December Match Receives a Blizzard of Donations!
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The Preserve Our Paradise Campaign launched with a rousing party on December 9, after several years of planning and early fundraising efforts. At that party, campaign Co-Chair Annika Holtan announced a dollar-for-dollar match for every donation up to $125,000 received by December 31. With only three weeks to accomplish this, our work was cut out for us!
Campaign volunteers went to work and made the case to their friends as they were riding the Single, hanging out at the Basebox, or having a drink. As the end of the month drew near, the momentum grew. During the last 10 hours of 2017, over $35,000 was donated online at
www.preservemadriver.com
! In the end, a blizzard of donations put us well over our goal and raised $168,727 towards the match, for a total of $293,727 in just 22 days! The match generated 265 gifts ranging from $10 to $15,000. We have now raised
$3,293,727
in donations and pledges, putting us over
halfway towards our $6.5M goal.
Despite this success, there's still plenty of work left to do. The campaign will run through April 2019, and we still have over $3.2M left to raise, but we're off to a great start and are truly gratified by the response. Thanks so much to all of the volunteers that have worked so hard to make this campaign a reality, and thanks to our generous supporters and our fiscal sponsor, the
Stark Mountain Foundation
! You have demonstrated the true strength of the Mad River Glen community.
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Partygoers watch the fireworks at the campaign launch party on December 9.
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DONATE TO THE CAMPAIGN NOW AT:
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A Message from the General Manager
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December was an exciting time for both the mountain and the Preserve Our Paradise Campaign. It was wonderful to see the excitement build around the generous year-end match challenge. The success of the match is proof of the Mad River community’s passion for our ski area and I am looking forward to building on that passion as we work to protect and preserve the Mad River Glen experience. The direct benefits of the match will be felt as we move into summer. With grants from the Stark Mountain Foundation, we now have the funds in hand to complete the Birdcage Deck & Entry Way Project, purchase and install a new snowmaking pump, and purchase equipment for the mountain that will assist us in completing more on-mountain projects this summer and beyond.
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Matt Lillard, Mad River Glen General Manager
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A Launch Party to Remember!
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On December 9, the official launch of the Preserve Our Paradise Campaign was celebrated by over 350 people in the historic Basebox. Everyone enjoyed some great roots rock and swing from Red Hot Juba, food, fireworks, and a celebratory atmosphere. In true MRG fashion, the
food and fireworks were all donated, the decorations were mostly loaned or DIY and the majority of the labor was volunteer. A great example of how our community comes together when we have a mission!
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The season got off to a great start, with nearly four weeks of excellent skiing limited only by your tolerance for subzero temperatures!
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A harsh January thaw took a toll on our skiing, but nonetheless the ski programs had a great MLK weekend on the Practice Slope, with freestyle jumping, race training, and group activities. Some of the parents even tried the kicker, with decidedly mixed results! The campaign-funded snowmaking improvements really paid off, providing greatly improved snow coverage on both Race Hill and the Cricket compared with previous seasons, allowing simultaneous program activities to occur.
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Learn More About the Campaign this Winter!
Would you like to learn more about the Preserve Our Paradise campaign? We'll be holding three open Q&A sessions with campaign volunteers at the Basebox in February and March. Come and meet the folks that are making this happen and get answers to any questions you may have about the campaign. We hope to see you there!
Saturday, January 27, 9:30 am
Sunday, February 18, 4:30 pm
Saturday, March 10, 4:30 pm
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Beach Party Benefit for SMF
Friday, February 23, 9 pm - 1 am, Localfolk Smokehouse, Waitsfield
Join us for
a Mid-Winter's Beach Party Benefit featuring Vermont surf bands The High Breaks and the Tsunamibots! The event will benefit the
Stark Mountain Foundation
. Bust out your shorts, bathing suits, flip-flops, tank tops and Hawaiian shirts as we help preserve the environment around us. Let's limbo!
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Your complete campaign resource:
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Upcoming MRG & Campaign Events
January 20
Co-op Board of Trustees Meeting, 5 pm
January 27
Campaign Q&A in the Basebox, 9:30 am
Junior Unconventional Terrain Competition, 11 am
MRG Freeskiing Team Dinner & Movie Night, 6 pm
January 30
Roll Back The Clock Day: Lift tickets will be $3.50!
February 17
Triple Crown Unconventional Competition, 11 am
Co-op Board of Trustees Meeting, 5 pm
February 18
Campaign Q&A in the Basebox, 4:30 pm
February 23
Beach Party Benefit for SMF, Localfolk Smokehouse, 9 pm
March 2
Triple Crown Vertical Challenge, 9 am
March 3
Mad River Glen Inter-Club Ski Race, 1 pm
March 10
Triple Crown Mogul Challenge, 11 am
Campaign Q&A in the Basebox, 4:30 pm
March 17
Co-op Board of Trustees Meeting, 5 pm
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Campaign Cabinet
Chairs: Annika Holtan, Eric Palola
Members at Large: Lars Bruns, Bob Dillon, Jim Elkind, Meg Hourihan, Betsy Jondro, Karen Lloyd, John Nesbett, Pamela Nesbett, Penny Parson, Meg Schultz, Greg Scott, Debra Steines, John Tobin, Brooks Ware
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Look for our next newsletter in March!
Stay connected with the campaign on social media:
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