European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 24, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Members of the Frankfurt International ski club watch a ski aerobics demonstration during a recent meeting. A amps Gus Schuettner club members stand in line to sign up for ski trips to several destinations. A amps  clubs a Good mix by Chuck Roberts staff writer two Young women sat quietly among the noisy crowd while taking in the happenings at the Frankfurt International ski club. Their Story was similar to most newcomers who added their names that night to a membership of More than 500. Mari Lou Winfield and Janet Braddock joined the club to meet new people while letting someone else take care of the hassles of planning and executing a ski trip. Winfield added that skiing is a Good Way to stay in shape and the club scene is an easy Way to learn where to find the Best ski resorts. But Braddock had another reason that Likely separates her from most other skiers. A i like snacking at the White cafe Quot she said. This is another term for Quot eating Snow Quot a face first wipe out on the slopes. The Frankfurt club operates like Many ski clubs found in areas such As Nurnberg Kaiserslautern Heidelberg and Stuttgart. After paying their $20 membership fee Winfield and Braddock simply had to look at the signs offering tempting choices such As resorts in Zermatt St Bat or Zell am see and put their name on the list. The club takes care of the rest. The Only thing left for the member to do is show up on the Day of departure and get on the bus. Even the dreaded seven hour bus ride can be fun if done with a club said club president Philip Pearson. Quot if you Don t know anyone when you get on the bus you certainly will when the trip is Over Quot said Carol Weimer who joined the club nine years ago because she was Young alone and wanted to meet people. She said Many bus acquaintances Nave turned into close friends. And bus travel keeps getting better Pearson said. After participating in Only a few trips each year since joining in 1985, he took 10 trips last year because the club s ban on smoking in the bus has made Quot All the  another difference is the noise level. The club has turned Down the volume from a few years ago when it had its fair share of party animals said Bobbi Hepenstal publicity officer. This was a concern of sue Tanis who went on one trip after joining last year. Quot i was worried about it being some kind of frat party but it want Quot Tanis said. Quot it was very organized and Well  Quot now we have a Good mix of singles and families Quot Hepenstal said Between interruptions As she took care of last minute details for the Winter fashion show shown later that evening. Quot we try to maintain it somewhere in the  that s the same theory prescribed to by the Heidelberg International ski club which does not allow smoking or rowdiness on trips and turns out the bus lights at 10 . However if someone is dying for a cigarette the bus will Stop for him said club president Herb Seaton. The Heidelberg club has 43 trips lined up for the Winter ski season. The choices include three thanksgiving trips to Zermatt Switzerland tines France and St Baital Austria. Seaton said ski clubs provide a Good orientation for skiing in Europe which can be dangerous because the slopes Aren t groomed and marked like they Are in the United states. Quot in Europe you assume the risk when you ski Quot Seaton said Quot if you ski into a lift Tower you can t sue the ski resort. The Mountain is fair game and you can go wherever you want to. Quot everything in the states is dictated by the insurance Carrier. Here they assume you Are a big boy and can take care of yourself Quot Seaton said. Medical Aid by the ski patrol usually is free Seaton said but when an injury occurs off the Trail the skier might have to pay the Bill. Seaton recommends investing in some of the Low Cost ski insurance plans offered by companies such As adar. A seven minute helicopter ride Cost Seaton $640 when he broke his Collarbone in a skiing Accident a few years ago. He could have been transported Down the Mountain by the ski patrol in a sled but Seaton wanted to be flown out to prevent the possibility of complicating the injury. Information such As this is shared at ski club meetings. The Frankfurt meeting featured humorous skits on dressing for the slopes packing for the bus ride and surviving in the free for All lift lines in Europe. Quot we do everything for you Quot Seaton  you need to do is show up at the bus. We even have a meal on the bus for  but ski clubs Aren t just for skiing anymore. The Frankfurt club also offers picnics and bicycle Tours during the summer and will feature a Mediterranean cruise in june. The Kaiserslautern club recently sponsored a trip to oktoberfest in Munich Germany. A Survey of club members from the Patch ski club in Stuttgart Germany revealed that members want to be Active the entire year said club president Frank Ziebert whose club got the season under Way with a trip to Solden Austria. The club will offer More than 40 trips to six countries. Featured trips will be their five Day Champagne trip to bled Yugoslavia during the new year s Holiday and a seven Day trip to France by train. The Patch club is going in a new direction this year Ziebert said. Quot we Are concentrating on the new skier. We want them to learn with  the club has professional ski instructors in charge of a beginner program that includes Day trips by train to local resorts. Starting off on the right ski is important Ziebert said. Quot i was a ski patrolled and saw a lot of folks get turned off with a bad experience while learning How to ski Quot Ziebert said. Quot to be in Europe and not ski is a real  the goal for the Kaiserslautern ski club is to combat High prices caused by the weak american Dollar said club president Ollie Olson. This includes a trip to the armed forces recreation Center resort in Garnish Germany to take advantage of . Facilities there. But the club also has re instituted some of the More expensive trips again too. They travel to St. Moritz Switzerland in december for a six Day trip that will Cost about 730 Marks $486. It is not cheap Olson said but he pointed out that the Price includes everything from bus trip to beverages. Quot we think we have some Good trips but now we need some help with Snow production Quot Olson said. During the Frankfurt meeting Weimar said an old austrian with an Quot infallible Quot sense of Snow prediction says this Winter will be the Best in seven years. But another skier said he had heard the same report for the past several years. People will just have to ski and see