March 3rd, 2009 

Hello hello to all my fellow riders. 

   Sorry I haven't updated lately, guess I have been so caught up talking to chatting with all my newest HOTS friends it seems I have neglected the blog.  Well folks we got a lot of goodness about to happen.  Plans for event day are closing in.  And let me fill you in too.  Right now I am planning on being on mountain really early to start registration.  EVERY PARTICIPANT must go through the American Cancer Society's counter in the Trailside room as well as through the Seasons Pass counter to purchase a lift ticket or activate your seasons pass, either way every participant has to go through both offices.  If you don't, you will not have access to the all night portion of riding and your vertical footage will not count for your team.  Registration is going to be tuff, but it will assure accurate vertical accumulation.We will be announcing the leaders just after a 1:00 captain's meeting.  And another announcement at 5:00pm, both of these will be from the podium outside the Trailside Room of the Pacific Crest Lodge.There will be a free BBQ for all participants at 11:00pm and the Torch Light Parade in memorandum of all who have been affected by cancer...bring a flashlight and come participate in the parade.  Then there is going to be some snowboarding all night long!  OH yeah, there will be   A LOT  of snowboarding all night long.Totals will be calculated at 9:00am, at the same point the mountain will re-open to the general public and the vertical challenge is over.  Awards and prizes to be given out on Sunday at 10:00am outside the Pacific Crest Lodge.  Awards to be given out to both individuals and teams who have collected the most money fundraising and riden the most vertical footage...plus more.

 Look forward to seeing you at registration Saturday morning,

February 24th, 2009

 Hello HOTS, 

  Everyone deserves a huge thankyou.  Look at the numbers...with 11 days to go we have already raised $47,000.  That is 32 teams consisting of 239 participants that is working together in the common goal of finding a cure for cancer.    But wait, we still got 11 days to get these numbers up to meet our goals.  For every person signed up right now, there is one of you who is waiting until the last minute or you got a friend who told you they were going to sign up but just has not got around to it yet.  Well first thing to be eligible for all the gifts and prizes we are giving out is you have to be signed up... Get 'er done!!! There is lots of planning and tons of flyers being passed out.  Help make registration go smooth by being pre-registered and get an early start on your vertical footage total. 

Thanks again,

Wednesday February 11th, 2009 

OK, so I get it...you are reading my blog.  Thankyou all very much, but more over I want to thank each of you for participating and supporting our cause.  Especially want to thank team Arthroplasty, with their team captain Bill Blackburn and leading money raises Todd Albertini.  These guys are plainly killing it!!!  They have already raised over ten thousand dollars with over three weeks to go.  Team Ross does deserve hugh credit as well, but I am going to hold off on that to see if Team Ross can catch up to Arthroplasty. 

Boston John

Sunday February 8th, 2009

  Another long weekend up at Steven Pass talking with anybody that will listen to me and the possibility for them to snowboard for 24 consecutive hours.  But first I must thank my recruitment chairs for producing the awesome postcard and pamphlets that I used as conversation starters and props.  Which you read them ... they might be the reason you are reading this blog right now.  Or is it?  Why are you reading my blog?  Are you reading my blog? Is anyone reading my blog?  Oh boy, I see numbers starting to raise over $25K but am I just writing into the abyss of the 'net'.  That's it...Done writing for today. 

If you do read my blog...let me know  jgadbois85@yahoo.com  hopefully I will get to hear the stories of when and how we met.  I am open to any suggestions for content or the Hope on the Slopes event itself.

Monday February 2nd, 2009

 Are you ready? 

     We are now within 5 weeks of event day and have already raised over $15,000.00 to help fight cancer.  The number of people registered is growing and the word about Hope on the Slopes is all the talk around the mountain, office water coolers and superbowl gatherings.   We are still looking for corporate sponsors for our event.  There is great opportunity to target a specific audience.  I am thankful to all the shops who have put up posters in their stores and as a little thank you to the friendly guys at Bothell Ski & Bike, here's a photo of us out in front of their store...

