Ski Vermont’s Fifth Grade Passport Program Raises $8,830 for Dairy Farms

Ski Vermont presented a contribution check of $8,830 to Keep Local Farms at The Big E in West Springfield, MA on Saturday, September 22, 2012. The contribution comes from the proceeds of Ski Vermont’s Fifth Grade Passport program which enabled 2100 children to ski free in the 2011-12 season.

This is the second year in a row that the profits were donated to Keep Local Farms which supports New England dairy farmers. Last year’s contribution totaled $8,495. The Vermont Community Foundation will provide guidance and management for all funding received by the Keep Local Farms program, and fund organizations advancing dairy farm sustainability across New England and New York State.

“Vermont’s skiing and farming economies are closely intertwined and rooted deep in our local communities, so working together to guarantee the future success of these iconic Vermont industries makes perfect sense,” said Ski Vermont Public Affairs Director Sarah Neith.

“We look forward to continuing our partnership as we launch the 12^th year of the Fifth Grade Passport program, inspiring youth to connect with the landscape and take up the long tradition of skiing in Vermont. Equally important is supporting Vermont’s agricultural heritage, which is at the core of our state’s enviable brand identity.”

Neith presented the contribution check to Marion Seifert, a dairy farmer from Orwell and representative and beneficiary of Keep Local Farms. Also in attendance were Vermont Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Jolinda Laclair, and Ryan Torres of the Vermont Community Foundation.

Ski Vermont's Fifth Grade Passport program is in its 12^th year of enabling children to ski free at all partner resorts and Ski Vermont pledges to continue to donate proceeds from the passport’s $10 processing fee to support New England dairy farmers in the 2012-13 season.

About the Associations and Programs:

KEEP LOCAL FARMS was launched in 2009 by the Vermont Dairy Promotion Council, New England Family Dairy Farms Cooperative and New England Dairy Promotion Board. Recently, Keep Local Farms launched a new campaign with the theme Must Be The Milk. The program aims to educate people about the value of local dairy farms to our economy, our environment and our health and wellness. To learn more, please visit www.MustBeTheMilk.com.

SKI VERMONT serves its 18 Alpine and 30 Nordic member resorts in three major areas: governmental affairs, marketing and public affairs. It is a private non-profit trade association founded in 1969 to foster a legislative, economic and social environment in which the state's ski industry can grow and prosper. The association’s priorities include environmental integrity, enhancing economic and social contributions to the state's welfare, and promoting Vermont as the premier destination for winter tourism. For more information on Ski Vermont’s Fifth Grade Passport program, please visit www.skivermont.com/FGP.

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Photo: Sarah Neith from Ski Vermont presents an $8830 check to Keep Local Farms.  Also pictured: Marion Seifert, a dairy farmer from Orwell, VT, Ryan Torres from the Vermont Community Foundation and Jolinda Laclair, Vermont's Deputy Secretary of Agriculture.