Wrapping up the 14th Annual SkiScape

Last Sunday, the 8^th of January, the organizers from Kids Escaping Drugs came down to HoliMont to host the 14^th Annual SkiScape event.  SkiScape has become a time-honored tradition at HoliMont.  Every year around the beginning of the New Year, Kids Escaping Drugs partners up with HoliMont in order to raise funs for the development of its facilities and the continuation of its programs in Western New York.

The Kids Escaping Drugs program is unique to this area.  In many places, kids who are in need of drug and/or alcohol treatment are placed in facilities with adults.  The Kids Escaping Drugs Campus consists of three buildings that house up to 62 chemically-dependent youths ages 12 to 20. Renaissance House is a 30-bed intensive treatment facility for boys, Stepping Stones is a 16-bed girls’ residence, which combines both inpatient and continuum of care programs and the Promise House is a 16-bed continuum of care residence for boys.

“Obviously this organization (Kids Escaping Drugs) works on a daily basis dealing with a very serious issue,” said Dash Hegeman, HoliMont Marketing Director.  “HoliMont is happy to be able to add some on-snow fun to the fundraising process.  This season we had a very solid turnout even though the weather in surrounding areas might not have looked like it was winter.”

Luckily, where Mother Nature has been lacking, the snowmaking at HoliMont has been picking up the slack.  With every chairlift open over the weekend, the Kids Escaping Drugs crowd had access to approximately 30 slopes. 

One of those slopes was the Exhibition trail, which in the morning, played host to the Annual Firefighter Ski Race.  Firefighter crews from all over the state traveled to HoliMont to compete for bragging rights and a pretty impressive trophy.  This year the North Boston team, led by HoliMont Ski Patroller Sean Crotty, just missed out on the 1^st place trophy when they were edged out by a team from Palenville, NY.  It was a thrilling, and at times, a very entertaining race to watch.

Back in the Main Chalet the Silent Auction featured some great items that ended up collecting a lot of bids (at the time this article went to print, the fundraising total for the day was not available).  There were donated items from both the Buffalo Bills and Sabres, dining packages, golf and spa packages, products from Verizon Wireless, local ski shop gift certificates, and much more. 

If you’re interested in contributing to the Kids Escaping Drugs cause, check out www.makeachange.wny.org.