In 2017, Brianna Gosnell was brand new to the cold-weather sport of luge and just ten years old. Already an active equestrian, martial artist, and field hockey player, Brianna’s love of the outdoors and the exhilaration of the luge experience kept her jumping back in the sled as often as she could. Always honing her skill and picking up speed, she started to excel, then compete. Scouted right off a Pennsylvania mountain, Brianna was selected in May of 2017 for Team USA Luge.

As she slides into 2020, this thirteen-year-old speedster, already a competition gold medalist, is looking ahead to a new year of training. Brianna will head from her home in Evansburg, PA to  join the rest of Team USA Luge in Lake Placid’s Olympic Training Center, where she’ll fine-tune every aspect of her sport under the tutelage of elite coaches and former Olympians. Back home, along with mom Linda Gosnell, family, friends, and the rest of the extended community will be rooting for her.

To send off Brianna in style to her next training, and to assist with the coming year’s fees, (about $4,600!) Linda is holding a benefit hosted by Ciro Nuzzolese of Forno Antico in Collegeville. The event will also serve as a going away party, an opportunity for  the entire community to show their support and help pave the way for their neighborhood Olympic hopeful. The next training at the Olympic Training Center will position Brianna for the February 1st Empire State Winter Games competition in which she earned gold last year!

You can eat Italian with Brianna and join her fundraiser event on Wednesday, January 15th, 4 – 9 PM at Forno Antico. Raffles and pay-what-you-wish henna art will be part of the fun, and a portion of the funds brought in that night by dining in, taking out, and even the purchase of gift cards will be donated towards getting Brianna one slide closer to her Olympic dreams.

Business-owning community members are encouraged to donate raffle items and services for the event as entertainment and/or prizes by getting in touch with Linda Gosnell at GoslingsNestNY@gmail.com. RSVP through Brianna’s fundraiser send-off page! All community members are welcome.