My 'Utah SAFEST Winter Sports' Advocacy Letter That I Wrote and Sent Today to Utah State House Majority Leader Mike Schultz

 This is my "Utah SAFEST Winter Sports" letter that I wrote and sent today  to Utah State House Majority Leader Mike Schultz:

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: "John McMillan" <mcmillanj@att.net>

To: "Mike Schultz" <mikeschultz@le.utah.gov>, "Gay Lynn Bennion" <glbennion@le.utah.gov>, "Paul A. Cutler" <pcutler@le.utah.gov>, "Jplumb" <jplumb@le.utah.gov>, "Joel Briscoe" <jbriscoe@le.utah.gov>, "Him-roi" <him-roi@umail.utah.edu>, "contactus@imail.org" <contactus@imail.org>, "Deseret News 2022" <dnweb@deseretnews.com>, "Fox News SLC 2022" <news@fox13now.com>, "media@utahsafetycouncil.org" <media@utahsafetycouncil.org>, "Utah Medical Association 2021" <info@utahmed.org>, "yeti@skiutah.com" <yeti@skiutah.com>, "Angela Romero" <angelaromero@le.utah.gov>, "Cameron Roden" <croden@utah.gov>, "Internships" <internships@romney.senate.gov>, "jessanderson@utah.gov" <jessanderson@utah.gov>, "Office of Gov. Spencer Cox" <govcomm@utah.gov>, "Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson 2021" <beckiepage@utah.gov>, "Schools Utah Webmaster" <webmaster@schools.utah.gov>, "ryan.bartlett@schools.utah.gov" <ryan.bartlett@schools.utah.gov>, "anielson@murrayschools.org" <anielson@murrayschools.org>, "chad.atkinson" <chad.atkinson@slcgov.com>, "Mike Weichers" <mweichers@ch.utah.gov>, "mike.brown" <mike.brown@slcgov.com>, "slcpdpr@slcgov.com" <slcpdpr@slcgov.com>, "Utah Hospital Association 2021" <jill@utahhospitals.org>, "sportseducation@usskiandsnowboard.org" <sportseducation@usskiandsnowboard.org>, "Sportssafety Info" <info@sportssafety.org>, "American Medical Society for Sports Med. 2021" <jgriffith@amssm.org>, "National Scholastic Sports Foundation" <collegiate@nationalscholastic.org>, "National Youth Sports Safety Foundation" <nyssf@aol.com>, "Utah Republican Party" <info@utgop.org>, "Utah Democrats" <mail@utdem.org>, "University of Utah Student Newspaper 2022" <press@chronicle.utah.edu>, "jsweeney@sltrib.com" <jsweeney@sltrib.com>, "nbauer@abc4.com" <nbauer@abc4.com>, "Jennifer Gardiner" <jgardiner@abc4.com>, "newsmedia@ldschurch.org" <newsmedia@ldschurch.org>, "marie.stewart" <marie.stewart@slcgov.com>, "Mayor Wilson" <mayor@slco.org>, "Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall 2021" <mayor@slcgov.com>, "Salt Lake City (UT) City Council" <council.comments@slcgov.com>, "County Council Member Bradshaw" <arbradshaw@slco.org>, "llstringham@slco.org" <llstringham@slco.org>, "suharrison@slco.org" <suharrison@slco.org>, "Mark A. Strong" <mstrong@le.utah.gov>, "Joe Dougherty (DHHS)" <joedougherty@utah.gov>, "Salt Lake Magazine 2022" <magazine@saltlakemagazine.com>, "Slchamber Info" <info@slchamber.com>, "Jenean Lindley" <jlindley@slchamber.com>, "DenverPostEditors" <newsroom@denverpost.com>, "Cyprus Credit Union" <shauna.denos@cypruscu.com>, "Utah Peace Officers Association 2022" <homeupoa@gmail.com>, "Utah League of Cities and Towns 2022" <swood@ulct.org>, "Utah Chiefs of Police Assn 2021" <vshupe@utahchiefs.org>, "Utah Press Assn Director Brian Allfrey 2022" <ballfrey@utahpress.com>, "utahdistrict02@gmail.com" <utahdistrict02@gmail.com>, "mballard@le.utah.gov" <mballard@le.utah.gov>, "Joel_wellum" <joel_wellum@lee.senate.gov>, "communications@utahbar.org" <communications@utahbar.org>, "ABA Commission on Disability 2020" <amy.allbright@americanbar.org>, "commerce@utah.gov" <commerce@utah.gov>, "Attorney General of Utah" <uag@utah.gov>, "transportationcommission@utah.gov" <transportationcommission@utah.gov>, "Utahtourism Info" <info@utahtourism.org>, "Utah Transit Authority" <llasker@rideuta.com>

