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Park City
Everything to do inside of Park City proper.

Online Jan’s Winter Welcome Fundraiser Ends Tonight

Youth Sports Alliance

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted almost everything so far in 2020, and the annual Jan’s Winter Welcome fundraiser is no different.

 

Traditionally put on each fall by the Youth Sports Alliance, the black-tie Winter Welcome is one of the hottest nonprofit fundraising tickets in town. In fact, the fundraiser is now in its 40th year raising money for local winter sports athletes. 

 

Due to COVID-19 concerns, this year’s Winter Welcome will not be held in person. YSA executive director Emily Fisher says not holding some type of fundraiser this year simply was not an option. She says the fundraiser’s namesake, Park City legend Jan Peterson, would have found a way to make it happen.

 

“He started the event because he wanted to raise money for young ski racers that could not afford to ski race,” Fisher said. “So it was with his legacy that we really went forward with this campaign and thought, ‘what would Jan Peterson do in this incredibly challenging environment?”

 

The fundraiser benefits the YSA’s seven member clubs, who offer sport programs ranging from figure skating to luge.

 

The online fundraiser has been underway since June and YSA has a goal of raising $400,000 -- the same amount they hope to raise in a year without a global pandemic. Fisher says they’re close -- about $67,000 short -- and need the community’s help.

 

“We are definitely closing in on our goal, which is really exciting, but we do need one last push,” says Fisher. “We have an online auction that has incredible local packages, gear, trips, staycations, it’s really some really fun things for people to do in town. We are hoping for just one last push to help us get to our goal of raising $400,000.”

 

In addition to an online auction, donors can also buy tickets to an opportunity drawing that offers a table at next year’s Winter Welcome, as well as vacation and dinner packages. You can also just make a donation if that’s more your style.

 

Fisher says although this year’s Winter Welcome has been a challenge, YSA extends their thanks to the community for stepping up to the plate in these challenging times.

 

“While it’s definitely not easier and everything has been so different, we are so blessed and grateful for all of our local donors and supporters,” she said.

 

The Jan’s Winter Welcome online fundraiser ends tonight, Saturday, October 24th at 9:00pm. 

 

To donate or participate in the auction, click here.

Sean Higgins covers all things Park City and is the Saturday Weekend Edition host at KPCW. Sean spent the first five years of his journalism career covering World Cup skiing for Ski Racing Media here in Utah and served as Senior Editor until January 2020. As Senior Editor, he managed the day-to-day news section of skiracing.com, as well as produced and hosted Ski Racing’s weekly podcast. During his tenure with Ski Racing Media, he was also a field reporter for NBC Sports, covering events in Europe.