Warren, VT – Vermont’s Sugarbush Resort on Monday hosted a fundraising brunch headlined by Waitsfield native-cum-rock-star Grace Potter of Grace Potter and The Nocturnals. The event raised $210,000 for the Mad River Valley Community Fund (MRVCF) for flood relief.
The event took place at Sugarbush’s Gate House Lodge at Lincoln Peak, and began with a buffet brunch featuring items whose ingredients were largely sourced through local farms — many of which suffered significant flood damage from rains spawned by Tropical Storm Irene in late August — followed by an intimate solo performance by Potter. The musician performed the majority of the noon show solo, and was then joined by Nocturnal drummer Matt Burr. She played a host of current and past hits, including a song she just wrote, inspired by the flood, entitled “The Mad, Mad River.”
Tables for the event sold for $25,000, and individual tickets were sold for $1,000. Approximately 200 people were in attendance—a mix of local business leaders, local and national politicians, Valley residents, out-of-state visitors, and flood victims.
“We had two goals in mind when we were putting this event together: We wanted to raise a significant amount of money for the flood victims. We also wanted to celebrate the coming together of this community–that spirit of ‘neighbors helping neighbors’, which has never been more apparent. It’s what makes this Valley so special,” said Sugarbush President and Owner Win Smith.
Mark Grosby, a board member for the Mad River Valley Community Fund who was in attendance, said the fund has raised $860,000 for flood relief to date. Grosby’s remarks included excerpts from heartfelt letters written by several flood victims who have benefitted from the fund. The MRVCF received 175 applications for relief, and has distributed $163,000 to victims thus far.
The Mad River Valley Community Fund was established in 1989 as a non-profit organization to respond to the needs of Mad River Valley Residents. The four towns that comprise Vermont’s Mad River Valley—Fayston, Moretown, Waitsfield, and Warren—all suffered damage in the recent flooding.