Representatives from dozens of Summit County-based nonprofit organizations enjoyed an afternoon of skiing at Park City Mountain on Wednesday before gathering at the resort’s base to tour the National Ability Center’s new McGrath Mountain Center.
Park City Mountain Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Deirdra Walsh thanked the nonprofits for their help addressing critical community issues.
"Our EpicPromise grants enable the vital work that you do to not just ensure that our community is whole, but you think about the people that don't have a voice in the room,” Walsh said. “You are representing the needs of our population today and in the future. And it’s your vision, and it is your hard work, it is your dedication that make me so incredibly proud to be a member of this community."
EpicPromise is Vail Resorts’ corporate social responsibility program that awards grants to nonprofits operating in its local resort towns.
Over the past year, Park City Mountain has awarded $5.75 million to 32 local nonprofits through in-kind, cash and multi-year grants. Walsh said Park City Mountain is on track to surpass last year’s giving with more than $5.77 million in EpicPromise community grants expected in the year ahead.
"We've identified with all of you through our community roundtable discussions talking about accessible childcare, affordable housing, our food needs, shelter, diversity, equity, and inclusion among other things as well."
EpicPromise inclusive access programs also enabled thousands of under-represented youth to participate in snow sports with groups like Youth Sports Alliance, SOS Outreach and the National Ability Center.
"Not everybody has the opportunity to experience the magic of our mountains in the same way,” Walsh said. “Whether it's financial barriers, transportation barriers, you are all very familiar with what those barriers can be."
Thanks to partnerships with Park City Mountain, YSA and SOS Outreach have introduced initiatives to train graduates of their programs as junior ski instructors and mentors.
Walsh announced Park City Mountain is one of three major contributors, along with the Park Record and the Haloti Ngata Family Foundation, to replace the Dozier Field scoreboard at Park City High School. Park City Mountain has been a longtime partner with the school district through its youth access programs and annual graduation day “last ride” on the resort’s Town Lift for high school graduates.
KPCW received an EpicPromise in-kind grant of $35,000 and a cash grant of $12,500 to support biannual pledge drives and new Spanish language news services in 2024.
