More than 500 elementary and middle school students of the Mad River Valley are currently participating in school winter sports programs, partially funded this year by a recent grant award by the Mad River Valley Rotary Club. The Valley’s five parent-teacher organizations and associations (PTO, PTA) the Moretown Elementary PTO, Waitsfield Elementary PTA, Warren Elementary PTO, Fayston Elementary PTO, and Harwood Middle School PTO – worked in collaboration to seek Rotary funding to meet the rising costs of the winter sports programs, such as equipment, instruction, transportation, and winter gear and clothing.
Across the five Valley schools, winter sports programs provide students access to skiing, snowboarding, and cross-country skiing, activities that are both central to the region’s recreational life and economy. These student programs also promote physical wellness and provide opportunities for children to build confidence and feel pride in their accomplishments, according to educators and PTO/PTA representatives.
The five winter sports programs are almost entirely supported by the private fundraising endeavors of each school’s volunteer-run PTOs and PTAs, with some organizations also collecting nominal participation fees. While program costs have continued to rise year after year, the Valley PTOs and PTAs have remained fully committed to shielding families from these cost increases as much as possible to maintain equal access to winter sports for all students. The Rotary Club grant award helped the PTOs and PTAs keep that promise.
Moretown Elementary’s PTO utilized the grant support to provide participation-fee scholarships and to rent skis and boots to students who otherwise would not have their own equipment. Warren and Waitsfield parent-teacher groups utilized grant funds for equipment rental as well, along with winter clothing for any child in need.
“With the generous Rotary grant, we are able to ensure that every student in Waitsfield’s Ski and Ride Program is properly outfitted. We were able to put the leftover funds toward bus transportation, which is one of the larger expenses for the program,” said Stephanie Hartnett of the Waitsfield Elementary PTA.
Transportation was a key area for Harwood Middle and Fayston Elementary. “With the influx in the Fayston student population, our program was in need of a larger method of transportation for gear. The grant we received from the MRV Rotary Club was crucial in allowing us to obtain a trailer to transport all the equipment needed to make our days up on the hill more successful,” reported Deb Powers of Fayston’s PTO,
The grant award reflects the Rotary Club’s commitment to community-based projects, education, and recreation, according to Mike Curtin, MRV Rotary president.
“With this grant the Mad River Valley Rotary Club is pleased to help make certain that every local school child has a chance to participate in winter outdoor sports,” he said.
Louisa Wilson, president of the Moretown Elementary PTO, said that the work of the parent-teacher associations and organizations of the Mad River Valley schools reflects a dedication to the social, emotional, and physical wellness of children in the Mad River Valley community, along with a focus on enriching the student educational experience and providing children with a genuine sense of belonging.
“These organizations are also committed to strengthening connections between families, teachers, and the broader community, knowing that fostering an atmosphere of goodwill and collaboration is critical to the collective work of providing all children with the opportunities they need to grow and thrive,” Wilson said.
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