Whether it's relaying information to a specific sport governing body, setting up chartered flights, making housing arrangements or offering a way to subsidize the overall cost, Sport Yukon does it all when it comes to the Arctic Winter Games.

The non-profit organization is responsible for the management and administration of all facets at the Games for both individual competitors as well as the sports associations they are with.

Before the Arctic Winter Games, Sport Yukon has monthly meetings with the host society and the International Committee. All the information given by both organizations Sport Yukon passes down to the competing sporting bodies to help them prepare for the Games. Once the Games begin, Sport Yukon will hold daily meetings with both organizations until the conclusion of the event.

"This is the biggest multi-sport games that we are involved in," said Trevor Twardochleb, the executive director at Sport Yukon and Chef de Mission for the Games. "You won't see a summer or winter games with this many people. The Arctic Winter Games we always send a lot more kids just because there are more sports involved."

Sport Yukon is contracted by the Sport and Recreation branch of the Yukon government, which gives them an administration fee to look after all of the areas involved when it comes to sending athletes, sports teams and organizations to the Games.

After assessing all costs involved and then adding on the administration fee, Sport Yukon can set a participation charge for all individuals going to the Games. These people include athletes, cultural representatives, coaches, chaperons and admission staff. After this occurs Sports Yukon is awarded additional money for travel costs, which makes up their revenue for the Games.

The involvement fee for the 2008 Games in Yellowknife for athletes and cultural participants is $350, while costs for coaches, managers and mission staff is $250. The fees include everything from walkout uniforms, travel costs as well as the care and comfort for all participants in Yellowknife.

This year there are more than 330 Yukoners going to the Games, which includes around 260 athletes, nine cultural participants, about 50 coaches, 14 mission staff members and five chaperons.

Despite fees being due on Feb. 4, athletes can still subsidize the participation cost of the Arctic Winter Games by selling raffle tickets. The raffle ticket program is a Sport Yukon initiative and can be participated in until Feb. 29.

Those interested have to sign a waiver promising they will be responsible for all of the tickets they take. Each ticket costs $2 and $1.40 goes towards the overall cost of the Games. For the whole trip, to be paid off an athlete must sell 25 books of tickets. Each book has 10 tickets in it.

The raffle has an overall purse of $6,000, with first prize being awarded $3,000.

Alternates also have the opportunity to sell raffle tickets and if they end up not being able to attend the Games, they have the option of transferring the credits to another athlete or using them to purchase Arctic Winter Games related clothing.

Twardochleb said on average about 30,000 tickets are sold for the Games.

"We do it every year, so the parents know that kids around December to February are going to be selling Arctic Winter Games tickets and a lot of the parents and guardians out there will always support the program," he said. "I know every other organization in town sells tickets so it is sometimes hard to push them, but it's just a nice way of giving back or trying to help out."

Sport Yukon will also be posting a daily newsletter on their website from the start throughout the course of the Games.

The newsletter will list results from the previous day, a schedule for the day off, pictures, stories and other important information.