History of the Sunshine Slopers Ski Club
In January of 1989, Stephen Thompson was asked by a friend, Allen Jones, if he would be interested in taking a ski trip. Jones had recently seen a feature on Black Entertainment Television (BET) on skiing, featuring the National Brotherhood of Skiers, Inc. and wanted to know more.
Thompson wrote the National Brotherhood for Skiers for information about their upcoming ski trip to Steamboat, Colorado. He was contacted by Naomi Bryson, National Membership Director, who forwarded information on how to organize a local ski club.
Many conversations and letters ensued between Thompson and Bryson regarding the formation of a club in South Florida. Flyers and articles from national magazines (Ebony, Jet, Essence, etc.) added credibility to their efforts. Interest was overwhelming, and a preliminary mailing list was compiled.
On June 28, 1989, the first organizational meeting of the Sunshine Slopers, Inc. was held at the North Dade Regional Library. Subsequent meetings were held at the same location while the group developed a club logo, selected club colors, and elected officers. By September 5, 1989, the club was established with 36 charter members and was accepted as a developmental club of the Eastern Region of the NBS. The Sunshine Slopers, Inc. was incorporated on October 2, 1989, thereby becoming the first African-American ski club in the state of Florida. The officers wasted no time getting the club active and involved in "ski-better" workshops and in attending Eastern Regional Board Meetings.