From kids and families in need to student athlete academic achievement and environmentally sustainable practices, Mt. Bachelor has supported nonprofits that align with the resort’s community values for the past several years through its Charity Ski Weeks program.
Mt. Bachelor implemented Charity Ski Weeks to support nonprofits throughout the community in 2009, and since its inception, the program has raised nearly $425,000 fornonprofits throughout Central Oregon. This year Mt. Bachelor will continue Charity Ski Weeks and the corresponding contributions to local beneficiaries with a couple of changes that are planned to evolve and improve the program.
For the 2014 season, Mt. Bachelor has changed the submission process and requested that local nonprofits complete proposals for specific projects that could be funded through the Charity Ski Weeks program. Submissions were encouraged to outline any project that will directly benefit an organization ranging from equipment, infrastructure and development needs to grants, scholarships or unique programming for an organization. Each funded project has the potential receive $10,000 in funding.
The deadline to submit proposals for consideration was Friday, November 29, 2013, and the proposals will be reviewed by the Mt. Bachelor leadership team, comprised of directors and managers from everydepartment, to select funding opportunities that best align with Mt. Bachelor’s community values.
The finalists will be selected and announced next week. Mt. Bachelor plans to follow and check up on the progress and results for the funded projects to potentially feature the selected nonprofits on the website and through Mt. Bachelor’s social media channels. “We are looking forward to another great year to support our local community, and we believe the changes to the program this season will help us uncover even more unique funding opportunities that align with Mt. Bachelor’s community values,” said Mt. Bachelor Director of Marketing and Communications Andy Goggins.
This year there will also be greater flexibility to use the Charity Ski Week tickets with the ticket redemption periods more than doubling to 49 days throughout the season.In previous years, Charity Ski Week tickets were valid during two, 2-week sessions with tickets valid Monday-Friday in January and April, for a total redemption period of 20 days per year. This season the tickets will be valid midweek, Monday-Friday, from January 6-31, and March 31-May 2, and four Sundays will be includedon January 12 and 26, and on April 6 and 20, 2014.
To better manage the Charity Ski Weeks lift ticket purchase and fulfillment process, Mt. Bachelor will sell vouchers online at www.mtbachelor.com during a 96 hour sales campaign running December 12-16, or until the tickets are sold out. Purchasers will redeem the pre-paid Charity Ski Week vouchers at any Mt. Bachelor ticket window by showing a photo ID and referencing their purchase confirmation.
Mt. Bachelor will also be changing the way proceeds are distributed from the sale of the Charity Ski Weeks tickets this season. Instead of providing cash contributions in one lump sum based on voucher redemption, the funds will be pooled based on total voucher sales online andcash grants will be provided to beneficiaries for specific projects.
“Mt. Bachelor is excited to expand Charity Ski Weeks this winter by funding specific projects and programs for local nonprofits,” said Goggins. “Charitable giving has been a big part of Mt. Bachelor’s history and heritage and we look forward to continuing this practice well into the future.”
For more information about Mt. Bachelor or the Charity Ski Weeks program, visit www.mtbachelor.com or call 800-829-2442. Sarah Williamson owns SWPR Group, a public relations firm based in Central Oregon that works with companies both large and small to help build their brands. You can reach her at 541-306-3613 or sarah@swpr-group.com.
