The “Friends Of XC Oregon” patron program has a long history of meeting two mutually-beneficial objectives:
1.) Provide annual financial backing for XC Oregon funded-level athletes and general program operations;
– & –
2.) Provide “real world” thank you benefits (as well as a nifty tax deduction) to individuals interested in contributing to the future success of XC Oregon.
We invite any interested individual to contact XC Oregon for more information!
Who are “Friends Of XC Oregon”?
Any individual or couple that donates $300 or more to the XC Oregon program over a fiscal year (June-May) is considered a Friend of XC Oregon. We have three donation categories for which we assign different annual benefit schedules (listed below). XC Oregon is very realistic about why any individual donates to any charitable cause, particularly nowadays with so many worthy causes. Thus, our preference is to have very wide donation ranges with a fantastic array of benefits — and let our donors (our Friends) decide how much they feel comfortable donating in any given year.
For groups, businesses, or other entities that wish to become Friends, XC Oregon arranges special benefit or sponsorship schedules for each entity on a case-by-case basis depending on the level of donation. Please ask.
Friends of XC Oregon have varied from major donors purely interested in seeing elite development of XC skiers in the Pacific NW to masters exclusively focused on their own goals that are excited about the unique benefits of being an XC Oregon donor. No matter what the motivation or interest, all our Friends of XC Oregon are considered “family” with some relationships that now extend over 15 years!
Note: For potential donors mostly focused on the training and coaching benefits of the Friends program, the most unique aspect to Friends of XC Oregon is that the XC Oregon Coach/Director — J.D. Downing — is not only the founder and coach of the XC Oregon elite development team, but he is also the founding National Director of American XC Skiers (the USA national masters association for XC skiing). This interesting dual role has given J.D. a perspective and experience level specific to the needs of masters that is literally unmatched in the ski world including a vital presence at over two dozen National Masters and Masters World Cup events plus dozens of the world’s largest citizen events worldwide! We’ve had multiple Friends win National and World age-group medals and we’ve had even more Friends make amazing progress with their skiing and fitness every season.
With each donor, XC Oregon will annually provide an estimate on the “quid pro quo” value of any services or benefits received by the donor as a result of the donation to XC Oregon (as per IRS requirements for 501c3 non-profit organizations). These valuations may vary greatly based on the timing and amount of each donation as well as the desired services or benefits of the donor.
Home Friends of XC Oregon
(Donations of at least $300 per fiscal year, June 1 – May 31)
Home Friends Benefits:
– Open Invitation (*see below) to participate in XC Oregon team workouts (year-round);
– Annual XC Oregon Friends training plan and updates (digital version);
– $30 per day (50% discount) at XC Oregon camps/clinics Note: Camp discount does not apply to trail or lab fees. Home Friends discount also is limited to one person per donation.);
– Exclusive and discounted opportunities to purchase special XC Oregon team gear items;
– Other benefits possible on a case-by-case basis.
National Friends of XC Oregon
(Donations of at least $600 per fiscal year, June 1 – May 31)
National Friends Benefits:
– All “Home Friends” benefits listed above….plus…..;
– Option to schedule sit-down meetings to discuss and develop personalized training plan (2 per year);
– $15 per day (75% discount) at XC Oregon camps/clinics Note: Camp discount does not apply to trail or lab fees. National Friends discount can cover two immediate family members per donation.);
– Other benefits possible on a case-by-case basis.
Global Friends of XC Oregon
(Donations of $1,000+ per fiscal year, June 1 – May 31)
Global Friends Benefits:
– All “National Friends” benefits listed above….plus…..;
– Option to schedule sit-down meetings to discuss and develop personalized training plan (5 per year);
– Complimentary participation in XC Oregon camps/clinics Note: Camp discount does not apply to trail or lab fees. Global Friends complimentary Camp participation can cover two immediate family members per donation.;
– Option to schedule personalized Friends Camps & Clinics at any location worldwide, year-round (all related costs associated with such events to be in addition to annual donations);
– Other benefits possible on a case-by-case basis.
* Notable notes about Friends of XC Oregon workouts: Easily one of the most popular benefits for Friends of XC Oregon in the Central Oregon area is the open invitation for our Friends to attend XC Oregon workouts throughout the year. Typically only a handful of Friends attend dryland workouts in the summer/fall as these sessions tend to be focused on our elite funded-level athletes and involve very intense and/or long duration workouts on roller skis or foot. However, occasionally we do have Friends that have an appropriate skill, fitness, and interest level and these Friends happily join the roster athletes on even the most difficult session.
XC Oregon does schedule the occasional dryland workout that is designed to be more comfortable for Friends to attend. Usually something like a light roller ski technique refresher or a summer dryland foot session in a good spot for group training. Note: We schedule these sessions based on demand and attendance so it pays to speak up when they are something you are interested in!
More typical would be Friends attending on-snow workouts — usually either at Mt Bachelor or Meissner — from November until as late as June each year. These workouts can vary from 1-20 people and all abilities past the beginner stage mesh very well. XC Oregon will notify Friends ahead of time if conditions or a specific location require specific skills or “tolerance levels”.
The important thing to note is that XC Oregon team workouts are NOT intended to be a for-fee Camp or Clinic and they are certainly not a pay-per-workout situation. Absolutely no XC Oregon athlete or Friend ever is charged a coaching fee (outside required trail fees of course) to attend our team workouts. All coaching staff time at XC Oregon team workouts is 100% volunteer. As such, schedule-wise all workouts are at the mercy of XC Oregon Coach J.D. Downing’s available time as well as weather/snow/grooming conditions. We also try and vary workouts to fit the needs of specific roster athletes and Friends working on high-level goals. So workouts will tend to vary locations, times, and days of the week frequently. In some weeks we will have 3-4 workouts, other weeks none (due to Coach travel), etc.. The bottom line is that every year we have very happy Friends that are thrilled with our program so we know this system works really well!
XC Oregon Coach J.D. Downing will work with small groups for very limited time spans at each workout focusing on 1-2 topics. Actual time spent with any one skier varies greatly. Some groups will incorporate video. It is very normal for a portion of any workout group to be doing intensity, another portion distance, and yet another portion content to work on just a few technique drills.
What past Friends have discovered is that brief periods of feedback and interaction via the team workouts perfectly supplement the more in-depth coaching that is provided at the more formalized Oregon Fall and Spring Camps. Over several months, these small bites of additional coaching feedback plus the excellent examples of XC Oregon roster athletes and other Friends out there training with you produces far better results in less time than virtually any other masters coaching system we have found anywhere in the XC ski world.
For more donor info and to sign-up:
Email: jd at xcoregon dot org
Call: (541) 317.0217
Write: XC Oregon
55 SW Gleneagles Way
Bend, OR 97702
