One year ago today, we opened the doors to PTO Ski & Snowboard Center. The idea was straightforward: give Portland a place to learn skiing and snowboarding year-round, without the two-hour drive to the mountain to do it. A year in, the room is busier than we planned for — which is a good problem to have.
We've taught hundreds of students since then. Three-year-olds finding their feet in the Tiny Slider program, adults who swore they'd never strap in, and plenty of kids in between. We ran summer camps, hosted more birthday parties than we can count, and got to know the families who keep coming back week after week.
The coaches are the reason any of that worked. They sweat the small breakthroughs, stay patient through the frustrating runs, and actually remember the kids by name. A machine and a building don't teach anyone to ride. The people do.
To the students, families, and neighbors who showed up this year: thank you. Year one was about proving this could work in Portland. Now we get to make it better — more programs, better gear, and a few ideas we're not quite ready to announce yet.