History

Bud Dunbar, "Father" of the Ski Club, in 1954, placed an Ad in the Daily Oklahoman reading "WANTED: Skiers interested in organizing a club contact Bud Dunbar." 22 people responded and met at the urging of Ruth and Bud Dunbar to form the Sooner Ski Club. The Sooner Ski Club was incorporated in 1965 with 164 members. In the 1980's, the Club membership reached over 2,000 members. In 1992 there were over 1,000 members. The Oklahoma City Ski Club has developed into an exciting multi faceted organization offering opportunities to enjoy skiing and other sports, to meet people, to make lifetime friends, and to participate in varied group activities.

The first ski trips were made via cars to Colorado and New Mexico. In the good old days a weeks lodging in Aspen was $70.00 per couple! As the prices rose so did the enthusiasm and membership in the Club. Harvey O'Mealey, the Club's first official President, 1959-60, told of their first trip to Aspen. There was one SINGLE chair lift and it took 45 minutes to get to the top. The lift operator would throw a fur coat around the skier on the way up and then it would be sent back down on a chair. The good part was that you could get a week's ski lessons for $20!

Alene Greene, the 2nd President, 1960-61, knew the Club was outgrowing the meetings in people's homes sought larger quarters. Through the years the meeting places have included the Last Chance Saloon at Frontier City, Knights of Columbus Hall, Twin Hills, Shrine Temple, Top of the Mall, Sportsman's Club, Town Hall, Habana Inn, and Elks Lodge.

In 1962, the Club chartered its first sit-up bus for a trip to New Mexico. The Ski Club was the originator of the idea that Oklahomans are overnight from most of the Colorado/New Mexico ski areas, and in 1966 convinced a local bus company to build a sleeper bus, guaranteeing the Company 10,000 miles the first year. There were 13 trips that year. The Club had difficulty meeting the commitment and the bus would stop along the way through western Oklahoma and the Panhandle, picking up people in order to meet the needed quota.

By 1970 trips were leaving most every weekend and the name was changed to the Oklahoma City Ski Club. Trips to Canada, California, Idaho, Wyoming, and Europe had been added to the trip schedule.