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Breckenridge Grand Vacations Supports Local Nonprofits with $316,760 in Grants to 31 Organizations During its Fall 2021 Grant Cycle

Summit and Park County nonprofit organizations have been awarded a total of $3,446,365 in the last seven years by Breckenridge Grand Vacations’ (BGV) Grant Program. Grants supported a variety of community needs including programs and general operations for local human services, education and environmental programs; books for Summit School District classrooms; AED placements, education and community engagement; a variety of scholarship programs; avalanche safety and awareness education; theatre and music programs; youth athletic programs; tutoring assistance and more.

“This fall, BGV Gives received $422,196 in grant requests,” said Deb Edwards, BGV Gives Program Manager. “We take great pride in being able to support so many of our community organizations that provide important programs for our residents and guests. Our nonprofit organizations provide a myriad of critical and essential services, as well as quality of life offerings. Their contributions make living and working here so special.”

BGV awards grants to local organizations during two annual cycles: one in the spring and another in the fall. The spring 2021 cycle saw $240,860 awarded to 28 organizations including $127,000 to eleven Human Services agencies, $24,000 to four Educational organizations, $21,000 to four organizations in Art and Culture, $32,060 to five Environmental agencies, $31,800 to four Sports and Recreation groups and one grant in the amount of $5,000 in our “Other” category.

During the 2021 fall cycle, grants were awarded as follows: Human Services – thirteen grants for $162,000, Education – twelve grants for $82,260, Art & Culture – two grants for $17,500, Environment – one grant for $20,000 and Sports & Recreation – three grants for $35,000.

In 2021, more than $1.3 million has been awarded by Breckenridge Grand Vacations in cash and in-kind contributions through their Endowment and Donor Advised Funds at The Summit Foundation and directly from the company through BGV Gives.

Several organizations shared their visions for growth and development amongst their excitement when the award news was announced on December 20, 2021.

“The Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (BOEC) is so grateful for the generous funding we have received from BGV Gives for sponsorship of three special events and to support BOEC’s local youth programming. This financial support will increase overall revenue raised by each event which in turn supports BOEC’s mission to provide life-changing, adaptive outdoor recreation for those living with a disability or special need.  BOEC is also committed to meeting the community need in caring for local youth as we know that therapeutic outdoor recreation activities help mitigate social isolation and promotes mental health education and awareness across a multitude of populations.  We cannot stress enough how thankful we are for the ongoing support we have received from BGV Gives and how important this financial support is to us and to those who benefit from BOEC programs” shared Sonya Norris, BOEC Executive Director.

Additionally, Andrea Walker, manager of the Mountain Scholars Program at Colorado Mountain College was especially grateful for program funding again this year. “Thank you to Breckenridge Grand Vacations for awarding the Mountain Scholars Program funds this year! The Mountain Scholars Program plans to use the grant funds to aid first-generation students in degree completion rates as well as to provide students with tools for career readiness as they transition into the workforce. We are proud to have a completion rate 5-times the national average in thanks to our collaboration between The Summit Foundation, Colorado Mountain College, the Summit School District and funders like BGV Gives.”

Breckenridge Grand Vacations has a history of playing an active role in the community encouraging its employees to volunteer at local events and for philanthropic causes through paid volunteer hours. Through the end of 2021, BGV employees volunteered 3,580 total hours to community organizations equating to well over $100,000 in employer-paid volunteer time off. BGV also supports our community by being one of the largest year-round employers with more than 650 staff members, implementing a culture of excellence in customer service that develops and supports employees.

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Holiday Food Drive a Truckload of Success

Breckenridge Grand Vacations (BGV) organized a holiday food drive from mid-December until early January with tremendous success. Collection boxes were located at each BGV office and resort location. Employees, guests and owners all contributed to the success of the food drive.

Everything from Asian noodles to soup to nuts to pasta to baby diapers to Zesta saltines filled 38 shopping bags with non-perishable items that were delivered to the Family and Intercultural Resource Center (FIRC) earlier this month. After weighting and counting all the donations, the final results were 783 items weighing 815 pounds donated to the FIRC Food Pantry. What a great way to fill the shelves and provide food to so many local families!

Breckenridge Grand Vacations is proud to support our community nonprofit organizations that provide critical services to our community. Thanks to everyone who contributed and volunteered to make the food drive such a great success.

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Breckenridge Grand Vacations Embraces Company-wide Sustainability Efforts: From banners to luggage tags!

Breckenridge Grand Vacations (BGV) is dedicated to sustainable efforts and best practices to minimize impact on the local mountain environment where we play and live. One of the ways we do that is through reducing the amount of waste we send to the landfill, which sometimes takes some creativity!

