February 23, 2017

Five for Fives: Roy Tuscany

Parlor Skis is really excited to join the High Fives Foundation's Five for Fives program with a custom co-lab ski. We've had a close relationship with the Tahoe-based non profit for a while now, and the time has come to join forces. Rather than carrying on about how awesome High Fives is (it's rad), and why you need to buy this ski (you really should), we decided a quick Q&A with the foundation's CEO Roy Tuscany would be the best way to tell this story. Enjoy!

15% of the proceeds on the sale of every pair of High Fives skis will go to the foundation. Get your pair here.

For those readers out there not familiar with you and the High Fives Foundation, can you give them a quick overview of what it is that you do, and how High Fives came to be?

RT: High Fives Foundation is a Tahoe-based, national 501.c.3 non-profit organization. The High Fives Foundation supports the dreams of mountain action sports athletes by raising injury prevention awareness while providing resources and inspiration to those who suffer life-altering injuries. Formed as a way to "pay-it-forward" by the founder from his own recovery to help injured athletes, the Foundation has helped 146 athletes from 27 to date since its inception in 2009. For more information visit www.highfivesfoundation.org

How old were you when you learned to ski?

RT: 3rd grade in the Waterbury Elementary after-school ski program, no one in my family had ever skied before me. So, I felt natural to break the family tradition and become a skier. The program was every Wednesday night at Bolton Valley under the lights for night-skiing from 4pm to 9pm.

Where did you learn to ski? Where did you grow up?

RT: I started skiing at Bolton Valley, but I truly learned to ski at Sugarbush in the Mad River Valley. Following the likes of Jesse Murphy, John Egan and being a member of the Diamond Dawgs program at the mountain. I grew up in Waterbury, VT but I claim the Mad River Valley as my home.

What's your favorite thing about running the High Fives Foundation?

RT: Community; we have created an inclusive community at the organization. I love interacting with our supporters and being able to support the mountain action sports athletes. It is a blessing to be able to immerse myself into the community that we support.

A lot of folks in New England are familiar with your work through Mr. Jonny Klemchuk. Give us your favorite story about one of High Five's favorite ambassadors in the North East.

RT: Wow, the minister of stoke! My favorite story was after the Golf Tournament this summer and we were moving event infrastructure from the vehicles to the upper level storage we have at Vermont North Ski Shop. It was one of those 100% humidity days in Vermont and having to lug tents, banners, etc. up two flights of stairs made for a solid workout in the heat. By the end of the 10 trips Johnny made up the stairs, he sweated through 5 shirts, basically one shirt per two trips. The guy is a work horse, a positive spreader of joy and someone that is not afraid to sweat through 5 shirts while volunteering.

Don't forget to check out some of the other great companies participating in Five for Fives here, and oh yeah... BUY THE SKIS.