Richard "Pat" Murphy

The perfect volunteer can be described in to two words, "Pat" Murphy. Starting when he joined the Sugarloaf Ski Patrol in 1959, Richard "Pat" Murphy has patrolled every single weekend, a total of over 1600 days and he is still going at age 83.

Stub Taylor who directed the Sugarloaf patrol for most of those years until his retirement, noted that Murphy was always willing to "go the extra mile" whether it was fund raising to buy needed equipment, work with new members, number of accidents handled, days volunteered, training sessions attended, and all the various duties involved in patrolling.
Patrolling at Sugarloaf every weekend for over 45 years would be more than enough for most skiers, but not for "Pat" Murphy. Several nights a week he patrols at Lost Valley not far from his home in Auburn. At both areas he goes about the job quietly and professionally, leading from behind and by example.

Since his retirement from business, he has expanded his ski volunteering. Phil Geelhoed, CEO of Maine Special Olympics had this to say, "Pat" Murphy has served a one-on-one volunteer to a Special Olympics Athlete since the Special Olympics came to Sugarloaf in 1982." In 2003 "Pat"was honored by Sunday River for ten years of service to Maine Handicapped Skiing, a program he still volunteers for.

If the time could be totaled, "Pat" has spent more hours working with the disable, Special Olympians and assisting skiers than most professional skiers spend in a lifetime of their work. His fellow patrollers think so highly of his contribution that they named a special award for him and Murphy promptly insisted that the award carry the name of Stub Taylor as well. It is one of the most prestigious awards a Sugarloaf patroller can receive.

His service has been recognized by the National Ski Patrol as well. He has been a Senior Patroller for many years and in 1981 was awarded a National Appointment (#6235). This award goes to patrollers who have "demonstrated leadership, good character, diplomacy, a positive attitude, good judgement, unusual qualities of patrolling ability, a genuine desire to serve the skiing public and extraordinary service to the National Ski Patrol. In 2001 "Pat"was further honored with the NSP National Service Award.

How many skiers' lives have been touched by "Pat" Murphy is impossible to measure. During his working years he devoted virtually all his time off, weekends and evenings to ski patrolling at two ski areas. After he retired he simply expanded his volunteering to teach the handicapped to ski, and through all these years he has maintained his ski patrol skills at the highest level, even into his eighties. This lifetime of dedication to other skiers has earned Richard "Pat"Murphy a place in the Maine Ski Hall of Fame.