The Confederate Tribes of the Goshute Reservation is a community that spreads into both Utah and Nevada, just south of Wendover. For the last eight years the Christian Center of Park City has developed a partnership and friendship with the families through the Goshute Tribe Initiative.
From the creation of a community garden to organizing health clinics, CCPC has been committed to providing benefits to the community. Earlier this month, with the help of a national nonprofit called SOS Outreach, CCPC brought several families from Ibapah, Utah, to Park City for fun on the slopes.
Matt Melville is the director of programs for the Christian Center of Park City. He said there was a lot of excitement about the program coming back after a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The spots that we had filled up, filled up very quickly. So we ended up having 17 youth participate,” he said. “This was just for youth. Many of the parents either watched, or some dropped their kids off and did some other activities during that time.”
Melville said SOS Outreach oversaw the day and organized sizes for gear and clothing.
“So that when our kids arrive, they have all of the items that they need. And then you know, we went to meet on the village side of Park City Mountain Resorts. And then the great folks over there, the Park City employees, fit them with boots, skis.”
Park City Mountain provided two ski instructors for the day and Melville said some of the kids made a big improvement in a short time.
“A lot of the kids it was pretty new. So we really started off, you know, on the bunny hill, magic carpet and then progress over,” Melville said. “By the end of the day we had volunteers that were taking some of the teenage kids up and down Payday, which is just really cool.”
Melville went on to say that the families endured high winds and a winter storm to travel to Park City and were met with a bluebird day. After hours on the slopes, the families met for lunch at CCPC.
“They were just very grateful for the opportunity,” Melville said. “And then the parents have reached out since then thanking us for the opportunity and glad that this program is back.”