BURLINGTON — Kelly Brush Davisson has been selected as one of 10 Athletes Who Care by Sports Illustrated magazine.
The magazine’s Dec. 10 issue includes Brush Davisson on a list of athletes singled out for the charitable work they do off the playing field. Brush Davisson, 26, founded the Kelly Brush Foundation in 2006, following a ski racing crash that left her paralyzed. She was a member of the Middlebury College ski team at the time.
Despite her injury she remained active in sports, winning the women’s handcycle division of the Boston Marathon in 2011.
In the six years since its inception, the foundation has raised $1 million to support its two-pronged mission to improve the quality of life for those living with spinal cord injury through helping athletes purchase adaptive gear and to improve ski racing safety by assisting race programs across the country in procuring safety equipment, such as netting to line courses.
As one of the Sports Illustrated honorees, Brush Davisson is in the company of well known professional athletes including L.A. Clippers basketball player Grant Hill, Arizona Cardinals football player Larry Fitzgerald and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw.
“I’m humbled and honored to be included on this list,” Brush Davisson said. “This group of incredibly gifted athletes who choose to honor their achievement by turning around and giving back is an inspiration for me and the work of the Kelly Brush Foundation.”
The Kelly Brush Century Ride powered by VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations is the foundation’s primary fundraiser. Held in September, the 100-mile ride through the Champlain Valley starts and finishes in Middlebury and draws more than 700 riders.
More information is at www.kellybrushfoundation.org.