Move To Fly Moe's Mom To Olympics Has Profitable Side

You might have seen Tommy Moe's father dancing around the streets of Lillehammer, Norway this past week. Hard to miss him. He was the guy who wore what appeared to be several dead wolves over much of his body.

What you didn't see - until late in the week, anyway - was Moe's mother, JoAnn Persons, who lives in Whitefish, Mont.

Folks in Whitefish, where Moe spent his childhood skiing at The Big Mountain, thought it was only fitting Mom should be there to help celebrate her son's Olympic downhill gold medal. Calls were made, collections taken, passports issued, tickets purchased.

Within a day, "Operation Moe's Mom" had Persons and her husband, Cliff, on a plane in Kalispell, bound for Europe via Seattle. The couple was scheduled to arrive at the Olympics on Friday.

The effort was coordinated by the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce and the local resort association. And it's likely to be as profitable as it was heartwarming. As they announced "Operation Moe's Mom" to media throughout the U.S., organizers pointed out that The Big Mountain was key to Moe's development. Oh, yeah: it's also one of Ski Magazine's top-rated ski resorts, and is served by Delta Air, Horizon and Amtrak.

No word on whether Tommy's mom plans to hook up with Dave's.

Speaking of which: Alyeska Resort near Anchorage gets an early nomination for Bonehead Ski-Industry Marketing Decision of the '90s. Moe, who later moved to Palmer and then Girdwood, Alaska, spent his formative years at Alyeska. The young skier, soon to be a media superstar, recently asked his hometown resort to sponsor him on the World Cup circuit. Alyeska said no.

Latest protective fad: Ski helmets for adults. Not as nutty as it sounds, suggests the National Head Injury Foundation, which reports that ski accidents involve head injuries about 8 percent of the time - roughly the same percentage as bicycle accidents. The magazine also reports that Vermont's chief medical examiner estimates helmets could have prevented half of the ski fatalities in his state from 1976 to 1992. We're not sure whether that's a strong endorsement for ski helmets, or just a ringing indictment of Vermont's legendary bulletproof snow.

REI dividend checks are in the mail.

The annual consumer rebate from the nation's largest consumer cooperative will be slightly heftier than in the past. The rebate is 10.55 percent this year, up from 10.2 percent a year ago.

REI's 1.2 million members will get their share of $22.5 million in rebates. That compares with $18.7 million paid to just over a million members for 1992.

The average REI dividend this year was about $18. You can exchange yours for merchandise now (hint: the annual spring Anniversary Sale starts May 6) or swap it for cash later this summer. But remember to use it before 1995.

The refund boost is a result of an 18 percent leap in REI sales over 1993. That increase also allows the Seattle-based company to boost its contributions to outdoor recreation causes. REI this year will pitch in $657,000, for a total of $3.8 million since its conservation grant program began in 1976.

Outdoor notes

-- Guided tour-boat service will begin on Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park this summer. Mosquito Fleet Enterprises of Everett will run a 149-passenger, double-decked paddlewheel tour boat on the 12-mile-long lake beginning in May. Seventy-five minute tours will be offered daily for $15. Tickets will be sold at the Shadow Mountain Store, with passengers bused to the vessel. The tours, which include descriptions of the Port Angeles-area lake's features and history, mark the first time it has seen daily passenger boat service since the 1920s. Details: 206-452-4501.

-- Also at Lake Crescent, roadwork began last week on Highway 101, which has been eroded by wave action on the south shore. Recent storms undermined guardrails and shoulders in 34 places, Olympic officials say. Flaggers will be on the roadway. Expect delays for about 60 days.

-- The Seattle Marathon is one of the top 20 marathons in the U.S., says Runners World magazine. It's the second such honor for the local race, which this year also made the magazine's list of the top 90 U.S. running events. The marathon celebrates its 25th anniversary Nov. 26.

-- The 11th MS Ski Challenge is March 12 at Snoqualmie Pass, with skiers of all ages invited to ski, telemark, snowboard or cross-country ski to raise money in support of Multiple Sclerosis research. Lift tickets are $15 and a minimum of $75 in pledges. Details: 284-4236 or (800) 800-7047.