There are many reasons to love Bogus Basin -– probably a hundred reasons for every person here tonight. I'm going to share with you just three of my own.

Reason No. 1 Why I Love Bogus Basin: Bogus Basin invented carpooling.

Now, I'm not absolutely certain that carpooling actually originated with Bogus, but it had to have been among the first times it was used in any sort of systematic way.

Here’s the story –- and I want to thank Eve Chandler, the author of the wonderful Bogus Basin history book that’s being unveiled tonight, for digging up this information for me.

As most of you know, the Bogus Basin ski area was conceived during the depths of the Great Depression as a Works Projects Administration road project. It opened for the first time in the midst of World War II -– not exactly prime market conditions.

On the day Bogus first welcomed skiers –- December 20, 1942 –- the Sun Valley Ski Resort was closed. Because of the war, the personnel shortages and rationing, Sun Valley, the more established ski area, simply didn't have the resources to do business. Bogus, being the lean, young upstart, was able to do pull it off. And on opening day, it had three feet of base, a foot of fresh powder and a single rope tow.

But it was a challenge. First of all, there was the drive –- 18 winding miles from the base of the Foothills at Harrison Boulevard. I'm told by ACHD that today the road has exactly 172 curves from bottom to top; back in 1942, I'm sure there were even more. But back then there were no snow tires; there weren't even snow plows.

So if you wanted to go skiing up at Bogus, you had to REALLY want it. You had to be prepared to get carsick. And you had to be ready to spend the night in a snowdrift off the side of the road if things literally went spinning out of control.

And here's where carpooling enters the picture. Because of wartime gas rationing, there was a very real concern that people simply wouldn't be able to get the fuel to be able to drive up to Bogus and back to go skiing. Even if they were willing to brave the twisty, steep road and the unpredictable weather, they might not have the gas.

So the Boise Chamber of Commerce, which had a considerable financial stake in the success of Bogus, organized carpools from Boise City Hall up to the ski area and back. People crammed themselves and their gear into each others' cars and took turns doing the driving. That's how Bogus survived those first few years.

And those carpools continue today. And even though they don’t depart from City Hall any more, we've worked closely with the Association to make sure park and ride lots are available each season.

Think about it: This is the only place in the world where you can ask the question, "Are you going up to Bogus?" and people know immediately what you're talking about.

Which leads me to … 

Reason No. 2 Why I Love Bogus Basin: I learned to ski there.

I'm sure you can all tell from my skier's physique that I love alpine sports. Actually, it has been quite a number of years since I've been able to participate in downhill skiing, due to a serious knee injury I received in law school. (Some of those U of I professors can be absolutely brutal.)

But long before that, as a pre-teen, I learned to ski through a Boise City Recreation program up at Bogus Basin, as did many of you, and countless thousands of other young people in our community over the past 60 years. That includes young people like Lisa Kosglow, Dane Spencer, Lacey Heward and Jeret Peterson, all of whom learned and trained on Bogus' slopes and who exhibited those skills to the world in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.

That tradition continues. Eric Fisher, who is currently training on the U.S. Ski Team, hoping to make the 2010 Olympics, grew up skiing at Bogus. Sarah Studebaker, who grew up here, is also training as a biathlete, aiming for the 2010 Olympics.

How is it that all those young, world-class athletes had a chance train at Bogus? Why is it that I was able to learn to ski –- 6 dollars for 12 weeks of lessons, an amazing price even back then, and a half-price lift ticket at the end?

It's mainly because of Bill Everts –- "Coach Everts," the visionary Boise City recreation director. Bill actually managed Bogus Basin from City Hall as its volunteer director during some hard financial times in the 1950s.

And it was Coach Everts' dedication to the young people of this city that became Bogus Basin's greatest legacy –- his commitment to ensuring that all kids, no matter what their financial means, have the opportunity to experience skiing or baseball or whatever their passion, and to turn that passion into a lifetime of health and enjoyment.

That continues to be the guiding philosophy under our current City Parks & Recreation Department. It is certainly the highest goal and mission of the Bogus Basin Bridge Builders, all of you who are dedicated to providing accessible, affordable, and fun mountain recreation and education for the entire community. And it continues to be the reason that, year after year, Bogus Basin is one of the top recreation destinations for children and families in the state of Idaho.

Finally, Reason No. 3 Why I Love Bogus Basin: J.R. Simplot.

As we all know, Jack Simplot, Idaho’s potato king, was also Idaho’s ski king. He was a lifelong skier, and he had a long life –- he didn't actually give up the sport until he was 89. He helped build the Brundage Mountain resort north of McCall in the early 1950s. And a few years after that, J.R. Simplot saved Bogus Basin.

Bogus was run, then as now, as a non-profit, but back then the ski lifts and equipment were owned by a private company. And when the lease payments got too high, and Bogus was teetering on the edge of a very precarious financial ledge, Jack Simplot, a shareholder in the company, stepped in, bought that company, and made sure Bogus could remain in operation.

I have no doubt, and I'm sure none of you do either, that Bogus Basin is alive and thriving today in large part due to the generosity of J.R. Simplot.

It's no coincidence that the Coach Lift is named in honor of Bill Everts and the main lodge is named after J.R. Simplot. It's no mystery why the two awards tonight carry the names of these two generous, visionary men who contributed so much to our young people and our community as a whole.

The City of Boise is proud to accept the J.R. Simplot Legacy Award, and proud of the positive, ongoing partnership that it represents.

And my heartfelt congratulations to Bob Greenwood, recipient of the Bill Everts Lifetime Service Award. Bob, your name and your store have served as a guiding signpost to generations of skiers heading up to Bogus Basin. Often, your store was the site of a skier's first pair of skis, and then later, that skier's first job. You've provided a great place to work and a ready smile on the mountain -– even in a blizzard. And I can't think of anyone more deserving of this honor.

Most of all, we are proud of you, the Bridge Builders, and the tremendous support you give to this partnership.

Thank you.