Sent: Sun, Dec 24, 2023 at 10:28 PM

Subject: Are SAFEST UT Winter Sports Taught,Promoted Adequately?

https://blog.falkensteiner.com/active/safe-winter-sports-by-far-the-best-winter-sports?lang=en&fbclid=IwAR3iP1XhCuAqw4WAptLxGIyfnjtWWQ_mUHKItsg5LYALtIStKFZgA-CXils

December 24, 2023

Dear Utah House of Representatives Majority Leader Mike Schultz,

I want to wish you and your relatives, friends, and colleagues in the Utah State  House a healthful and safe and joyous remainder of this Holiday Season and in the New Year.

Above is an online link to a copyrighted report that might offer public-policy-related ideas for yourself and your Utah State House of Representatives colleagues.

I again want to thank you for your very encouraging  December 6, 2023,  e-mail reply letter to me in which you invited me to share with you concerns of mine about Utah.

One of my concerns about Utah is that possibly the percentage  of Utahns who are or were provided with formal  instruction and training or follow-up training in each and every one  of the VERY SAFEST  of the winter sports may be much lower than you would like.

Among the VERY SAFEST Winter Sports here in Utah are reportedly Cross-Country Skiing, Ski Touring, and Snow Shoeing, according to the online report cited above.

House Majority Leader Schultz, I hope you will consider asking the Utah State  House to consider authorizing or assisting in the establishment of a proposed "Utah Winter Sports Safety Foundation" nonprofit organization  that helps administer a related  "Utah Winter Sports Safety Research Institute and Library".

The current obsession with the "thrilling" and "death-defying" higher-risk sports among newcomers to Utah and many of the permanent residents of Utah is undeniable. 

I recently spoke in person at a Utah Transit Authority (UTA) train stop and inside a UTA train  in downtown  Salt Lake City with a friendly  single male adult new resident of Utah from New Mexico. That refreshingly candid blond-haired white gentleman in his twenties or late teens   stated to me that he consistently strives to pursue "high-risk skiing" in Utah. He also stated to me that he often  pursues his high-risk skiing in Utah  WITHOUT any skiing partner.

I was very saddened by that gentleman's stated delight in pursuing high-risk skiing all by himself, which I believe he indicated gave him more of a "skier's high" adrenalin rush than if he had skied outdoors with a  skiing partner.

I personally believe that there may be an urgent  need for the annual statewide  celebration here in our state of a "Utah SAFEST Winter Sports Day" statewide  cultural and educational event and festival. 

That proposed annual event---which could also boost tourism in our state----might also feature safety tips that winter sports safety experts offer to participants seeking to pursue here in Utah one or more of the VERY SAFEST of the Wintertime Sports.

I hope that the Utah State House under your enlightened leadership will approve the annual celebration in our state of a "Utah SAFEST Winter Sports Day" holiday.

On that proposed annual one-day Holiday each year,  the Governor of Utah, the  Utah DPS Commissioner, or some other  official could preside over the awarding of a "Utah SAFEST Winter Sports Athlete of the Year" award and accompanying financial prize, along with the possible  awarding of a Utah SAFEST Winter Sports Instructor of the Year, Utah SAFEST Winter Sports Coach of the Year, and Utah SAFEST Winter Sports Promoter of the Year.

I also hope that the Utah State House under your kind leadership will ask the Utah State Board of Education to require that any and all applicable  public schools in Utah offer instructional programs in each of the VERY SAFEST of the Winter Sports of Utah.

The Utah State  House could also be asked by you to require that the State Board of Education sponsor the mandatory-attendance viewing by all public school students in Utah  of an educational documentary movie on their campus that is  focused on why each of the  highest-risk winter sports currently being pursued in Utah are very hazardous. 

State House Majority Leader Schultz, I hope that this follow-up letter is helpful to you and your colleagues in the Utah House.

Sincerely and Best Wishes,

former Texas DPS full-time employee and current permanent Utahn resident John Kevin McMillan, 535 South 200 East, Apt. 912, Ninth Floor,  Salt Lake City, Utah. 

My cell phone: (512) 993-7305.

My home phone: (801) 355-0850.