Avalanche Forecast Supporters Change Name

The private, non-profit organization that supports the Bridger-Teton National Forest Avalanche Center through fundraising and other support efforts is changing its name to Friends of the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center. It was formerly known as the Avalanche Forecast Support Organization.  Avalanche Forecaster Bob Comey says the group’s board decided the name change would help people better understand the relationship between the forecast center, the national forest and supporters.  Comey says the old name has been in use for about ten years now, but the board didn’t believe it told people who weren’t directly involved with the effort exactly what the organization does. Comey says that public support continues to be very important to enabling the 12-year-old avalanche forecast center’s operation each winter.  He says over 65% of the Avalanche Center’s seasonal operation costs comes from the public, and most of that comes through Old Bill’s Fun Run.  He says the organization wants to be sure that when supporters look for the non-profit on the list and don’t find it under the old name, they will know to look for Friends of the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center.  Comey says among the services that have grown thanks to the non-profit support have been extending the forecast season, operating remote automated weather stations, creating a new web-based display of avalanche events  and providing public avalanche awareness presentations.