Contact: Troy Hawks
NSAA Communications
(720) 963-4215
thawks@nsaa.org

NSAA Member Resorts Partner in Sun Safety Program

LAKEWOOD, Colo.- November 23, 2005 -This ski season, the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) will again partner with researchers to educate ski resort visitors and staff about the importance of sun protection. For the second consecutive year, NSAA will distribute Go Sun Smart program materials to its 300+ member ski areas. Researchers will also evaluate 20 more ski areas than last season, increasing the number of resorts providing valuable feedback on Go Sun Smart from 28 to 48 in 2005/06.

"The goal of Go Sun Smart is to provide employees with information about ways to protect themselves from the sun," says David Buller, a scientist with Klein Buendel Inc., a health communications firm and program partner. "Researchers are also studying how sun safety information is passed from employees to ski area guests."

Studies from past seasons have shown a reduction in sunburn among staff and visitors at participating resorts, and for the past two seasons Go Sun Smart has been packaged through NSAA as a resort-wide safety education program. In 2005/06 ski areas will receive a variety of materials to help further sun safety awareness, including posters, a guest-oriented brochure, newsletter-ready safety messages, chairlift signage, and training programs for ski/snowboard school, ski patrol and other employees. NSAA is encouraging resorts to present Go Sun Smart training during staff meetings, and to include the program's sun safety messages in daily grooming reports and in ski/snowboard school and other busy staff areas.

When first introduced in the 2000/01 season, Go Sun Smart researchers interviewed more than 6,000 resort guests and employees at 28 ski areas about their sun habits and incorporated what they learned into a preliminary sun safety program. A group of organizations that currently include Klein Buendel, the University of Colorado, California State University at Chico, San Diego State University, and the University of Kentucky are continuing this important research. Findings from 48 ski resorts this season will contribute to the ongoing evaluation and evolution of Go Sun Smart.

More information on Go Sun Smart is available at www.gosunsmart.org or nsaa.org.

 THE NATIONAL SKI AREAS ASSOCIATION, LOCATED IN LAKEWOOD, COLO., IS A TRADE ASSOCIATION FORMED IN 1962 FOR SKI AREA OWNERS AND OPERATORS NATIONWIDE.

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