GARDEN CITY, Idaho — The 73rd annual Ski Swap kicked off on Friday at Expo Idaho. This event lasts through Sunday giving families a chance to gear up for winter and it's the largest fundraiser of the year for the Bogus Basin Ski Education Foundation.
We showed up at 9:30 a.m. on Friday because for some the Ski Swap has a Black Friday kind of vibe. Garrett Wallgren showed up hours early to be first in line and it's the fifth year in a row he's done that.
"Oh, it is about dedication, you have to want it," said Wallgren. "We showed up three hours ago and sat in the cold. I’m ready to get a set of skis."
For families like the Watson family, where kids routinely outgrow boots, gear, and clothing, the Ski Swap is a once stop shop where they can sell the equipment their kids have outgrown while purchasing what they need for this winter.
"We get all the gear we need for winter and for ski season at prices that we just wouldn’t be able to afford," said Emily Watson. "We are so excited for winter and the Ski Swap is always kind of the kick-off to the season."
The Ski Swap has skis, snowboards, boots, and any other piece of equipment you need to hit the slopes. However, it's also a place to get warm clothing with gloves, hats, snow pants, jackets, and much more on sale.
Local shops bring in gear so even if you weren't there on opening day, the Ski Swap will continue to be stocked through the weekend. With snow already up at Bogus Basin, it's a time of year a lot of people get excited for here in the Treasure Valley.
"Now that there is a little bit of dust on the mountain, it is about to get entertaining, it just feels like we are about to kick it off," said Wallgren.
The Ski Swap marks the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Bogus Basin Ski Education Foundation, who makes it their mission to teach kids how to ski and snowboard.
BBSEF has been around since 1967 and this non-profit has made a difference to a lot of kids over the years. Their goal is to have kids grow up and turn skiing and snowboarding into a lifetime sport, like it has become for Wallgren.
"Absolutely, I mean I learned to ski at Bogus, I did the ski school," said Wallgren. "It’s a great organization, they do great stuff and I love to be a part of it."
The Ski Swap runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to noon on Sunday. Tickets cost five dollars, but if you bring in two items of canned food on Sunday you can get in for free.
More than 1,700 volunteer hours go into this event, with most of the volunteers being current and former BBSEF members. Many other businesses and organizations also help out to make sure everyone has what they need when winter rolls around.
