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SOS Outreach, a youth non-profit organization in Colorado, will give about 500 kids a chance to ride at six resorts in Colorado this weekend, including Vail, Keystone, Breckenridge and Arapahoe Basin. The program is designed to introduce kids to snow sports who may never have had a chance to get involved:
More Than 500 Kids Will Hit the Mountains This Weekend
December 10, 2009 (DENVER, CO) — The nation’s largest youth winter sports nonprofit entered its 16th season of service in Colorado. This weekend, more than 500 students in Colorado will hit the slopes at half a dozen ski resorts courtesy of SOS Outreach.
The students will pick up tips from professional instructors to enhance their on-hill experience, but SOS Outreach founder and executive director Arn Menconi said participants will become involved in much more.
“Our aim is to give an experience of a lifetime to kids who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity,” he said. “At the same time, we use the ‘cool’ factor of snowboarding and skiing as a hook for a multi-year core value curriculum that inspires the students to become more involved in the community by giving back.”
SOS Outreach Global Program Director Jon Garrou said public service was a primary emphasis of the organization for not only the staff and student participants, but the broader community.
“Something happens when people see kids doing something to improve their community, and they want to support that,” he said, adding that last year about 750 adults pitched in with on-hill programs as well as service projects initiated by multi-year students. “Snowboarding may have been what brought everyone together, but it’s become something much larger and more meaningful.”
In all, SOS Outreach partners with 39 mountain resorts across nine states, Canada and New Zealand. Menconi said without the steady support of Vail Resorts, the organization would not have been able to expand.
Vail Resorts CEO Rob Katz said the company was more than happy to partner with SOS Outreach.
“Working with SOS Outreach, we are able to give the experience of a lifetime to kids who may not have the opportunity,” Katz said. “SOS has taken the time to understand the best way to reach kids, and with the excitement of their first chair lift ride or their first turn, each of the SOS kids is an inspiration to every one of our employees who work with them. We hope the experience makes as big a positive impact on their lives as it has on ours.”
This year, 3,000 youth will enroll in winter sports programs with SOS Outreach, half of whom live in the Denver area. SOS Outreach will serve another 1,200 students in outdoor sports programs during the summer months, for a total of 20,000 participant days across its programs.
To learn more... contact Information
Arn Menconi, Executive Director: 970.390.4844
Jon Garrou, Global Programs Director: 303.332.7347
Nathan Rodriguez, Community Relations Manager: 303.548.4746
http://business.transworld.net/news/sos-outreach-gives-500-kids-chance-to-ride/
http://www.sosoutreach.orgSOS Outreach, a youth non-profit organization in Colorado, will give about 500 kids a... more
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