To all of my friends in the Chester Bowl Community,
I have a personal update to share that impacts the Chester Bowl community. But, as usual, I want to start with a story- my Chester Bowl story.
In September 1998 I moved to Duluth for grad school at UMD, having never even visited Duluth before driving across the country to start classes. On my very first day in Duluth I happened upon the Chester Park trails while exploring, and was astonished to find that I could feel like I was in the wilderness while I was right in the middle of town! In 2007 my family moved to a house on the edge of the park, where we still live today, and Chester Park became a daily part of all of our lives. My family started participating in both summer and winter Chester Bowl programs in 2012. I started learning to ski as an adult in 2013 using Chester’s lessons plus personal tips and chairlift rides with Thom Storm. Finally, in 2014 I accepted the role of Chester Bowl Executive Director, working with Thom for a year before he retired in 2015. Chester Bowl really has been woven into all of the parts of my life over the last 28 years, including the last 12 ½ years as Executive Director.
Since 2014, Chester Bowl has grown so much- and so have I. With an incredible staff and volunteer team, Chester Bowl has doubled its impact in the community. This includes serving twice as many summer campers, nearly doubling season pass and ski rental numbers, starting a snowboard rental program, growing from 1.5 FTE year round staff to 4 FTE staff plus an AmeriCorps member, tripling our annual budget, and generally serving more people while also serving them better. And now we are in the final stages of both the fundraising for the Chalet expansion and renovation and the construction itself, with an opening date expected right around the New Year. The new Thom Storm Chalet will serve the community for generations yet to come.
I’m so proud of the work that I have done at Chester Bowl, and for the community that continues to grow around the park and the programs. I am also grateful for the staff and volunteers working to make it all happen as part of a true team effort.
But I have also been feeling that this is a time for change and transition- both for Chester Bowl and for myself.
I have accepted a position as the Community and Strategic Relationships Manager at Essentia Health. I have worked with the person who is leaving this role for 10 years, and have seen the good work that Essentia does while supporting Chester Bowl and so many other community partners. I am excited for the opportunity to support this community in a different role, and for all the challenges that come with a new position.
With the Chalet fundraising and construction almost complete, it is a good time for a transition in the Executive Director role. Whoever comes into the role will be able to build upon the current successes, and bring their vision to the next era in Chester Bowl’s long history.
Even knowing that a change is important, it is still hard to leave. One thing that makes it easier is knowing just how strong the staff team is (thank you Sam, Joel, Delaney, and Ocean, and we miss you Elena), along with the programming that all of you know and love. I appreciate that Sam Luoma will be taking the role of Interim Executive Director, and I know his skills and love for Chester Bowl will keep the organization moving forward. Our Board of Directors and Committees are filled with passionate volunteers who are always willing to dig in and put in the time to help Chester Bowl achieve its vision. With 5,000 volunteer hours contributed each year, and thousands involved in our programs, it would be impossible to thank everyone who makes Chester Bowl special, but if you are reading this, please know that I am talking about YOU!
One of the things that I am most proud of is that the Chalet is SO CLOSE to being fully funded. Raising the money to expand and renovate the Thom Storm has been a big lift for this small team, and we are at the start of a final $75,000 fundraising push that will unlock $50,000 in matching donations. I’m not above using my farewell letter to urge you to contribute, so if you have been meaning to make a donation and just haven’t done it yet, please donate today! I’d love to transition to Essentia knowing that the Chalet is 100% funded. It’s as simple as clicking the green Donate Today button on this web site!
The Chester Bowl Board of Directors is finalizing the hiring process for the next Executive Director. The details are still coming together, but you can expect to hear about the search process soon.
Although my employment with Chester Bowl is coming to an end, I know that my personal Chester Bowl story is not. I will still be living on the edge of the park, running on the trails, checking out the waterfall, coming to Fall Fest, and I certainly won’t miss attending the Chalet grand opening party! Thank you all for being part of my Chester Bowl story.
With gratitude,
Dave
With support from Ryan Streitz, Chester Bowl Board Chair
