The NorthWoods Community and Mother Nature teamed up to start the year with a better-than-ever ski season here at the Center. In winter, cross-country skis are THE vehicle for outdoor study and exploration, but our equipment had been in poor repair. On our 25th birthday in 2014, we made a wish to update our ski fleet to better serve young children and novice skiers, and you helped make it come true.
NorthWoods 2014-2015 Winter Education received grants from the Vermont Community Foundation’s Northeast Kingdom Fund, Ben & Jerry’s Community Action Grants program, and The Norcross Wildlife Foundation, and additional support from the Craftsbury Outdoor Center. With their help, we added 30 pair of new or gently used skis with NNN bindings, 37 pair new and gently used boots, and 23 pair poles—all in a mix of kid and adult sizes for use by school groups, winter camps, and local families. These grants also helped NorthWoods offer community programs like Skiing Naturalist: Signs, Track & Habitats and facilitate more than 1600 student days for over a dozen area schools—allowing us to deeply discount these ski and outdoor programs, which enhance local education with beyond-the-classroom science, orienteering, and wildlife appreciation. Added resources also helped keep key trails groomed—essential for ensuring a positive connection to the nordic experience that keeps young stewards coming back for more.
NorthWoods Education Director Maria Young was thrilled to get the Northeast Kingdom on skis. “When people shake their heads about Vermont’s winter weather, my first question is: Do you ski? And too often,” says Young, “the answer is no. I’m excited that more NEK kids and community members will explore NorthWoods territory by ski, thanks to this great support.”
The buzz created by community support and the great trail conditions inspired more of you to enjoy NorthWoods public trails network this winter, and the reviews were sparkling! Our February Winter Open House over the Presidents’ Weekend brought old and new friends from across the Kingdom with their holiday guests to try out the new fleet—and it was our pleasure to help fit skis and boots and serve up the hot cocoa!
Repeat sign-ins on the trail logs and a busy trail donations box say so much—thanks for making this winter a win for NorthWoods. Stay tuned for announcements about the Winter Kick-off event in December and Winter Day Camps coming soon.