Submitted photo Snowshoe Foundation Executive Director Dave Black addressed the Rotary Club of Elkins. Joining Black are Snowshoe Foundation board member and Rotarian Hoy Ferguson, left, and Rotary Program Chair Scott Goddard, right.

ELKINS – Dave Black, executive director of the Snowshoe Foundation, addressed the Elkins Rotary Club; Black has been with the foundation since September 2022.

The Snowshoe Foundation was initially established by Snowshoe Mountain Resort in 2003 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.

“It grew slowly at first and now a little more steadily. We’ve been a 501(c)(3) for 22 years and we’ve come a long way from our humble beginnings,” said Black. “In 2024, we crossed the threshold of having given away over $5 million and we’re on pace to hit $6 million maybe this year or early next year.”

The foundation relies on fundraising events and private donations to provide grants and student scholarships to the community it serves to the tune of nearly $400,000 per year. Among the foundations events this year are the annual golf tournament, Treasure on the Mountain and the annual dinner.

This year’s golf tournament will be held on June 5; Davis Trust Company will serve as a major sponsor of the tournament.

“The players come and have a great time,” added Black. “It’s a fun day and a really nice fundraiser and a good way to kick off the summer for us.”

Anyone wishing to register for the tournament can do so by visiting the foundation’s website at www.snowshoefoundation.org.

Treasure on the Mountain, which will be held on Saturday, Aug. 8, is the foundation’s major fundraising event.

“That is our big fundraiser for the entire year. Most of the money that we’re able to give away throughout the year is raised in that one day,” commented Black. Approximately $350,000 in prizes are given away during the event including cars and cash.

“It’s a really big deal and is a lot of fun for the community,” added Black.

Tickets for Treasure on the Mountain can be purchased through the foundation’s website, www.snowshoefoundation.org or from many of the foundation’s community partners (Innovative Investments, Gino’s and the Elkins Rotary Club). Various community organizations also participate in the sale of tickets for the event with the organizations receiving a portion of the ticket cost to support their charitable efforts.

A feature that was added to Treasure on the Mountain in 2024 was the progressive 50/50 raffle. This year’s 50/50 raffle kicked off on Black Friday when tickets for the event went on sale. The raffle will run through Aug. 7, the night before the Treasure on the Mountain event. There will be entertainment in Snowshoe Village that evening that will include drawing the winner of the raffle. In 2025, the jackpot for the 50/50 raffle reached nearly $100,000 with the winner taking home over $48,000.00.

“I expect that jackpot to hit $50,000, or get even higher than that this year,” said Black. The 50/50 raffle tickets are currently only available through the Foundation’s website. However, Black noted that those who would like tickets but need some help with the process can contact him or any of the community partners to obtain tickets.

The annual dinner, which has been held both during the winter and in the autumn, will most likely be held around the beginning of winter.

“We’ll probably take it back to December this year,” added Black.

The Snowshoe Foundation makes it charitable donations through a defined grant cycle – a fall cycle that disburses the majority of the grants (to community non-profit organizations and schools) and one in the spring that disburses fewer grants but with larger awards.

“The average grant in the fall cycle tends to be about $5,000 or a little more but we give out 30 or 40 of those every year,” commented Black. “In the spring cycle we tend to focus on funding one or two larger projects.”

Scholarships are also given in the spring. Any high school senior in the tri-county area served by the foundation along with those who previously received a scholarship upon graduation is eligible to apply for scholarship funds. The scholarship is not limited to college-bound students. All students enrolling in any type of continuing education program are eligible.

“We have given scholarship to EMT trainees, trade school students, anybody who is looking to forward their education after high school in some way and follow through with that, we want to support,” said Black.

The foundation operates a number of additional programs throughout the year. Smoke/carbon monoxide detector kits are provided to every kindergarten student in the tri-county area. The kit contains the detector along with instructions for installation. The kit also contains some fun items for the students. Local fire departments partner with the foundation to distribute the kits during school safety days.

Additionally, the foundation supports an annual toy drive, working with local Family Resource Network offices to distribute the toys to families in need. A number of the foundation’s community partners collect toys for the program and financial donations are accepted to support this project.

“Last year, we were just about $10,000 all-in on the amount of money and toys. That may not sound like a huge figure but that supported about 300 families in terms of having a little bit brighter Christmas holiday season for their kids. It really does make a huge difference. It’s probably one of the most rewarding things that I personally do throughout the year. I like to meet up with each county and participate in the shopping. We have board members from the foundation come and do it too. It’s a really nice way to tie-off the year,” said Black.

“A little bit in our communities sometime goes a really long way. That is the great thing about my job. I get to work on this and we get to make these grants and we get to give these scholarships and you get to be out in the community and get to see firsthand the impact that has in these communities,” concluded Black.

More information about the Snowshoe Foundation, its events and operations can be found at www.snowshoefoundation.org or by contacting Black at 304-572-4712.

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 2025-2026 club president Phillips Kolsun at phillipskolsun@gmail.com for more information about the Rotary Club of Elkins.