Five years ago, after a 20-year break from the sport, former U.S. Ski Jumping Team member and Junior World Championship competitor Mark Breen took to the slopes with his family. The girls (Olivia and Chloe) were just 5 and 7 then, so he and wife Deborah knew it was time to get them on the mountain. They immersed themselves in skiing for a week and haven’t looked back. For their commitment to Windham Mountain, their community and their own family traditions, the Breens have been selected as the 2009-10 Family of the Year.
Deborah remembers that the initial ski trip five years ago came easier for her husband and kids. “Even though it was really a challenge to keep up, there was still something I loved about skiing,” she says. “As soon as we returned from that trip, I started taking steps to get back into shape and re-focus my habits around a healthier lifestyle. It’s easy to get a great workout skiing. It burns 500 calories an hour and it certainly beats the gym!” After losing over 40 pounds, Deborah continues to push herself to better her skiing abilities.
Settling in at the right resort didn’t happen right away. The Breens tried a couple of other nearby ski areas before finding that Windham felt like home. “It felt comfortable, welcoming, and there was enough mountain and mix of trails that we could easily keep busy the whole day,” Deborah remembers. “We loved the fire pit, the ice bar and the fun atmosphere when a live DJ or band was playing outside the base lodge. And Justin, our regular waiter, even knows how I like my Bloody Marys! That’s what keeps us coming back – knowing that Windham really tries to treat people like family.”
The Breens are all expert skiers, though Chloe is thinking of trying out snowboarding. They are all enthusiastic NASTAR racers at the silver medal level, pushing hard for the gold. Mark was even inspired to rejoin the Master's Tour and ski jump again.
In 2008, Mark not only captured the bronze and silver medals at the Master’s National Ski Jumping Championship, but he also captured gold medals at the 2008 Empire State Games. Unfortunately, last January he broke his leg ski jumping. He pledged to get back on snow in the same season, and accomplished that by skiing at Windham in March. Nothing will keep this family from their favorite winter activity.
The family is used to getting up at the crack of dawn to make it to the mountain when conditions are best. They ski hard all day, but also make time for some non-ski activities. “You can’t get the kids off those bungee trampolines!” Deborah says. “They’ll flip on that all day long! The kids have gone to a couple birthday parties at the tubing park, too.” Not surprisingly, Mark and Deborah are looking into sharing a house near the mountain with friends. Maybe that means they can sleep a little later on weekends.
Deborah is executive director of the Northern Dutchess Hospital Foundation, as well as an officer of the board of the local Rotary Club, the immediate-past president and a current board member of the Rhinebeck Area Chamber of Commerce and a board member of Ferncliff Forest.
Sergeant Mark Breen is the Station Commander of the New York State Police Barracks in Rhinebeck and serves his community every day. His service stretches beyond the local community, too. He was deployed to New York City on 9/11 and served for several months on a special task force to keep peace and order in New York City. He was also deployed to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina to help with recovery efforts during two tours of duty.
“We are proud to recognize the Breens as our Family of the Year,” says General Manager Tim Woods. “They selflessly volunteer their time to help others and have a great ‘work hard, play hard’ spirit. I’m sure these are values that Olivia and Chloe have learned well and will pass on to their families. That’s what Windham is all about.”