BRISTOL/LINCOLN — The Mad River Glen Cooperative has received a $15,000 grant to offer free skiing to students in both the Mount Abraham and Washington West school districts. The grant that will fund the “Skiing For Scholars Program” was donated by the Reed Family Foundation as part of the co-op’s Preserve Our Paradise Capital Campaign.
Matt Lillard, Mad River Glen’s general manager, said this money will help make skiing a reality for more youngsters.
“The rising cost of skiing makes it difficult for some kids to have access to the sport,” he said. “This program will enable more of our local students to get outside and experience the joy and thrill of skiing.”
Mad River in Waitsfield currently offers free skiing programs for elementary school kids, and this grant will enable services to be expanded to middle and high school students as well.
The new program will run from mid-February to late March for students in Mad River Valley, Waterbury, Lincoln and Bristol. The program will offer free all-mountain skiing from 2-4 p.m. on Fridays, plus extended skiing until 5 p.m. on the Practice Slope lift. Free rentals will be offered and students can register for free instruction with MRG instructors and race team coaches. Mad River Glen staff will be working with school district administrators over the course of the fall to set up logistics for this new program.
The goal of the program is to encourage local youth to get outside, feel a sense of accomplishment, and experience the camaraderie that is an essential part of skiing. It is also a natural extension of Mad River Glen’s commitment to encouraging youth to ski. This commitment is exemplified by the mountain’s 20-year tradition of offering free season passes to all kids under the age of 12.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for Mad River Glen to expand free skiing beyond the elementary schools,” Lillard noted.