Growing Fast, Ready for Action!

The momentum at Ski Club Uganda is building, and we’re not slowing down. In fact, we’re only just getting started. Despite the challenges, the vision is clearer than ever – and we’ve got a lot of exciting developments to share.

New Team Members – We’re Growing Fast!

In just one week, we’ve nearly doubled our team on the US side. This is huge, as we now have even more hands on deck to make Ski Club Uganda’s vision come to life! Here’s the incredible team we’re working with now:

• Florian (President/Co-founder): Keeping everything organized and running smoothly.

• Morgan Long (Director of Operations): Building the infrastructure we need to scale.

• Pauli Riener (Co-founder): Leading fundraising efforts in Europe and managing our Wikipedia page.

• Klemen Kosi (Olympian & Brand Ambassador): Spreading the message of Ski Club Uganda at races.

• Ricky Sanchez (Web Manager): Rebuilding our website and backend infrastructure.

• Chesley Hurdle (Social Media Manager): Growing our online presence and content.

• Lukka Wolff (Partnerships Lead): Securing collaborations with Middlebury College professors.

• Max Tuana (Filmmaker): Documenting the journey and creating media for our socials.

• Lucas Decrinis & Johannes Lummerstorfer (Co-founders): Helping with social media posts.

• Anne Dix (Board Member): Providing wisdom and inspiration.

• Dr. Bob Nakileza (Board Member & Climate Scientist): Connecting us with teams in Uganda for our environmental efforts.

• Eddison & Hannington (RTS Guides): Working with us on a tree nursery project in Kilembe.

Big Meeting Ahead!

With such a large team, it’s important to get everyone on the same page. We’re having a big team meeting this Wednesday at 8 AM EST, where we’ll introduce everyone, share updates, outline the vision, and open the floor for ideas.

If you’d like to join, we’d love to have you! The meeting link will be shared, and a recording and summary will follow in our next update if you can’t attend live.

Major Wins for Ski Club Uganda

• Middlebury College: Lukka’s efforts have borne fruit! We’re meeting with the Director of Sustainability and Environmental Efforts to discuss how they can support Ski Club Uganda. Plus, we’ll meet with Professor Jessica L'Roe about student involvement in the tree-planting project next summer.

• 501(c)(3) Application: Thanks to Morgan’s persistence, we’re nearing the finish line for our 501(c)(3) application. Just a few research questions remain before we submit!

• European Fundraising: Pauli has lined up a speaking engagement at a networking event in Austria and is connecting with the former CFO of Head to explore sponsorship opportunities.

• Social Media Boost: Chesley has partnered with a social media marketing agency to elevate our content and grow our online presence.

Disappointing News About Klemen’s Olympic Bid

Unfortunately, we received some disappointing news: Klemen will not be able to compete for Uganda in the 2026 Winter Olympics. Despite our best efforts and Ganzi and Batenga’s advocacy with the Ugandan Olympic Committee, a nationality change isn’t possible. It’s a bummer, but we’re staying optimistic. There are still plenty of exciting opportunities ahead for Ski Club Uganda!

What’s Next?

As we await our 501(c)(3) approval, we’re diving deeper into our tree nursery project with Dr. Bob and the RTS team. The goal is to get students in Kilembe involved in planting trees and teaching in schools by next summer.

How You Can Help

We’re launching our first fundraiser to raise $3000 for startup costs. Here’s what it will cover:

• Domain registration ($30/yr)

• Website development ($1000)

• Wix premium ($440/yr)

• State non-profit registration ($100)

• 501(c)(3) registration ($600)

• Google Workspace ($384)

Total: $2554. This leaves us with a small operating budget of $446 to cover additional costs like software tools and sample merchandise before our major fundraising push early next year.

If you’re able, please consider contributing to our GoFundMe campaign!