To The Editor:
As an employee of Sugarbush (my wife and I are ambassadors), I’d like to comment on recent negative comments regarding COVID safety at Sugarbush. We see first-hand either working our shift or on the slopes the safety steps that are taking place. Whether it is limiting the maximum number of people in building locations; food ordering via the app; and requiring masks everywhere on the resort (masks that cover noses and mouth; and masks without any breathing holes like the traditional warmup face masks.) We actually carry hospital-grade surgical face masks in our pockets packaged in plastic bags and give them to people to wear as a double mask should we encounter people with face masks with holes in them.
Our guests, with very few exceptions, support us and wear masks except while eating and drinking. We have sanitizing stations everywhere and continue to support careful COVID restrictions so we all remain safe.
Just yesterday while working, I had a nurse from UVM walk up to me and thank me (us) for all we are doing to keep everyone safe.
Yes, we ask everyone to sign an attestation before their pass can be activated. Yes, I am confident that not everyone is being honest and meeting the quarantine requirements. The questions is what should we do? Do we shut down skiing in Vermont as one of the state’s largest economic drivers, or do we do all we can to keep everyone safe while recreating in the outdoors at Sugarbush? It is a balancing act that I believe Sugarbush (and Stowe: as I was at Stowe in the last three weeks) are doing to keep everyone safe while not totally shutting down our economy.
COVID makes all of us make choices. In this case to ski\ride, or not. We have chosen to work and enjoy Sugarbush because we feel safe and proud of what we all do as employees while keeping all our guests, and 800-plus employees safe.
Don Simonini
Fayston
