Connecting with Community: HOPE

Coming up this weekend on Sunday, Feb. 24, a local poverty-fighting organization called HOPE will host the fundraiser “Ski and Ride for HOPE” at the Snowbowl and the Rikert Nordic Center in Middlebury, Vt. The Middlebury Campus interviewed Sue Byers, the vice-chair of the board for the organization, about the event.

Middlebury Campus: How are you involved with this project?

Sue Byers: I am vice-chair of the board at HOPE, or Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects. It’s an Addison County not-for-profit that seeks to reduce the effects of poverty in Addison County. We try to take care of essential needs such as food, fuel and housing; but we also try to give people the resources they need to take care of themselves for the longer term.

MC: Can you tell me about your organization’s upcoming event?

SB: It’s called “Ski and Ride for HOPE.” The event is on Sunday, Feb. 24, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. We’re trying out this fundraiser. It’s our first time doing this kind of event. We’re hoping to attract skiers — cross-country and downhill. The idea is to come out and have fun and raise money for HOPE.

MC: Where will it be held?

SB: It’s going to be held at both the Snowbowl and at Rikert.

MC: So if I were a participant, how would I sign-up and what should I expect?

SB: You go on the HOPE website and it will have a link that will lead you to the description and the registration form. What you’d expect is that you can go any time between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.; you have to register by noon because the prizes are given not for races or distances but for the most money raised in pledges. The top six people will have their choice of the prizes, which are very impressive. They’re good prizes. If you register by 12, you can ski from 12 until 2, but we will know who has raised the most money by noon.

At the end, at two o’clock, there will be an awards party at the Rikert Nordic Center with chili, cornbread, brownies, and [the acapella group] Stuck in the Middle will be performing.

MC: As you said, this is your first time doing a fundraiser like this. What pushed you in this direction?

SB: Organizations are always going crazy looking for fundraisers; we had done several things in the past, but we were looking for something that would be interesting and a little different. One of our board members came up with this idea; she and her husband had done this for a couple of other organizations.

MC: How are you hoping to involve Middlebury?

SB: Well, of course, we’d love to have Middlebury students participate. Besides skiing, they could snowboard or snowshoe, just get out there on the mountain or the loops at Rikert and have a good time doing as much or as little as they want to, but also knowing they’re raising money for a very good cause. They’ll all get a free $20-value Burton beanie and a free raffle ticket for all prizes not chosen by the top six winners. We have prizes such as downhill and Nordic Fischer skis. We have passes at Killington, Okemo, and Stowe. We have an overnight at the Trapp Family Lodge. And lots of others. The Grand Raffle Prize is two nights at Blueberry Hill Inn with dinner and passes (good for any season).

MC: Sounds like a lot of cool stuff. Tell me more about what HOPE has been working on.

SB: Well, we run at the HOPE building a large store called Retroworks. They have household good and furniture, appliances, clothing, books, DVDs and more. It’s open to the public, but those in need can apply for vouchers to shop there for free. If they need a toaster or a sofa, if they need clothing, they can get what they need. The general public shops there a lot so it has become a major income source for our other programs. Most of the items are donated by local people - we’d love to have Midd students keep us in mind, both for donating and shopping.

We also have the HOPE Food Shelf. Last year, we provided over 54,000 meals, assisted 69 working families with fuel payments and car repairs, gathered and distributed 19,000 pounds of locally grown produce (with the help of Midd students), sheltered 19 homeless people, and gave vouchers for gasoline and medical needs.

Individuals come to HOPE because they have no where else to go. We offer whatever we are able to offer - in some cases simply a shower, a clean set of clothes, a couple of bags of groceries.

We serve people who, in foster care lingo, fall between the cracks.