12/08/09 Bend
The 5th annual Mt. Bachelor "Ski for Schools" fundraiser wrapped up Friday afternoon with Mt. Bachelor executives presenting a check for $19,700 to the Education Foundations of both the Bend-La Pine and the Redmond Schools amid smiling students (see photo). December 4th was the final day of the weeklong fundraising event, and the "blue bird" day saw community supporters and students taking advantage of their pre-purchased $20 Ski for Schools tickets.
Mt Bachelor hosts the annual Ski for Schools event to help kick off the local ski season and raise much needed funds for the public schools through the education foundations. A limited number of $20 Ski for Schools tickets were made available for advance purchase, and purchasers could redeem their tickets for an all day lift ticket anytime from November 30th to December 4th. Mt Bachelor then donated 100% of the proceeds from the event back to the Foundations to support educational programs in local public schools.
"We are truly grateful that Mt Bachelor does so much to help support our kids and schools," says Julie Hill, President of the Education Foundation for Bend-La Pine Schools, "Ski for Schools funds are especially important to our Activity Fee Scholarship program this year. More kids than ever are experiencing financial hardships and need help to pay the increased participation fees associated with activities like arts, music, and athletics. These funds also help us provide Classroom Grants for small but significant educational programs throughout our district. Without the support of Mt Bachelor and our community, these programs may not be possible at all."
Ski for Schools has helped raise nearly $90,000 to benefit local schools over the last five years. This year, funds will be divided between the districts based on geographical ticket sales. Tickets sold at Bend and Sunriver locations raised $16,960 for the Education Foundation for Bend-La Pine Schools while $2,740 in tickets sold in Redmond will benefit the Redmond 2J Educational Foundation.