In early 2020 when we rebranded and implemented a new logo, we were faced with a pile of vinyl banners that were destined for the landfill. With a current goal of increasing our waste diversion by 5% every year, our Sustainability Department researched alternatives, so the banners didn’t go to waste. Throughout their research, they found Green Guru, a Boulder-based company that uses old outdoor gear such as bike tubes and climbing rope and repurposes them into new outdoor products like bike saddle bags, backpacks, and totes. Green Guru was the perfect solution to our problem, as they would take our banners and turn them into luggage tags.

On a mission to reduce waste outside of our own company operations, the department decided to ask for old banners from organizations throughout the county. We received banners from local nonprofits, government agencies and businesses, collecting a total of 540 square feet of old banners – the size of an average studio apartment!

BGV’s Sustainability Team took a trip to Boulder to tour Green Guru’s facility and drop off the materials to be repurposed. Green Guru worked their magic and turned the banners into 3,000 branded luggage tags! This exciting effort supported our waste diversion goal and kept things Colorado local. These luggage tags will be handed out to owners, guests and employees at company events and trainings.

Just another example of BGV’s commitment to sustainability and the company’s dedicated staff working to “be green” wherever we can.

 

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Breckenridge Grand Vacations Supports Holiday Giving Programs

For the eighth year, Breckenridge Grand Vacations employees and departments stepped up to support our community during the holidays by supporting the Rotary Club of Summit County Adopt an Angel program and the community Adopt a Family program through Mountain Mentors and Summit County Department of Human Services.

Now in its 29th year, the Adopt an Angel program served 771 children from 375 families in 2021. The Silverthorne Pavilion was transformed into a toy and clothing factory where thousands of gifts were given to pre-approved families and children. Santa’s helpers were on hand to spread cheer and help families select and gift wrap their gifts.

The Adopt a Family program matches BGV departments and individuals with identified families in the community needing some extra support during the holidays. Twenty-two departments and 16 individuals and families provided hundreds and hundreds of gifts and grocery store gift cards to 32 families with 119 family members this year. Additionally, 21 gifts were donated to the Adopt an Angel program. Special thanks to the BGV staff who shopped, wrapped gifts and helped to transport all the gifts to Frisco for distribution to the Summit County families.

Breckenridge Grand Vacations takes great pride in supporting these programs and helping to spread holiday cheer by putting smiles on the faces of our local families. We wish all our colleagues, friends and families a happy, healthy and prosperous 2022!

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Saving Lives…One Pint at a Time!

For the second time this year, Breckenridge Grand Vacations employees, along with a few community members, stepped up to support Vitalant by donating 32 units of blood from 28 volunteers in October, including four first-time donors.  And four people not only donated whole blood but also donated red cells.  On average, every unit of blood can save up to three lives.

Every day in the United States, patients in hospitals, surgical center and emergency treatment facilities need approximately 29,000 units of red blood cells, 5,000 units of platelets and 6,500 units of plasma.

The BGV Blood Drive dates have already been selected for 2022.  Mark your calendars now for April 27 and October 4.  More detailed information and the link to sign up for an appointment will be sent about a month before each donation day.  Hope to see you there.

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Recycling Beverage Cartons Made Easy

“It’s no secret that people struggle with recycling correctly. As responsible consumers, we find ourselves trying to do the right thing but sometimes, this leads to “wish-cycling.” Unfortunately, wish-cycling can contaminate entire recycling loads that are otherwise clean. It’s very important that you check local regulations where you live and any time you travel and wish to recycle or compost. Each town has a unique set of requirements for items that are accepted in various waste streams. Here in Summit County and in many vacation destinations, recycling and composting loads become contaminated more easily. Think about it – you have people from all over the world with different waste diversion efforts and requirements coming to a place with a totally different set of rules. It’s extremely important to make sure our signage and other education efforts are up to date and residents and visitors alike are staying informed of changes. Recently, our list of accepted items in the single stream recycling has changed and we are no longer able to put cartons in the single stream collection.  

 

This does not mean egg cartons; but instead, juice and milk cartons. These items are made with paper but have a unique plastic lining inside. Some even contain a layer of aluminum. Because of these two linings, it raises unique challenges for traditional recycling. However, these cartons are still recyclable! They are now collected separately at our recycling drop sites around the county. Be sure to look for the “Cartons” sign on the dumpster! They are then sold to businesses that can properly give them a new life. In fact, once these cartons are sold and pressed together in a machine like a large panini press, they become ceiling tiles or a drywall alternative. The High Country Conservation Center reports that 30 cartons can make a 2-foot square ceiling tile!  

