Montpelier, VT – After Irene last year, Vermont’s ski and snowboard resorts know all too well what it’s like to recover from disaster wrought by a tropical storm. They’ve now launched a fundraising campaign in Boston, and online, to help residents of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut impacted by super storm Sandy.

Dubbed “Operation Mountains of Love,” 100% of the funds raised will go to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

“Our friends are going through something that Vermont knows all too well.  When Irene hit us last year, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut rallied to support Vermont—they had our backs.  Now, it’s our turn to rally for them and we want them to know we have their backs as they do the difficult work of bouncing back,” said Parker Riehle, president of the Vermont Ski Areas Association.

Operation Mountains of Love…In Boston
The heart of the effort kicks off this Thursday at the Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo at the Seaport World Trade Center and runs the full four days of the expo, which concludes on Sunday.  All of Vermont’s ski areas will be represented at the expo where more than 30,000 skiers and snowboarders are expected to flock seeking deals on lift tickets and vacation packages.

Ski show participants will be encouraged to make a donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.  A variety of valuable incentives have been provided by Vermont’s ski areas and marketing partners, including five “Mountains of Love” vacation packages, hundreds of lift ticket deals and vouchers, and free Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.

$10 SMS “Text” and Online Donations – Every Boston ski show participant who makes a minimum $10 donation between now and this Sunday using the text messaging donation feature provided by the American Red Cross (Text “REDCROSS” to 90999), or a secure online donation at www.redcross.org will receive:

• A lift ticket voucher valid for free or deeply discounted skiing and snowboarding.
• An entry to win one of five “Mountains of Love” grand prize ski and stay vacation packages ranging from two-day/two-night stays to five-day/five-night getaways.  Participants will be entered once for each $10 increment. For example, a $50 donation equals five entries.
• A coupon for a free pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream (while supplies last).
• Sugarbush Resort will match donations dollar-for-dollar up to a maximum total of $25,000.
• Long Trail Brewing Company will match the first fifty $10 donations.

To be eligible for prizes, ski show donors must show a Ski Vermont representative the validating SMS response from the American Red Cross dated November 5th–November 11th; or an email from the American Red Cross dated November 5-November 11th confirming a secure online donation of at least $10.

Operation Mountains of Love…Online
Ski Vermont’s online family is encouraged to participate by making a secure online donation to www.redcross.org or by text message between now and November 11.  For each $10 or greater donation to the Red Cross, the confirmed donor will be entered to win one of five “Mountains of Love” ski and stay vacation packages for this winter. To be eligible, each donor must email a screen shot or a confirmation email from the Red Cross to info@skivermont.com. Participants will be entered once for each $10 increment; for example, a $50 donation equals five entries.

Okemo’s Own Initiative
In addition to Operation Mountains of Love, Okemo Mountain Resort presented its own $10,000 donation to The American Red Cross directed toward storm-victim recovery. In addition, Okemo is extending a donation challenge to its loyal skiers and riders over Thanksgiving Weekend. At a time when American families are reflecting on the things they are most thankful for, Okemo will reward generosity directed toward those less-fortunate families affected by Hurricane Sandy. The first 1,000 people who make a donation of at least $50, on Friday, Nov. 23 through Sunday, Nov. 25, will receive one complimentary one-day adult lift ticket valid for redemption Monday through Friday, non-holiday, during the 201213 winter season. Complimentary tickets will be limited to one ticket per donation.

“This is a great way for people to contribute to their neighbors in need,” said Okemo Mountain Resort VP and General Manager Bruce Schmidt. “Many of our skiing and riding guests who are now being affected by the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy were the first ones to donate and support Vermont after Hurricane Irene. Okemo is proud to support those in need now and we are hopeful to reach our goal of raising $50,000 for the victims of Sandy.”