The annual ski trip, sponsored by Xavier College Prepartory’s Dads’ Club, takes place in Durango, Colorado during the weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This is a long weekend trip dedicated to the important bond between fathers and daughters.
Though the event centers upon the students of Xavier College Preparatory, Xavier’s Dads’ Club coordinates the entire event. Robert Healy, president of the Dads’ Club, Brian Cantoni, Bob Henry and Sam LaMagna – the co-chairs of the Dads’ Club – are key organizers.
“The process of planning the ski trip starts the week after the ski trip [the year] before,” said Cantoni. The process of planning the ski trip begins almost immediately due to how big of a job planning the trip is.
Jeri Butts, Dad’s Club liaison, explains how the process of planning the trip has many parts to it. “It’s a really big process of contacting and planning,” said Butts. The three co-chairs for the trip have special positions in the planning process. Cantoni organizes the registration and lodging, Henry coordinates the apparel, and LaMagna is in charge of the food resources for the families.
Xavier offers students a variety of different student trips, but the ski trip differs from others. The other offered trips are strictly students, but the ski trip invites fathers and daughters to connect. “Having the father-daughter aspect makes the ski trip special in its own way,” said Katie Carlson, a senior at Xavier who has attended the ski trip every year since her freshman year.
“This is truly meant to be a father-daughter event,” said Butts. From the bus ride, skiing, eating and all the other activities, the fathers and daughters stay together and enjoy each others’ company.
“The trip builds camaraderie between dads and daughters, and that’s not always the easiest thing to do,” Cantoni continues. “The relationship between moms and daughters is naturally stronger and this gives a great opportunity for dads and daughters to build a better relationship.”
Healy emphasizes the opportunity fathers have to spend quality time with their daughters. Included in the opportunity is to meet other fathers and daughters which leads to interacting with and meeting new families. As far as lodging, daughters stay with daughters, and dads stay with dads. There is no intermixing.
The Dad’s Club has been hosting the Xavier ski trip for over twenty years. “The trip is established because the Dad’s Club has been doing the trip for so many years,” said Carlson.
One of the more important aspects of the trip is known as the Letter Program. Daughters of the trip write letters to their fathers, thanking them for taking them on the ski trip.
“These letters are very heartfelt and emotional,” Butts says. “It’s a true father-daughter part of the trip.”
“The best part of the trip are the dads’ comments on how much time they get to spend with their daughters, and daughters’ comments about how much they got to understand their dads better,” Cantoni said.