 

When recycling cartons, it’s important to know exactly which types of cartons can be recycled. Cartons with slanted tops like milk, creamers or egg substitutes are recyclable. Cartons that have a flat top like broths, soups or wine are also recyclable. These cartons typically have a straw or plastic cap. Cartons that are not recyclable are oatmeal containers, ice cream tubs or coffee cups. Before disposing of cartons into the proper dumpster, be sure to take off all caps and remove straws as these can get tangled in the recycling equipment. You should also be sure to rinse cartons before recycling.  

 

Should you have any questions on what is and is not accepted in the Single Stream at all BGV properties or at the drop sites around the county, you can visit HighCountryConservation.org or send our team an email at Sustainability@breckgv.com.

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Eleven Heart & Mind Healthy Holiday Tips

♥ Don’t skip meals to save up for a feast. It will be harder to manage your blood sugar and you’ll be really hungry and more likely to overeat.

♥ Schedule some “me” time every day – a nap, dog walk, reading, or just relaxing.

♥ Break up physical activity into smaller chunks so it’s easier to schedule. For example, walk 10 minutes several times a day.

♥ Visit the people, not the food. Move socializing away from the food table to prevent overeating. Put your focus on family and friends, laughter and cheer.

♥ If you have a sweat tooth, cut back on other carbs (like potatoes and bread) during the meal.

♥ Enjoy a slice of pumpkin pie instead of pecan pie. Even with a dollop of whipped cream, you’ll cut calories and sugar by at least a third.

♥ Choose your splurges wisely. Stick to calorie-free drinks. Alcoholic beverages contribute empty calories and can cause you to make poor judgements with food. Alternate each alcoholic drink with a glass of water.

♥ Savor seasonal treats. Having treats once a year will not make or break your weight. Eat slowly and check your fullness levels while you are eating. It takes at least 20 minutes for your brain to realize you are full.

♥ Don’t feel guilty. If you did overindulge, don’t beat yourself up. Just make sure your next meal is healthy and be sure to incorporate exercise into your routine.

♥ Get your ZZZ’s. When you are sleep deprived you tend to eat more and prefer high-fat, high-sugar foods. Aim for 7 to 8 hours per night to guard against mindless eating.

♥ Mind your mind! Find moments throughout the season to practice gratitude, meditate and relish your time. Managing stress is good for your head and heart.

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Summit County Rescue Group Provides Life Saving Services

What do most Summit County residents and visitors have in common? A passion for outdoor recreation. As the county becomes busier every year, both with residents and travelers, the Summit County Rescue Group (SCRG) gets busier too. Despite everyone’s best efforts to be prepared, accidents can and do happen in the backcountry and SCRG’s work begins where the pavement ends.

Established in 1973, the folks at SCRG are 100% volunteers – the rescuers, the mission coordinators, the board members and the fundraisers! In fact, the fundraisers and board members are also the rescuers. The organization counts 63 current active volunteer members. This is a group that shares the same passion for the backcountry that often leads recreationists to become lost hikers, injured mountain bikers, buried backcountry skiers, capsized kayakers, crashed dirt bikers, fallen climbers and wounded hunters. Summit County Rescue Group members are out there because they love the outdoors, and they understand you love it too. In addition to their ongoing training and rescue skills, they must also provide all the time it takes to manage a nonprofit organization. They spend a significant amount of time educating the public on backcountry safety in the hope that everyone becomes better at avoiding accidents, but they know sometimes things happen even to the best prepared and educated back-country enthusiast.

SCRG averaged 88 calls for service between 2014 and 2018. Then, in 2019, that number increased by 164% and rose to 144. In 2020, the Rescue Group responded to 195 calls taking 3,347 mission hours. In both 2020 and 2021, more than 2,400 hours of training time has been spent by SCRG team members. Since mid-October of this year, SCRG has been called out 192 times providing 2,945 volunteer mission hours, making it clear they will easily exceed 200 calls in 2021. This makes SCRG one of the three busiest backcountry rescue teams in Colorado.

Because of the rising need for their services, SCRG launched their first official fundraising campaign in late 2020. Their need for new equipment, maintenance for current equipment, and training for current and new team members is ongoing. The Rescue Group needs your support. Along with many other local nonprofit organizations, SCRG will be participating in the Colorado Gives program this December for the first time. Every dollar raised on December 7th through Colorado Gives Day will be matched, up to $50,000, by The Summit Foundation.

There is never a charge to an individual for rescue services or expenses. All funding is provided from grants and donations. Anyone can donate directly to Summit County Rescue Group on their website at scrg.org/donate. You never know when YOU might need their help one day!

 

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