06/14/2024
Dear Business Owners and Community Members,
From July 17 – 21 of this year, six figure skaters from the Ogdensburg Figure Skating Club in Ogdensburg will head to San Diego, California to represent our community in the State Games of America. The State Games of America is a national level competition that sends the best athletes from individual states to compete against each other to determine the best of the best, biennially. Qualifying for this event has been a lifelong goal for these girls, preparing and competing for a chance to compete at this event. To qualify, these skaters had to compete in the Empire State Games in Lake Placid over the last 2 years and finish in the top 3.
These 6 exceptional athletes skate for the Ogdensburg Figure Skating Club but they represent 3 communities across St. Lawrence County. Meet our skaters:
Madison Miller is a Senior at Ogdensburg Free Academy and has skated for 12 years.
Marina Perry is a Senior at Heuvelton Central School and has skated for 15 years.
Averie Farrand is a Junior at Lisbon Central School and has skated for 9 years.
Ella Ramsdell is a Sophomore at Ogdensburg Free Academy and has skated for 11 years.
Brynn Morley is a 7thGrader at Ogdensburg Free Academy and has skated for 8 years.
Emma Barr is a 7th grader at Ogdensburg Free Academy and has skated for 7 years.
Unlike most high school athletes, figure skaters have no support or recognition from their respective schools. Monetary support and recognition of achievements is common practice for most high school athletes but figure skating has no affiliation with any of our area schools. This makes it very difficult to fund events like this that have such extended travel arrangements. Figure skaters compete at many local events throughout the year and are on practice ice almost nightly at various rinks around the North Country. With no funding for these events, skaters have no choice but to pay for skates, uniform, practice ice, registration fees, travel to and from events, accommodations when traveling for remote competitions as well as paying coaches for their time. This makes it incredibly difficult to fund events that are so far away. Many of these girls didn’t learn they qualified for this event until they competed in Lake Placid, NY the first week of February 2024. Giving them only 5 months to prepare and plan the trip.
Have you ever heard the saying, it takes a whole community to raise a child? Nothing has ever been more true these days. We are asking for the community's help to come together to help these 6 girls represent NYS at the State games of America in San Diego, CA. Airfare and accommodations alone are expected to exceed $2,400 for each skater, not counting registration and other travel expenses that will certainly occur. Any donation will be appreciated and will help us get that much closer to our goal. If a business contributes a donation of $75.oo or more, either monetary or $75 worth of products, your business name will be placed on the back of the t-shirt that the girls will wear. Monetary donations help to directly fund this goal, other donations of goods and services are also greatly appreciated and will be used to raffle or auction off to also help fund the trip.
From the skaters, their friends, family and coaches, we thank you for your consideration and support for these 7 exceptional area figure skaters.
