Last Updated: 30.Oct.2018

The 2nd biennial Ski and Bike Swap raised over $5000 for the Kathy Wright Memorial Scholarship fund and redistributed more than 650 bikes, skis and gear into the hands of more than 200 skiers and their families!

Donations to the Scholarship fund were based on consigned gear sales (25% of each item price). The Scholarship itself supports Craftsbury juniors in their skiing ventures, whether by making introductory programs more affordable or helping junior racers travel to camps and races. Recipients have thus far taken part in a variety of opportunities, from the New England BKL Festival up through Scandinavian Cup races. Last winter, the scholarship committee awarded 71 total scholarships, amounting to $20,420 in awards for program fee waivers and travel support. That’s 45 unique kids that received financial aid of some kind throughout the year, accounting for over 27% of the ski club’s youth winter program participants in '17-18.

But the swap is about more than just fundraising. "We are psyched to have raised a bunch (more than $5,200!) for the scholarship fund, obviously, but we’re equally excited about how many people walked away from the swap with new-to-them gear, ready for many more seasons of fun,” junior ski coach Audrey Mangan explained. Items ranged from mountain bikes to ski boots, skis and clothing.  

The swap brought the Activity Center to mid-winter, race-weekend life, bustling with a flood of people browsing the event. “The bike shop and Activity Center had lines out the door before we opened at 10:00am, and it was hard to keep up with the checkout line for the first 90 minutes,” admitted Mangan. Ski shop employee, swap attendee, and BKL parent Kara Dunn described the scene: “It was crazy! Think Nordic Black Friday!”

The ski swap embodies much of the New England ethos of thrift and reuse, as well as the non-profit Craftsbury Center's mission: sustainable reuse of materials extending their life - while supporting active, healthy lifestyles affordably. Massive thanks to all the wonderful volunteers who are the backbone of this event. Like so many of our events, it couldn't happen without their generous donations of time and energy. It was especially wonderful to see so many community members come out to gear up for winter! Hope to see you out on the trails soon, perhaps sporting a new purchase!