 So if you got a business and want us to tell 100,000 people about you while supporting a great cause, give us a call.

 Boston John

Wednesday January 21st, 2009 

Wow, what a day! 

   Everyone should give a huge shout out to Doug Baugh.  The first REI kick-off went off without a hitch.  It was great to see the team captians sharing stories and see new faces that will make great team captians.  I want to thank anyone who let me talk at you for 30 seconds to a half hour as I spread the mission of the Hope on the Slopes event.  Special thanks to Stevens Pass for the raffle prizes and if you showed up to the Kick-off, posted a flyer anywhere, told a friend, just acted excited when I told you about the event....Thankyou.  But it is not over, this is the beginning.  We still have a lot to do ... as of kick-off there is some 45 days left and we have only raised $7,575.00 ... 

Monday January 19, 2009 

Hello hello, 

      There has been a lot of things going on behind the scenes here with the Hope on the Slopes.  Most obvious as we all know is about the REI Kick-Offs this week.  That will be at the flagship REI store in Seattle on Wednesday the 21st, then down in south pugent sound at the Tacoma branch of REI Stores on Thursday the 22nd.  Both nights we are starting the presentation, but I suggest showing up a quarter to half-hour early to grab a good seat and mingle with fellow friends.  I think we might even have some goodies to give away...see you there and remember to say Hi to Doug Baugh.

 Everybody can see the result of the team work right on our home page www.stevenspasshots.org where there is the countdown to event day and the total money raised which is now over $7000 way to go!!!   

Hello hello,

             How many of you have been able to catch some turns?  Let me tell you that I am having a blast out in the snow and off the hill as well.  I am excited to see my team working hard to Kick-off the 2009 Hope on the Slopes.  We are having event Kick-off Information meetings coming soon!!!  There will be two meeting with one covering the North in Seattle and a second meeting sending love to our friends in southern pugent sound in Tacoma.   Both of these events will be held in a conference room that REI Stores has generous allowed us to use.  You will have the opportunity to attend our session at either the REI store in Seattle on Wed 21st or the second session at the Tacoma REI store Thursday 22nd or better yet come to both and bring your friends.  At these sessions, with special thanks to Doug Baugh (he is the guy on my left in the picture below) there will be an informative slide presentation with some pretty cool pictures.  The American Cancer Society will have packets to help you form a team and get registered early.  There will be lots of cool people to meet whom you may join together with to form a team that way.  Come hear the stories from the last three years and hear why we believe March 7th into March 8th is going to be one day you don't want to miss!!! 

Boston John Gadbois 

If you happen to be at Stevens Pass come request a private lesson with me and you will not only get the best lessen ever but I'll tell you all about Hope on the Slopes on the chairlift up.

Tuesday, Dec 9th 2008

 Hello! My name is John Gadbois and I am the 'Ringmaster' of the American Cancer Societies 2008 Annual Hope on the Slopes being held at Stevens Pass Ski Area March 7&8th, 2008. I am a pharmacist by trade plus I have been a snowboard instructor for the last 4 years, where, with such a common first name I have been nicknamed "Boston John". I have raised money and participated all night long through each of the events the last two years, then after being a team captain for Stevens Passes own Ski School Throws Down last year, the ACS called me up further in advance and I got the opportunity to help out a little more...as in Chairman of the HOTS Committee, but please I prefer Ringmaster. I am lucky enough to work with the American Cancer Societies regional Hope on the Slopes guru, Doug Baugh but I also get the advice from the mastermind behind last years Stevens Pass, Brian Ulman. Our committee has a couple more energetic philanthropists and we all expect to put on an excellent event this year and you will get to read about them in my future blogs. 

But as a tease we are aiming to have over 500 skiers and snowboarders raise at least $125,000!!! 

Please join our team, come out and help!!! 

'Boston' John