DUKE PETERSON MEMORIAL FUND
Established in 2002, this fund was created in memory of the coach and friend that Duke Peterson was, and still is, to so many on the Squaw Valley Freestyle & Freeride Team. Duke spent a great portion of his life as both a competitor and coach on this team, and was the Team Director when he passed away in 2001.
Awards from the Duke Peterson Memorial Fund are given annually to members of the Squaw Valley Freestyle & Freeride Team. The intention of this award is to provide an athlete with the opportunity to work as hard and passionately at freestyle skiing as Duke so often did himself.
...we remember you Duke, and on the good days out there on the hill, we ski with you in our hearts...
About Duke
CHARITYSMITH is proud to present a skiing scholarship in memory of a coach and friend. Duke Peterson was a hardworking, genuine, and determined person. He exuded confidence and he was noteworthy for inspiring others to present their best. Duke was an athlete, a coach, a business owner, and most importantly, a husband and father of four. He touched more lives than we can count, inspired more kids than we realize, and worked harder than most of us understand.
In the summer of 2001, while coaching his son's little league game, Duke Peterson suffered a heart attack and died, a result of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Duke was 33 years old.
The following year, at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, a small group of friends got together and discussed the figure that Duke Peterson was to so many... incredible and genuine and inspiring. It was decided to create a scholarship in Duke's memory. A scholarship designed to provide an athlete with the opportunity to work as hard and passionately at freestyle skiing as Duke so often did himself.
In October of 2002, the first annual recipient of the Duke Peterson Memorial Freestyle Fund was selected and received a financial award to assist with the expenses of the 2003 competitive ski season. Since then, five individuals have received this award and pushed toward the dream of the US Freestyle Ski Team and Olympic Gold.
Recipients:
- 2007 Michael Bolchevec (Squaw Valley Freestyle Team)
- 2006 Liam Forsyth (Squaw Valley Freestyle Team)
- 2005 McKenzie Golding (US Freestyle Team)
- 2005 Nick Tomasello (Squaw Valley Freestyle Team)
- 2004 Chelsea Waters (Squaw Valley Freestyle Team)
- 2004 Jay Teng (US NorAm Freestyle Team)
- 2003 Laurel Shanley (US Freestyle Team)
- 2002 Shelly Robertson (US Freestyle Team)
Fund Administrators:
- Eric Peterson
- Brooks Rohlen
Donations:
All donations to the Duke Peterson Memorial Fund (a division of CHARITYSMITH) are tax deductible in accordance with federal tax laws. Donations can be made using one of the following secure methods:
- By mail: send your donation check payable to:
Duke Peterson Memorial Fund
c/o CHARITYSMITH Nonprofit Foundation
PO Box 7377, Menlo Park, CA 94025 - At Wells Fargo Bank: donations can be deposited directly to the Duke Peterson Memorial Fund. For account information, please contact CHARITYSMITH at 800-276-6546.
- Gift Card: Donate in honor of someone and we will mail a gift card directly to your family, friends, or business associates telling them you’ve made a donation in their honor. Make a Donation
- Online: donate with a credit card or PayPal/Google Checkout account by clicking one of the links below or by calling 800-276-6546.
- Thank you for your tax-deductible donation. If you make your donation online through PayPal, you will receive an immediate electronic receipt of your donation which you can print out and keep for your records. If you mail in your donation using a personal check, you will receive in the mail a receipt of tax deductible donation to CHARITYSMITH's Duke Peterson Memorial Fund in the first week of the month following your donation.
- (This memorial fund is established as a division of CHARITYSMITH Nonprofit Foundation EIN 87-0636433. CHARITYSMITH is dedicated to the creation and governing of memorial endeavors. All donations are tax deductible in accordance with federal tax laws. If you have any questions regarding this donation or memorial fund, please contact CHARITYSMITH at your convenience.)