Donations
To donate online to the Al Hodgson Memorial Scholarship Fund, please click on the donate button below select the Al Hodgson Fund from the drop down box. If you prefer to donate by cheque, please download and complete this form and mail it to the Foundation's office (our address is on the form).
Al Hodgson was the President of the Association of BC Snowmobile Clubs (ABCSnow) for many years. In that position, he was instrumental in building support for Avalanche Canada and fostering a culture of avalanche safety within the snowmobiling community. Even as he stepped down from his role at the helm of ABCSnow, he continued to encourage avalanche safety training for all mountain snowmobilers.
In memory of his passion, vision and influence, donations to the Al Hodgson Memorial Fund will be used to award scholarships to support snowmobilers who wish to take recreational or professional level avalanche safety training.
Recreational Training - Avalanche Skills Training or Companion Rescue Course
This scholarship is intended for young snowmobilers (18 to 25 years old) who wish to become an active participant in the safety culture of their snowmobiling community. More information on both of these courses can be found here. A maximum of $400 will be awarded for this scholarship.
Professional Training - Avalanche Operations Level 1 or Level 2
This scholarship is intended for snowmobilers who wish to become leaders in the safety culture of their local snowmobiling community (additional details below). Riders must ensure they meet the prerequisites for this training, which can be found here. A maximum of $1500 will be awarded for this scholarship.
Criteria for Al Hodgson Memorial Scholarship
Recreational Training Scholarship
- Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 25
- Applicants must show proof of having completed an AST or Companion Rescue course with an AST Provider
- Applicants must submit a letter describing why they wish to receive this scholarship and how they intend on becoming an active participant in the safety culture of their snowmobiling community.
Professional Training Scholarship
- Applicants must be approved for an Operations Level 1 or Level 2 course with the Canadian Avalanche Association.
- Applications for the scholarship must be submitted prior to starting the course.
- Scholarships will be paid upon completion of the Level 1 course or each module of the Level 2 course.
- Applicants must submit a letter describing why they wish to receive this scholarship and how they intend on becoming an active leader in the safety culture of their snowmobiling community.
Application Process
Download and complete the grant application form here.
Provide a letter describing in detail the applicant's snowmobiling experience, why they wish to receive the scholarship and how they intend on becoming an active leader in the safety culture of the snowmobiling community.
Those wishing to obtain the scholarship to pursue the professional training stream also need to describe their future plans as a professional and how those plans will benefit the snowmobiling community.
Remember the purpose of your application is to showcase your skills and suitability for your chosen grant. To make sure your application is as effective as possible, consider ensuring your work is presented in a professional style and has been checked for spelling, grammar and punctuation. You can use a free tool, such as Grammarly if you’d like extra support with this.
Send completed application and letter to grants@avalanche.ca or send via mail to the address specified on the application by September 30.
Successful applicants will be chosen by the ACF’s Grants Committee, based on the criteria listed above. Applicants will be notified after the application deadline. The number of scholarships awarded will depend on funds available. Scholarships will be awarded upon proof of successful completion of the course for which the scholarship was applied for.