Hello, dear skaters and parents!

2017-2018 skating season is almost here and it is time to check on your skates and get them sharpened or look for replacement for outgrown skates. Ice plant is fired up and rink is being built in the Civic Center!

I have some exciting news about the upcoming season and important information to share with you, so please read the entire letter (2 pages) carefully.

Our program is now part of the Amarillo Youth Hockey Association, (AHAI), a non-profit organization.  This affiliation is a great opportunity for growth of our program, for fundraising and greater community exposure. I am very excited about this new development!

We will still be offering group lessons and practice ice (punch card) sessions.

We will have a web page on the AHAI website and registration will be done online through this website. Registration for the program is being set up at this time and I will communicate to you more details regarding it in the next few days.  

I will remain a primary contact person for the program and I will do my best to help you with any registration issues.

There are two things that you can do starting right now, even before our registration opens.

1. In order to register for ice skating in Amarillo, all skaters are required to renew/sign up with Learn to Skate USA for the upcoming season.  You need to do this prior to registration with Amarillo Ice Skating. 
   1. All prior students already do have a membership number with Learn to Skate USA. It is on your membership card and membership has to be renewed annually. If you need help locating you membership number, please let me know and I will have that information for you. After that, please go to the official website: https://www.learntoskateusa.com/ and create a log-in/profile using your existing membership number and renew your membership.
   2. If you are a new skater, you still need to go to the website:  https://www.learntoskateusa.com/ and sign up as a new member and you will be assigned a membership number.

Learn to Skate USA membership costs $16/year, comes with member benefits and personal injury insurance. You must have a current membership to register with our program. In the past, skating directors have registered all the participants and now skaters can renew/sign up for membership individually. Your Learn to Skate USA member profile stores information about skater advancement through skating skills levels.

1. All skaters are welcome to participate in an AHAI raffle ticket fundraiser. Skaters and parents can sell raffle tickets provided by the association. All money raised (proceeds from tickets sold by each skater) will go directly back to offset that skater’s skating fees. The raffle will run through November 1st of 2017. Tickets are available at Palace Coffee (34th & Coulter) each Wednesday evening, 5:30- 7:00 pm (this will be the ONLY times available during the pre-season).  Amy Henderson and Rachel Andersen are the raffle managers and will be present at Palace Coffee on Wednesdays. Each parent must sign a contract before they receive tickets and you will only be able to take a maximum of 10 booklets at a time. Money from ticket sales can be also turned in on Wednesdays to the raffle managers. On the following Thursday, all credits will be applied to your account by the AHAI Treasurer. All tickets will be accounted for, money or unsold tickets must be turned in before October 25th.

Each ticket is $5 and the prizes are:

1st- Half side of beef and a freezer (donated by Andy’s Fence)

2nd- BBQ grill (donated by Jason Chafe State Farm)

3rd- Revolver gun (donated by S & S Firearms).

This fundraiser is a great way to off-set the cost of taking skating lessons and to teach the kids how to take responsibility for raising their own money.

We are planning to do other fundraising to support our skating program. We will be able to continue to do ushering at the Civic Center events. We are also looking at preparing a Christmas or Winter themed skating show and presenting it in the Coliseum. I was told that we will be able to charge admission to this event which will help cover ice rental costs for our program. If you have any ideas about the theme or music for the show, please feel free to share them. Your input is greatly appreciated!

We also have a surprise gift for all enrolling skaters that was provided by one of our skaters.

One last note: if you are planning to sign up for performance class this season, please contact me prior to registering!

Thank you all for your continued support! I am looking forward to seeing you on the ice again!

Sincerely,

Svetlana Petrey

Skating Director

Amarillo Ice Skating, affiliate of AHAI

806-359-5507

806-378-3815

rpetrey@sbcglobal.net