Rotary hears from Snowshoe Foundation
Trending
ELKINS -- Snowshoe Foundation Board President Voras Haynes and Executive Director Dave Black addressed the Elkins Rotary Club. Haynes has been a member of the Snowshoe Foundation Board since 2003; Black was named Executive Director in September 2022.
The Snowshoe Foundation was initially established by Snowshoe Mountain Resort and was dedicated to support its employees, their families and communities. Soon thereafter, it expanded to provide support to all of Pocahontas, Randolph and Webster counties, where most Snowshoe employees live.
The Foundation has provided assistance for many community improvement projects including computer purchases for schools, providing funds for emergency services, the purchase of safety equipment for law enforcement, supporting the Phil Gainer Center in Elkins, the YMCA and the Elkins Randolph County Community Arts Center. All local non-profit organizations are invited to apply for grant funds from the Foundation. "We are trying to improve life and the opportunities available in the three counties. We don't have a lot of people in those counties, Webster and Pocahontas have about 8,000 people each and Randolph County has about 25,000 with most living within a few miles of Elkins," said Haynes. "A lady in Valley Head was raising money for smoke detectors for the kindergarteners at Valley Head Elementary School. The Snowshoe Foundation stepped in and took over the project to provide smoke detector/carbon monoxide detectors for all the kindergarteners in the three counties. We partner with the local fire departments where a fireman goes to the school for the day to pass out the detectors. We still have a lot of people heating with wood and coal and those detectors may save a life out there."
Rotarian Judie Smith added that the Snowshoe Foundation provides funds for Read Aloud in Randolph County. The monies received allow the group to purchase books from West Virginia Read Aloud. Every month for the past three years, a book has been sent home with all students, kindergarten through high school, who participate in the Backpack Program.
Since its inception in the early 2000's, the Snowshoe Foundation has been able to distribute over $4 million in the area thanks to the support of the local communities. The largest fundraiser is the Treasure on the Mountain raffle.
The 2024 Treasure on the Mountain raffle will be held on Saturday, August 3 from 2PM to 6PM. This year, prizes in excess of $350,000 will be offered - including a Ford Bronco, a Ford F150 crew cab and a Jeep Gladiator. There will also be many cash prizes with an early bird drawing on February 24. Additionally, there will be a number of 50/50 drawings with tickets for the first drawing being available at the time event tickets are purchased. Based on current sales, it is anticipated that the winner of the first 50/50 raffle will take home over $10,000. There will be entertainment the evening before the event, during the event and after the event. Food, which is included in the cost of a ticket, will be provided by local venders throughout the afternoon. Tickets can be purchased directly from the Foundation or from members of select community groups. All groups selling tickets will receive a portion of the sales price to support their projects; tickets purchased directly from the Foundation can also be designated for a particular group to assist in their fundraising efforts.
Snowshoe Mountain Resort provides a great deal of support for the Foundation, providing funding for the executive director, office space, a venue for fundraisers and a great number of employee volunteer hours. "Without Snowshoe, there would be no Snowshoe Foundation. We really appreciate them," commented Haynes. "Any money we raise is directly going to the community, not into overhead, because pretty much all that is met." Another main sponsor of the Snowshoe Foundation is Davis Trust Company, providing funds and many volunteer hours at Foundation events.
Dave Black joined the Snowshoe Foundation as Executive Director in 2022. Black originally hails from Glenville and is a WVU graduate. "I lucked out with the directorship of the Snowshoe Foundation. I love the work; it's a great organization. It's been a fantastic first year and a half. I did not have a background in non-profits, so it's taken a little while to get acclimated and get up and running," said Black. "We were able to increase our fundraising substantially. We grew up here, we live here, we know what the need is so there's always more important work to be done."
According to Black, the administrative overhead for the Foundation is less than 5% of the monies raised. Many foundations have overhead expenses in the range of 30-40% or more. "Because of the support we receive from Snowshoe, we're in a unique position to be able to give so much back to the community," said Black.
In addition to the community grants and funding, there is also an assistance program for those who work at Snowshoe Mountain Resort. It's for employees who have needs because of things such as house fires or emergency medical expenses. A committee consisting of fellow employees oversees the administration of those funds.
In 2023 the Snowshoe Foundation was able to support 57 organizations and provide 30 scholarships in the tri-county area. By the end of next year, the Foundation anticipates it will have given away over $5 million in grants and scholarships. "The pace has accelerated considerably over the last year, year and a half," commented Black.
Black expressed his sincere appreciation for the support for Davis Trust Company as corporate sponsor for the Foundation.
"The amount of good that brings to the Foundation, the amount of stability that brings to the Foundation cannot be overstated," added Black.
A significant change in the process to purchase Treasure on the Mountain tickets has been enacted for 2024. In the past, paper tickets were offered but this year, tickets will only be available online. All organizations that sell tickets can continue to provide that service to those who annually purchase tickets from them. Tickets can also be purchased directly at the Snowshoe Foundation's website. Black noted that Treasure on the Mountain sold out last year and encouraged attendees to purchase tickets early.
Black stated that he is always looking for feedback from the community. "I appreciate that feedback, welcome it. We have a lot of work to do and we're not going to get there in a vacuum. We need to engage the community to find out what's important to them, find out what kind of fundraising they like and what kind of events they like, and how we can continue to grow for the future," Black said.
Black can be contacted via the website or through any Snowshoe Foundation board member (a list of members can be found on the Foundation's website).
To purchase tickets for Treasure on the Mountain, to learn more about scholarships or grants and for more general information about the Snowshoe Foundation, visit its website, www.showshoefoundation.org or call 304.572.8500.
Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change -- across the globe, in their communities, and in themselves.
Visit www.Rotary.org to learn more about Rotary International, visit the club's Facebook page -- Rotary Club of Elkins -- or contact club president Kenny George at kenneth.george@blueridgeriskpartners.com for more information about the Rotary Club of Elkins.