Hannah, Amy, Jake & Sarah Skinner
On Saturday, July 18th, the climbing wall at PAC became the
TODD SKINNER MEMORIAL CLIMBING WALL.
Over 80 people gathered for the dedication event, and speakers included
world class climber Steve Bechtel and community members Albert Sommers, Greg
Legerski , Gene Andrews and Ric Samulski.
Family members who shared memories of Todd were his brother Orion, and
his two uncles Courtney and Monte Skinner.
People came from far and wide to honor Todd’s legacy by telling stories
of his persuasive ways, his ability to teach and motivate others to do their
best; and to always be reaching for great heights, in all aspects of life.
Honored guests of the day were Todd Skinner’s immediate family, Amy,
his wife, and his three children Hannah, Sarah and Jake. It was Todd’s family who unveiled the plaque
and made the renaming of the PAC wall official.
This event provided the bridge between the past and the present, by
defining Todd’s impact on the sport of climbing and how PAC fits into it. Through PAC’s mission of promoting lifetime
skill development by educating and motivating patrons to try to new things, we
are carrying on this positive legacy.
PAC looks forward to creating even more opportunities to inspire
individuals to keep reaching for the next challenge. And, the Todd Skinner Memorial Climbing Wall
will remind us of all that is possible.
Our PAC Poet In Residence, Cork Kelly, wrote this poem for the Dedication
Todd Skinner
It is fitting that our climbing wall be
named for Todd
who elevated the free climb style to a
true art form
and from mountains to mountains he devotedly
trod
to climb to their peaks in both
sunshine and storm.
Responding to each of the challenges’
calls
from Africa, Greenland, and Pakistan--
the first to do free climbs on countless
sheer walls
including Yosemite’s Salathe of El
Capitan.
His ghost walks all of our halls where
he learned
in Pinedale how to study, to work, and to play,
and on this climbing wall none will ever
get burned
for his spirit will always provide a
smooth, safe belay.
—c.f. kelly
