This winter, a group of Baltimore youth will experience the joy of skiing and snowboarding for the first time, thanks to support through Vail Resorts in partnership with the Katz Amsterdam Foundation (KAF). Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore (BGCMB) is one of eleven youth development organizations across North America selected for a grant to increase youth access to outdoor recreation through the Vail Resorts Epic for Everyone Youth Access Program.
In the program’s first year, fifteen Boys & Girls Club members were selected to participate as “Peak Performers” based on their demonstration of good character and leadership. On January 12, 2022, Club members head to Liberty Moutain Resort for their first of five ski/ride sessions alongside their adult mentors [BGCMB staff].
Vail Resorts will provide free lift tickets, ski and ride school, meals, and equipment rentals, while KAF supports the development of the Peak Performers program including staffing, soft goods and transportation. Ahead of each ride session, youth get a peek behind-the-scenes: at resort operations, the snowmaking process, and careers in the industry. Participants also receive two additional days of mountain access so they can return with a parent or guardian outside of their scheduled trips with BGCMB.
Taken together, the enriching program aims to connect youth to the outdoors as a tool for leadership development and improved mental wellbeing.
For more on the Vail Resorts Epic for Everyone Youth Access Program, see Vail Resort’s September 2021 press release.