PAL participant, Anissa Lewis, with an armful of anticipation.

For most of the 39 kids from Hartford who hit the slopes at Ski Snowdown on March 6, it was not only the first time they donned snowboarding and ski equipment, it was the first time they saw a ski mountain.

And it was all thanks to the City of Hartford and the Hartford Police Activities League (PAL), who teamed up with Ski Sundown in New Hartford for its third annual Ski Sundown event – as well as Jay Sloves, whose firm Elkinson & Sloves Marketing of Farmington has helped organize and sponsor the program since its inception in 2012.

“We were part of the development team for The Bushnell rink; so when Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra wanted to introduce the Hartford kids to a new experience, the switch from ice to snow was on and we were all in,” said Sloves, an active member of West Hartford’s Jewish community. The West Hartford resident credits the 25-years he spent as a board member of the Mandell Jewish Community Center as helping to nurture his commitment to helping kids.

“Programs like Ski Sundown help us keep kids out of trouble. Keeping them on the slopes instead of the streets is a good thing,” said Hartford PAL Officer Hector Casablanca.

“This past winter, Winterfest in Bushnell Park let our children experience the joy of skating. Now, it has expanded to show kids the joy of going down hill,” said Segarra said. 

“The City of Hartford appreciates Jay’s on-going passion to help make a difference.”