FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dinner with Diggins

The Chilkoot Café and Cyclery is once again hosting a fund raiser for former Stillwater High School and current US Ski Team member, Jessie Diggins, on November 10^th at 6PM.  All proceeds from the event go directly to Jessie to support training and racing expenses.  Call for more information or to reserve your spot at the Chilkoot Café, 651-342-0429.

Details:

Minnesota native and US Cross Country Ski Team member, Jessie Diggins, starts the 2013-14 ski season with her eyes firmly set on the Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. This vision is nothing new – it’s something Jessie has had in her sights since she was 15 years old.   Jessie was a Stillwater High School Nordic Ski team member, three time Minnesota State High School Champion and 4 time National Champion.  The 2012-2013 season was an amazing pre-Olympic season, not only for Jessie, but for the whole US Women’s Ski Team.  In December, Jessie paired up with teammate Kikkan Randall to win a gold medal in the World Cup team sprint in Quebec City, Quebec.  Thousands of excited Americans and Canadians waved flags and cheered themselves hoarse watching the Americans take this long awaited World Cup victory with skill, fitness and guts.  Later in the season, Jessie and Kikkan teamed up again, this time in the World Championships, winning the US’s first-ever World Championship gold medal in the team sprint.  Jessie and Kikkan’s victories crowned a sparkling season for the US Women. The highlight of the season for Jessie’s local fan club was when she returned to Minnesota in the spring, sharing her World Championship gold medal and her stories with young skiers from around the Midwest, teaching, inspiring and encouraging….reminding us all that we are part of Jessie’s extended team, even when she is racing far away in Europe. 

Jessie’s preparations for Sochi keep her on the road almost full time.  This summer, she spent time training in Minnesota, Vermont, Utah and Alaska.  She’ll target early snow in Canada this fall and then head to Europe, racing in the World Cup and the Tour de Ski as she prepares for her first visit to the Olympic Games in February.  The US Women have big plans for what they want to accomplish in Russia and last year’s success show they execute  those plans. 

While the US Ski Team provides food and lodging during training camps throughout the year, the training and lodging expenses between races and camps are funded by individual team members. Jessie is expecting that national and international travel, lodging and race expenses for the race season will reach $20,000. Jessie has worked to secure several grants and sponsorship packages that will help address these expenses, but, with the Nordic ski racing season starting soon, she is still short of her anticipated need.   
 
To fill the gap, friends and supporters of Jessie are organizing a fund-raising dinner at Chilkoot Café and Cyclery, in Stillwater, MN at 6:00PM on November 10^th . 

Please consider joining Jessie’s supporters by purchasing a $100 supporter badge, and enjoying a great dinner at Chilkoot Café and Cyclery on November 10th.  Jessie will be on hand to share the highlights of her 2012-13 season and her plans for this upcoming Olympic season.  All proceeds from the event will go directly to support Jessie’s travel and training expenses.  Call for more information or to reserve your spot by calling the Chilkoot Café at 651-342-0429.
 
Jessie has come a long way since anchoring her Stillwater High School relay teams. Let’s help her fill that anchor position for the US Women’s Ski Team in Sochi!