-course which includes small hills
and slopes, last year.
“It's more than cross country skiing.
It's a free event to get kids out on the
snow. This is a fun and easy way to get
them exposed to snow sports in gener-
al.
If Mother Nature doesn't provide
enough of the white stuff, the Sun and
Snow staff will spend four or five nights
making snow, Parent said, and even
though it's “pretty grueling,” staff mem-
bers will man the snow guns 24-hours
during the event, he added. They also
have snow trucked in from local ice
rinks, if necessary. Last year, he said,
they had more snow than they knew
what to do with and used a Bobcat to
shape the course.
This year, Sun andSnowhas teamed
up with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of
Michigan to help provide the lessons
and equipment rental, all at no cost.
“We run the lessons from the time
the festival opens until dark each day
and we have a line the entire time,”
said Parent's sister and business part-
ner, Heidi. “After each kid gives it a try,
they are given a card to visit our store
to receive a free gift,” she added, “and
we are having special sales in the store
on winter clothing and serving free hot
chocolate.”
Sun and Snow has been in
Plymouth for four years but in business
since 1971 at the original Ann Arbor
location.
“We had so many rentals after the
event from families who decided to
give skiing a try since their kids has
such a great time,”RobParent said.
“Winter is fun. We sell fun,” Heidi
Parent added. “This is a ton of work but
our staff has a blast doing it and seeing
the smile on the kids' faces makes it all
worth it,” she added.