Vermont Business Magazine Ski Vermont donated a record breaking $19,050 to the Keep Local Farms Fund at Nea-Tocht Farm in Ferrisburgh on Saturday, June 25, 2016. The donation comes from the proceeds of Ski Vermont’s Fifth Grade Passport program, which enabled nearly 3,000 children to ski and snowboard for free in Vermont during the 2015-16 season. The Keep Local Farms Fund supports the long-term viability of New England’s dairy farms through three strategies: educating New Englanders about dairy farming, promoting purchases of milk and other dairy foods, and raising funds to support the sustainability of New England’s dairy farms. The Fund partners with local nonprofits, all of which hold projects or programs related to the staples of successful of dairy agriculture.
Ski Vermont has donated to the Keep Local Farms Fund for the last five years with contributions totaling nearly $65,000. In total, 19 alpine and 29 nordic resorts in the state participate in the Fifth Grade Passport program this past year, accounting for nearly all Vermont resorts.
“Ski Vermont is proud to have donated nearly $65,000 to Keep Local Farms over five years and looks forward to continuing this great tradition,” said Ski Vermont’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Sarah Wojcik. “It is wonderful to see these donations come full circle, directly funding the preservation of our local environment and farms, which along with our mountains are key features of the idyllic landscape of Vermont that draws tourists from all over the world.”
Sarah Wojcik of Ski Vermont presented a $19,050 check to the Keep Local Farms fund with Sid Vander Wey, a second generation dairy farmer at Nea-Tocht Farm in Ferrisburgh and member of the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition, Laura Hardie of the New England Dairy Promotion Board, and Holland Vander Wey and brother Greyson, the third generation on the Nea-Tocht farm. ABOVE: A young visitor at the Nea-Tocht farm in Ferrisburgh meets a dairy cow. Ski Vermont presented a $19,050 check to the Keep Local Farms fund at Nea-Tocht farm on June 25. Photos by Karen Pike.
Earlier this year, donations to the Keep Local Farms Fund in Vermont were distributed to Dairy Vision Vermont and the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition. The organizations will use the funds in a variety of ways to help Vermont farmers protect water quality with recommended new practices and technology improvements, as well as provide training on business skills to create successful dairy operations.
“Ski Vermont and New England Dairy Farmers share a common goal – to maintain the beauty of the region while sustaining growth in the local economy,” said New England Dairy Promotion Board Public Relations and Communication Specialist Laura Hardie. “Dairy farmers also understand the importance of raising young mountain sport enthusiasts to appreciate the land and locally sourced healthy food.”
Ski Vermont’s Fifth Grade Passport program is entering its seventeenth year, enabling over 20,000 children to ski free at Vermont resorts and inspiring them to connect with the Vermont landscape. Passports are available for the 2016-17 season for a just $10 processing fee. The proceeds from this fee will be donated to Keep Local Farms in 2017. For more information, visit skivermont.com/FGP.
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Sarah Wojcik of Ski Vermont presented a $19,050 check to the Keep Local Farms fund with Sid Vander Wey, a second generation dairy farmer at Nea-Tocht Farm in Ferrisburgh and member of the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition, Laura Hardie of the New England Dairy Promotion Board, and Holland Vander Wey and brother Greyson, the third generation on the Nea-Tocht farm.
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A young visitor at the Nea-Tocht farm in Ferrisburgh meets a dairy cow. Ski Vermont presented a $19,050 check to the Keep Local Farms fund at Nea-Tocht farm on June 25.
More photos available upon request. Photos by Karen Pike.