Killington, VT – Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports and the Pico Ski Education Foundation will celebrate the grand opening of their new permanent home at Pico Mountain ski area in Killington with a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday and public open house on Saturday.

The new $1.3 million, 6,000 square-foot multi-use Andrea Mead Lawrence Lodge is located between the existing Pico Ski Club building and the Pico Base Lodge and is connected to both buildings via outdoor balconies and decks on the second floor. The building is specifically designed for participants in the programs of Vermont Adaptive, the state’s largest non-profit organization to offer daily, year-round adaptive sports programs. An elevator connects the first and second floors, providing easy accessibility for all, regardless of one’s disability.

More than $900,000 has been raised in donations and pledges in about a year and a half. Approximately $150,000 still needs to be raised to complete the fundraising aspect of the project. All donations and pledges made before Nov. 10 will be recognized on the exterior donor wall plaques at the entrance to the building. Leadership donations of $500, $1,000 or more also will be recognized with individual plaques in the donor lobby on the second floor of the lodge.

“The outpouring of support for creating this facility has been amazing,” said Erin Fernandez, executive director of Vermont Adaptive. “We can’t even begin to thank everyone who has been involved in the project. We have not quite reached our fundraising goal yet and still need help and donations, but we are making progress on the last $150,000 every day. Most importantly, though, it’s the athletes who will benefit from that generosity and support. Sports are for every body. This building symbolizes that and will provide a training outlet and playground for those athletes to pursue their dreams, whatever those may be.”