On Dec. 17, 2023, nine Tahoe Truckee community members were honored for their commitment, fearlessness and imagination in their work, craft, art, and sport. This was the inaugural class of the Jeff Hamilton Legacy Fund Juniper Awards. The fund recognizes community members across six categories: art, music/writing, community impact, trades, medical care, and winter Olympics. 

In the last months of his life, Truckee local, Jeff Hamilton, worked with his family and the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation to create the Jeff Hamilton Legacy Fund, a philanthropic fund that would allow him to continue to give after he was gone. “For the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, this is a really unique moment. It is an innovation in the way we think about philanthropy. He was a visionary,” Stacy Caldwell, Certified Fundraising Executive at the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, said. 

The gathering comprised donors to the legacy fund, recipients and their families, the selection committee, and the Hamilton family were all at the Sierra Sotheby’s office on Brockway, gathered as one collective family. A family that, for an evening, the Sun was lucky enough to be a part of. 

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Truckee local Jeff Hamilton passed away from pancreatic cancer on Jan. 10, 2023 surrounded by his family. Born in 1966, he achieved global recognition as the fastest skier, winning an Olympic bronze in 1992, setting a speed skiing world record of 150 mph, holding the world record from 1995 to 1997, and earning four world championship titles. 

In a conversation before the event, Jeff’s wife, Carolyn, shared that his impact on her informed the way she thought about grief, saying that she was moving “in” grief, not “through it. Although he was a hardworking and committed man, Jeff brought vitality and play to Carolyn, his mom and dad, Mary Ann and Dick, his sister, Mary Beth, and his daughters, Eleanore and Frances. “He loved playing in this world,” Carolyn said. Jeff’s insatiable curiosity led to diverse interests, and even as he faced pancreatic cancer, he maintained a sense of openness. “Jeff never saw cancer as a battle, war, or fight. He saw it as a competition,” Carolyn said.

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On Nov. 22, 2023, the first recipients of the Jeff Hamilton Fund’s Juniper Awards were announced. Overall, there were 126 nominations, and the recipients received no-strings-attached cash.

“Jeff wanted to honor individuals because he believed individuals are the roots that make a community strong; and he believed the monetary awards would enable the recipients to feel lighter as they traveled their bold paths.” Carolyn continued, “The Legacy Fund is a gift to our community and to me. In implementing Jeff’s vision, I get to think about Jeff and speak about him in ways that bring me closer to him and closer to my community.”  

Let’s familiarize ourselves with the recipients. Sara Mohagen, Art Award winner and artist and illustrator, draws inspiration from the wilderness, mountains, and wildlife surrounding her cabin in the woods. Through her art brand, Dark Fox Creative, she showcases lifelike graphite black and white wildlife illustrations, alongside vivid watercolor and acrylic paintings. Art has been and remains a critical element in her life, allowing her to discover joy even in the midst of a stage 4 cancer diagnosis. She has now reached four years of remission.

Elia Schreiber, Music Award recipient, is a performer, independent folk singer-songwriter, and current student at Berklee College of Music. Her musical journey started with the fiddle at the age of five. Even in her early years, music resonated with her far more than academics. By the time she reached ten, she added the guitar to her repertoire and delved into singing. Performing amplified her love for music, witnessing its ability to bring smiles to people’s faces. On May 26, 2023, she released “In My Pocket.” This EP allowed her to craft a personal soundtrack for her heartbreaks, painful realizations, and lost loved ones, using music as a therapeutic outlet.

Kathlee Martin, Community Impact Award recipient, is a Nurse Practitioner for Public Health & Behavioral Health for Nevada County.

“For all these years I thought I was flying under the radar, so I was very surprised to hear about this award,” Martin said. Dedicating 35 years to catering to high-risk populations in the Tahoe Truckee region, Martin’s fervor lies in advancing community health and eliminating obstacles to care. She believes in the power of creativity: “If we think in new creative ways, we can bring new things to our old systems,” Martin said.

Joshua Mendoza, Trades Award recipient, is a local student at Diesel Technology. In his formative years, a tight-knit circle of family and friends immersed him in the world of mechanics. And because of this, he made it his mission to become a mechanic. As he pursues his education at Truckee Meadows Community College, delving into the realms of mechanics and diesel mechanics, he looks forward to learning around the world and expanding his wheelhouse.

“This award relieves a lot of stress from having to work so I can study and pay more attention to my classes,” Mendoza said.  

Julie Morgan, Medical Care Award recipient, is an experienced ER nurse at Tahoe Forest Hospital. She specializes in emergency pediatric care and advocates for trauma awareness specifically within the pediatric population. “When I found out I was chosen for this award, I was overwhelmed with emotion,” Morgan said. Like the other recipients, she did not know she was even nominated. 

Because of the generosity of an anonymous donor who wanted to support all of the eligible winter Olympic athletes, this first year there were four Winter Olympics Award recipients. Three of the four athletes were on tour, so only one could attend the award ceremony. 

The first is Cody Laplante, an athlete on the Stifle U.S. Freeski Team, Slopestyle.

“Skiing has taught me so many important lessons and given me endless opportunities. The sport pushes me to be a better person, athlete, competitor, and skier,” Laplante continues, “Most importantly my love for skiing gives me freedom to shape who I am and will be forever grateful.” 

Then there’s Hahna Norman, an athlete on the HydroFlask U.S. Snowboard Team, Slopestyle. As far back as her memory stretches, the mountains have served as a refuge from the often chaotic world around her. The discovery of snowboarding triggered a love and passion in her that felt effortlessly innate. Looking ahead, the prospect of competing at events like the Olympics, XGames, Laax Open, and perhaps securing victories is exciting. “The list of reasons I love snowboarding is endless, from the small things like chairlift rides with friends and fresh corduroy on a bluebird morning to all the life lessons and opportunities that snowboarding has given me,” Norman said.

Next is Bryce Bennett, an athlete on the Stifle U.S. Alpine Ski team. Bennett just secured two consecutive podium finishes in the Alpine skiing World Cup in Val Gardena, Italy. This achievement comes just two days after Bennett clinched his first World Cup victory. With the retirements of Nyman and Travis Ganong, Bennett stands as the lone active American man with multiple World Cup downhill podiums in one season. “This award encompasses all aspects of our community, and to be a part of it means a lot, and I’m truly grateful for that,” Bennett said. 

And lastly, there’s JC Schoonmaker, an athlete on the Stifle U.S. Cross Country Ski Team. From the age of five, he wanted to go to the Olympics. Now, he’s racing in the World Cup. He just finished third place in a sprint at the Cross Country World Cup in Östersund, Sweden, marking his first career World Cup podium. And he even has a Swedish girlfriend, to boot.

“I love the people that I get to ski with and be on a team with. They make skiing fun for me everyday and I’m grateful to be part of a group that’s bigger than myself,” Schoonmaker continues, “I want to be the best skier, teammate, and person I can be and just do everything I can to contribute to US skiing being the best in the world.”

The nomination cycle for the 2024 Juniper Awards begins in June. For more information about the fund, please visit JeffHamiltonLegacyFund.com.