One of the great pioneering programs of the Golden Age of Television was "Your Show of Shows," Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca's 90-minute Saturday night live comedy that ran from 1950-54 and lampooned just about everything.
The 10th annual Janss Pro-Am Classic put a skiing spin on "Your Show of Shows" last weekend at Sun Valley—and the families of young junior ski racers, snowboarders and freestylers were the winners. In fact, the weekend was a smash.
Organized to raise money for the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF), the Janss Classic hit all of its marks, like a good trouper. The SVSEF's most important fundraiser raised over $350,000 to support the nearly 500 student athletes in its programs.
And the 160 participants on 32 Pro-Am teams had a great time doing their good deeds. They attacked the costume theme of television shows and movies with creativity and made a few good turns down the race course along the way.
They did it for the next generation because they know from experience that skiing and racing cost money. Tuitions from SVSEF pupils are directed to coaches' salaries, according to Janss Classic organizer Kate Berman, but there are plenty of other expenses.
For instance, Berman said that SVSEF must come up with $600,000 to meet operating expenses each year and the 2007 Janss Classic raised about $150,000 to help in that area. She said, "We were on target with what we were hoping to raise so we're very pleased."
Replacing its silent and live auction fundraisers, the Janss Classic in 2006 started its "Sponsor An Athlete Program." It is geared to providing money over and above the normal expenses to kids and families who meet the requirements of financial need and successful academic performance.
Given out last year from "Sponsor an Athlete" was $122,000 that resulted in 85 athletes receiving tuition scholarships and 35 kids getting travel scholarships. And this year's Janss Classic did even better.
"We exceeded our goal. Our hope was $150,000. We raised over $200,000 that will go directly to families for the 2007-08 ski season," said Berman. Donors gave anywhere from $500 to $10,000 at Friday's Janss banquet for the aid program.
Friday night's dinner dance in the Sun Valley Inn's Limelight Room marked the SVSEF's 40th anniversary and had many highlights besides the costumed partygoers. Among them was David Butterfield film entitled "A Tradition of Competition," that focused on the history of the SVSEF.
SVSEF executive director Don Wiseman feted Alpine Development Team director and coach Doran Key for her 40 years in the program. First-year Community School headmaster Andrew Jones-Wilkins talked about the importance of maintaining balance in your life, using props like skis and boards balanced on his chin.
There were some terrific skiers in the three-day party and there were winners in the racing and costume categories:
Speed Cup winners was "The Honda Ski Tour" with pro Zach Crist, Kipp Nelson, Steve Brown, Robin Sarchett and Matt Murphy. Clocking the fastest single runs in the dual giant slalom format were Sarchett and Christine Cordeau.
Janss Cup team champion was the "I Love Lucy" team sponsored by D.L. Evans Bank and featuring pro Petr Kakes, John Evans Jr., Paul Wilcox, Jim Evans and Phebe Thorne. Kakes, a Prague native and former pro alpine racer and speed skier who now lives and works in Mt. Hood, Ore., was "Most Enthusiastic Racer."
In second place among teams was "Flintstones" sponsored by Rocky Mountain Hardware with pro Justin Stevenson, Christian Nickum, David Morgan, Christine Kirby and Megan Stevenson.
Third place went to "M.A.S.H." with pro Heather Flood-Daves, Phil Erlanger, Jack Bunce, Earl Engelmann and Tor Jensen. In fourth place, sponsored by Bentley Motor Cars, was "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" with pro Biche Rudigoz, Tom O'Gara, Michel Rudigoz, Ed O'Gara and Scott Wheeler.
Koth Sports Medicine channeled Austin Powers to win the "Best Costume" prize for the event. On the winning "The POWERS That Be" squad were pro Nate Galpin-Mikesh, John Koth, Karoline Droege, Muffy Ritz and Pete Smith.
In second place for costumes was "Wizard of Oz" with pro Will Hovey, Rufus Brown, Liz Brown, Janet Appleton and Glenn Thomas. And in third place was "Pirates of the Caribbean" and Gail Severn Gallery with pro Paul Carson, Sara Santa, Ryan Arthurs, Charlotte Hemmings and Ellen Bodal.
Here are the other teams:
"A League of Their Own" with pro Sondra Van Ert, John Hummer, Jill West, Lisa Henak and Kathrine Wessel.
"Return of the Jedi" with pro Chan Morgan, Richard Riordan, Mary Beth Riordan, Dana Torrey and James Passantino.
"Bay Watch" with pro Bob LaPoint, Tom West, Julie Daniels, Alison Orr and Chris Orr.
"American Bandstand" with pro George Holmes, Charles Weaver, Kim Hagenbuch, Jay Hagenbuch and Tim Flaherty.
"Da' Ali G Show" with pro Doug Woodcock, Peter Curran, Whit Atkinson, Mark Eshman and Sandor Szombathy.
"General Hospital" with pro Nick Maricich, Priscilla Woods, Ward Woods, Chris duPont and Steve Johnson.
"Hee Haw" with pro Kyle Wieche, John Baker, Peggy Baker, Jim Milgard and Jennifer Milgard.
"Caligula" with pro David Currier, Ben Reilly, Alex Kuczynski, Lisa Firestone and Christian McLaughlin.
"Bonanza" with pro Craig Sabina, Tod McClaskey, Greg Vernoy, Charlie Dunn and Lenny Spivack.
"Mod Squad" with pro D.J. Nevins, Bill Campbell and Hart, Connie Smith, Austin Teresa Brett.
"Saturday Night Live" with pro Erika Whittaker, Keri Desler, Warwick Phillips, John Reagle and Soizic Alberti.
"Batman" with pro Edie Thys, Heather Black, Alexandra Black, Happy Hawn and Jonathan Monschke.
"Casablanca" with pro Andy Chambers, Susan Ferguson, Brent Hansen, Peder Monsen and Averell Fisk.
"Alvin's Acorns" with pro Tamara McKinney, Brian Barsotti, Tyler Hesse, Leroy Kingland and Rick Moore.
"The Terminator" with pro Ruben Macaya, Alan Pennay, Dan Hunt, David Kuhn and Adi Erber.
"Grey's Anatomy" with pro Hans Standteiner, Towny Gray, Mitra Marie, Stewart Honeyman and Mike Lafferty.
"Beverly Hillbillies" with pro Eltiena Campbell, Maureen Baker, Jamie Holman, David Butterfield and Steve Shafran.
"Love Boat" with pro Hilary Lindh, George Rizzo, Allyn Stewart, Jamie Everitt and Leigh Everitt.
"Addams Family" with pro Picabo Street, John Miller, Jim Kanellitsas, Lauren Street and Baba Street.
"Laugh-In" with pro Abbi Fisher, Adele Savaria, Jane Reynolds, Holley duPont and Doran Key.
"Hawaii Five-O" with pro Terry Palmer, Cordy Snyder, Ashley McCulloch, Curtis Gardner and Robbie Hambleton.
"Hot Dog, the Movie" with pro Wendy Fisher, Ben Flandro, Eric Carlson, Zach Leader and Tracie Smith.
"Sun Valley Serenade" with pro Nicky Biddle Elsbree, Rick Hickman, Ashley Brown, Christine Cordeau and Sam Cochran.
"Caddy Shack" with pro Tyler Palmer, Pat Savaria, Matt McNeal, Wes Powell and Tyler Ferris.
?The POWERS That Be,? costume winners, from left, John Koth, Pete Smith, Nate Galpin-Mikesh, Karoline Droege, Sherry Koth, Jennifer Galpin-Mikesh and Muffy Ritz. Photo by Willy Cook
