Kevin Chaisson – 2021 Sport Makes a Difference Award Recipient

by North Highlands Nordic

Leading by Example

Cross Country Nova Scotia is proud to announce North Highlands Nordic‘s Kevin Chaisson as the recipient of Support4Sport’s 2021 Sport Makes a Difference Award. Sport Nova Scotia created this award to recognize volunteers who made an impact in sport, despite the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about how this special club volunteer, Kevin Chaisson, brought people together to ensure the continued legacy of North Highlands Nordic, during a global health crisis.

We at North Highlands Nordic are so Grateful to have had Kevin Chaisson in charge of our Building Committee. He went above and beyond like no other. He is a very remarkable man and we couldn’t have done this build without him. We can’t thank him enough for everything he has done for us voluntarily.
PAULA MICHAELIS | PRESIDENT | NORTH HIGHLANDS NORDIC

Volunteer Application, written by North Highlands Nordic

One year ago, we were all witnessing a change in our world that would affect us all in ways we couldn’t predict. Our world is a different place. One year ago, North Highlands Nordic was ending the 2020 ski season and the club was also facing major changes as we decided to leave the facility we had been in since the 1987 Canada Games and build our own facility.

One year later North Highlands is a different place and has a new look. Phase One of our new facility… the groomer building and office… is completed.

Many hours of volunteer time by a group of very dedicated men cleared the land, built a connecting ski trail to the existing trails, and built a groomer building. The crew that worked on the building were committed and from October 2020 on were there Monday to Friday 8 hors a day until well into January. All deserve a reward.

However, at the very top of this dedicated group was one man, Kevin Chaisson. In a club that has many very dedicated volunteers we all agree he is at the top this year! A member of our club and recreational skier, he saw the vision and the need and stepped up to the plate.

He coordinated the building project… doing all the jobs a contractor would do… with no renumeration. He spent countless hours (and I hear a few sleepless nights too) behind the scenes as well as on site. Getting building permits, ordering materials, laying out the building site, loaning his tools, arranging for the right equipment to be onsite and often operating that equipment, making sure materials were delivered on time and putting hands on time using with carpentry skills and operating the heavy machinery, dealing with all the bureaucracy required to build on a new site. The list continues.

The crew of men, again all volunteers, that worked daily from October to February essentially putting their lives on hold, all had incredible respect for Kevin and his coordinating abilities. As Maurice Curtis, another dedicated volunteer, said “He led by example and coordinating the project made our jobs so much easier and enjoyable. He worked alongside of us not over us!”

He led by example and coordinating the project made our jobs so much easier and enjoyable. He worked alongside of us not over us!
MAURICE CURTIS | DEDICATED VOLUNTEER | REGARDING CHAISSON

The only rule Kevin insisted on is following the COVID-19 protocols. Our volunteer building crew bubbled together. And when the rest of us started skiing he was still there working.

Kevin knew how much cross-country skiing meant to our “down north” community and to skiers locally and province-wide and to several generations who enhanced their skiing careers at North Highlands Nordic and for skiing generations to come. Despite the difficulties with COVID-19 and with the challenging weather this winter season Kevin gave his all and made a difference to everyone in the cross-country skiing community.

A groomer building gives us a warm dry place for our groomer, a well looked after groomer gives us well groomed trails in all kinds of conditions, beautiful, groomed trails give the skier a good experience and a good experience means our sport will grow! Thanks Kevin!!!!

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