George Atkinson, 74, of Hingham, MA, passed away on December 9, 2021, at the home of his daughter in Truckee, CA from complications of Parkinson’s Disease. He leaves behind his loving family: wife Meredith Atkinson, daughter Rebecca Anderson (Andy), son Geoffrey Atkinson (Whitney), grandchildren Huck Anderson and Georgina Atkinson, his namesake, brothers Charles Atkinson (Sarah Rabkin) and Richard Atkinson (Laura), brothers-in-law Clark Owen (Joanne) and Richard Owen (Chris), and many friends.

George was born June 1, 1947, the son of Clarence and Verda (Dunn) Atkinson of Hingham, MA, and middle brother of Charles and Rich. He met his lifelong best friend, Russ Garland when he was too young to remember, when their mothers placed them in a crib together. George’s childhood was filled with paper routes, Sunday School, Boy Scouts (Eagle Scout in 1963), overnights on Button Island, and remedial band classes. 

George’s love of athletics and fitness began in junior high school and lasted throughout his life. His dedication to “getting a workout in” drove the agenda of many weekends and family vacations and he relished exercising outdoors in even the worst New England weather. George ran track and cross country at Hingham High (‘65) and at Springfield College (‘69), notably breaking the Massachusetts state record in the half-mile in 1:53. George was inducted into the inaugural class of the Hingham High School Hall of Fame in 1999. After college, George discovered cross country skiing, leading to many family adventures on nearby golf courses and around New England, dragging his somewhat reluctant family behind him. The ritual took, however, and now both children are passionate cross country skiers.

George spent his summers lifeguarding at Hingham Bathing Beach and it was there that he met his wife, Meredith Owen. They were married on July 1, 1972, at Hingham Congregational Church and resided in Norwell for over 40 years. In his early career, George returned to the Hingham schools to teach elementary physical education and coach track. He went on to receive a Masters from Northeastern University and an EdD in recreation management at Boston University. George began teaching at Northeastern University in 1973 and continued there for 40 years, as a professor and then as the Dean of the School for General Studies before finishing his career as a professor of health sciences. He retired in 2013 with a lifelong accident-free perfect driving record on the Southeast Expressway and returned to volunteer coaching for the Hingham High track and cross country team.

George was one of the founding Board members for NENSA when it was formed back in 1995. He is remembered fondly by John Caldwell as "Simply put, I'd say he was the most important, influential trustee when we were starting out". After rolling off the Board, George continued serving on the Personnel Committee for many years where his input was greatly thought after. Fred Griffin also remembers George as vital to NENSA's growth, who led the Board through two 3 and 5 year long term strategic planning sessions. He "remembers George as a wise and gracious man, slow to judge, quick to help." Dave Hosmer recalls George as "a steady voice of reason on the NENSA Board".

George was a true gentleman: kind and courteous, caring, warm, approachable, always full of interest in the lives of family and friends. He loved all New England sports teams, especially the Red Sox, yard work, looking at maps, and napping. He was, quite simply, as Russ put it, “The best man I ever knew.” 

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 on January 29, 2021, at First Parish Church of Norwell, followed by a reception at the James Library. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the South Shore YMCA or the New England Nordic Ski Association https://nensa.net/giving/donate/

In 2017, a group of CSU juniors athletes in Eastern Massachusetts organized the first ever Race for Snow, motivated by growing concerns of climate change and its impact on our sport. 

Our team, now called the EMXC juniors, has continued this tradition each year, and on Sunday, January 16th we will hold the 6th Annual Race for Snow. In a typical year, this race is a fun community event at the Leo J. Martin Ski Track (in Weston, MA) which draws masters, juniors, college students, young children, and people almost entirely new to skiing. The purpose of the race is to raise funds for the nonprofit 350Mass, a sub-organization of The Better Future Project. This organization is dedicated to fighting climate change in various ways including municipal action, statewide legislative advocacy, and narrative-changing efforts. To the ski community, climate change is particularly prevalent; with rising temperatures, the amount of natural snow is dwindling, causing us to rely increasingly on man-made snow and trips up north to satisfy our training needs and recreational aspirations. Last year we raised over $8,000 for 350Mass as a result of the largest race in New England with over 250 participants and virtual racers participating from all over the country. 

The 6th Annual Race For Snow will include in-person lollipop, 1km, 3km, 5km, and 10km races. The 5km and 10km count towards NENSA’s Zak and Club points but can also be done recreationally. For those who can’t make it to Weston but would still like to participate in the cause, there is a virtual race option with the same categories. Virtual racers can upload times from other races or any personal effort throughout the month of January. There will be a silent online auction with items from many great sponsors, open now until the end of the virtual racing period, as well as a raffle that both in-person and virtual participants will automatically be entered into. Prizes will be awarded in every age group, and the in-person event will host a guest speaker from 350Mass!

. 

We are calling all skiers–recreational and competitive, young and old–to step up and participate in an event for climate action that will help protect our winters. 

Even if you cannot partake in the racing, please consider donating to this cause through the Race-For-Snow-specific donation page on the 350 Mass website.

IN-PERSON Registration Link:

https://www.skireg.com/the-sixth-annual-race-for-snow

VIRTUAL Registration Link:

https://www.skireg.com/the-sixth-annual-race-for-snow-virtual 

Bill Koch Youth Ski League. This fun annual festival features races as well as a wide variety of exciting non-competitive winter activities for skiers of all skill and ability levels from kindergarten up to 8th grade!

...click HERE full information on the Festival and to Register

NENSA is psyched to be offering a new version of Bingo for the 2021-22 season!! Download and print your own 2021-22 Bingo Card and be sure to fill out the BINGO ENTRY FORM when you finish. Activity descriptions included in the Bingo card download.

This year our benefit organization is Stride, an organization whose mission is to remove barriers to entry and get girls in the game and on the trails by providing mentorship, gear, and learning opportunities to young female athletes in Vermont. If you would like to make a donation to the organization, you can do so through registration. You can also pre-order this year’s official Women’s Day Skida hat!

Please click HERE for the Women’s XC Ski Day Page on the NENSA website for full details on lodging, rentals, and clinic information.

Did you know that NENSA could benefit from the Amazon purchases you are already making??! Please link your Amazon account to Amazon SMILE (with /smile) and choose NENSA as your non-profit beneficiary! All the purchases everyone is already making, all add up, and we would love to be able to benefit from that! Thank you!!