One Busy Guy
By Sandy Balayan
September 2025
It’s always a pleasure when I call Eric VanOostveen for any questions I have pertaining to Otis Ridge. Over the last couple of years, he has helped me numerous times giving the narrative for the events we cover there or for a picture caption. As general manager, Eric oversees the ski operations, garden center and the Grouse House. Let’s just say he is a very busy man, but never too busy to talk to the Otis Observer and offer interesting input for our coverage.
Eric VanOostveen in colder times with his snow machine. Photo courtesy of Eric VanOostveen
Although he lives in Westfield, he makes the trip up Route 23 pretty much daily for his job at the Ridge. His days vary greatly and are dependent on what season it is. As summer comes to a close, he and his staff will be packing up the garden center and taking out the ski and snow making equipment. Although after Labor Day till November is generally a slow time, it is also a time to do maintenance and get ready for the very busy ski season. “There is something going on all year. Keeps us all going and busy, that’s for sure!” says Eric. After ski season, it’s time to swap out the ski operation in preparation for the garden center’s opening. Never a dull moment, that is for sure.
Eric says that he relies heavily on his crew. Samantha Schaeffer is the business manager and Tonia Loretta helms the Grouse House. Jamie Carr is retired but always available to pitch in. She buys the flowers and plants for the garden center and she is often there with her adorable puppies who are in the first phase of training with her to become future guide dogs for the blind.
Starting out at Blandford Ski area, then bringing Powder Ridge in Connecticut back from near extinction, Eric also sold snow making equipment before settling at the Ridge. He sees himself there for a long time, till “I can’t do it anymore.”
Otis kids enjoying movie night. Photo by Alexa Bunnell. Courtesy of Eric VanOostveen
Otis Ridge has been around since 1946. Certainly one of the oldest continuously running ski areas around, you will find almost anyone you ask either learned there or knows someone who learned to ski there, or went to ski camp there as a child. Although the camp is not running now, there are private and group lessons and all types of activities available there. The Cardboard Box Race, Fun Day, Pond Skim (that’s right, ski over water), Costume Day and 80s Day are some of the fun and creative activities Eric runs with his staff. This year, there will be a new Otis Ridge Race League that will race against other teams and even includes family teams racing against other families. For more information on this, email Eric at info@otisridge.com
This summer there have been outdoor movie nights near the Grouse House and everyone looks forward to the Halloween Haunted House in the lodge. Otis Ridge donates their parking lot for the annual Trunk or Treat and offers the haunted house to the town. “There is a lot of cooperation between Otis Ridge and the community. A lot of the PTO parents ski with their children hand-in-hand on Wednesday nights and they volunteer for the events we hold. Our staff goes to the school to volunteer also. At Field Day I was in the dunk tank at 8:30 am. The water had been filled the night before. Let’s just say it was colder than a day on the slopes!” Eric shares with a laugh.
Believe it or not, winter loving Eric is from the Caribbean. He grew up in Aruba and is of Dutch descent. He is fluent in the language and says his parents always speak Dutch to him, especially if they’re mad! When asked, Eric says although he loves to ski, on a day off it is the last thing he wants to do. At 48, along with wife Michelle, he is raising three athletic children who enjoy gymnastics and soccer and he finds that takes up a lot of his free time. In fact, during ski season the entire family works at the Ridge, allowing for more togetherness. “You’ll find Michelle and my son at the Grouse, my daughter in the ski school and my other son in the ski shop. So during my business times I get to see my whole family a lot,” says Eric. He clearly loves his job, his family and his life. He has found a home in our community and says that everyone here has been very welcoming to him. He enjoys giving back and working with the school and the library. “We donate our lodge to the library book sale after ski season. Any food we have left over, or coffee/tea, we donate and the library sells it to raise more money. We are glad to be an active partner to the Otis community,” says Eric. And, we as a community are glad you are here Eric. Keep up the good work!
