Heavenly, Kirkwood award Vail Resorts EpicPromise grants to 49 Lake Tahoe area community groups

Heavenly Mountain Resort and Kirkwood Mountain Resort are proud to announce their 2014-2015 grants awards to 49 local organizations and projects.

The grant program is part of Vail Resorts EpicPromise, the company’s umbrella brand for its environmental efforts and community giving. EpicPromise highlights Vail Resorts’ strong commitment amongst guests, employees, and community members and engages them to be stewards of the natural environment and local causes. The local recipients were recognized at a Grants Reception event on Tuesday, November 11, 2014 at Heavenly’s California Main Lodge.

“On Tuesday, we heard personal stories that cut to the core of why EpicPromise is so vital: it commits financial and volunteer support to the programs that elevate our community,” said Pete Sonntag, vice president and COO of Heavenly. “Hearing about the positive impacts that EpicPromise grant funding has had on our children, our environment and our neighbors was moving for all who attended, and reminded us how lucky we are to live where we do. We are so proud to support this vibrant community.”

Recipients for the 2014-2015 grants cycle include: Amador Community College Foundation, American Youth Soccer Organization Region 282, Austin's House, Barton Hospital Foundation, Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe, Bread & Broth, CASA El Dorado, Christmas Cheer, Clean Tahoe, Diamond Valley Elementary, Discovery Blind Sports, Douglas County School District - Adapted Physycal Education Program, Douglas County Education Foundation, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Folsom High School PTA, Heavenly Valley Ski Foundation, Kids & Horses, Kirkwood Ski Education Foundation, Kirkwood Volunteer Fire Department, Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition, Lake Tahoe Community College Foundation, Lake Tahoe Education Foundation, Lake Tahoe Environmental Magnet School, Lake Tahoe Humane Society, Lake Tahoe’s Shining Stars, League to Save Lake Tahoe, Live Violence Free, Mefiyi Foundation, Minden Rotary Club Foundation, Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation, Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School, Rite of Passage, Sierra Avalanche Center, Sierra House Elementary, Ski Duck, SOS Outreach, South Lake Tahoe Family Resource Center, South Tahoe Amateur Hockey Association, South Tahoe High School Nordic Ski Team, South Tahoe High School Sober Grad Task Force, South Tahoe Middle School, South Tahoe Middle School Nordic Ski Team, Sugar Pine Foundation, Tahoe Arts Project, Tahoe Fund, Tahoe Institute for Natural Science, Tahoe Magic, Tahoe Rim Trail Association, and Tahoe Youth & Family Services.

In addition to grants, Vail Resorts provides more than 20,000 hours of company-sponsored volunteer time to deserving organizations in local communities and around the world.

EpicPromise Day, the annual company-wide day of service held in September, brought out 1,620 employees and friends to 13 different projects from Lake Tahoe to Jamaica. In South Lake, nearly 350 Heavenly and Kirkwood employees partnered with the Tahoe Area Mountain Bike Association (TAMBA) and the Sugar Pine foundation to improve 1.2 miles of trailhead and plant 1,000 sugar pine seedlings on 20 acres of land in the Angora Fire burn area, which burned 3,100 acres and more than 250 homes in 2007.

On the North Shore, Northstar employees and friends worked with the Tahoe Rim Trail Association and Tahoe Unified School District to improve 1.85 miles of the Rim Trail and clean the grounds at North Tahoe and Truckee High School.

About Heavenly
High above the sapphire-blue waters of Lake Tahoe, Heavenly Mountain Resort is one of the most unique mountain resorts on the planet. Combining 4,800 acres of off-the-grid terrain and incredible views of Lake Tahoe with high-octane, non-stop nightlife, Heavenly offers a high-energy resort experience like no other. Visitors to Heavenly come prepared to go “all-in” because Heavenly is for those who are up for first chair and are still going strong after last call. Heavenly is a subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc., the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. Visit www.skiheavenly.com or call 800-HEAVENLY to learn more.

About Kirkwood
Kirkwood Mountain Resort is one of the nation's top destination resorts. Located just 177 miles from the Bay Area along scenic Highway 88, its base elevation of 7,800-feet, assures skiers more annual snowfall than any other resort in North America. Kirkwood is recognized by winter purists and national media alike for the quality of its snow and terrain variety and is a true skier’s destination. Known for its pristine beauty and action-packed expeditions and events, winter fun includes skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing, snow shoeing, sled dog tours, and backcountry expeditions. An ideal location for weddings and corporate meetings, the Kirkwood Village includes boutique shopping, live music and dining. For more information about Kirkwood Mountain Resort, visit www.Kirkwood.com or call 209.258.6000.

About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. The Company's subsidiaries operate the mountain resorts of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Park City and Canyons in Utah; Afton Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan; and the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Company's subsidiary, RockResorts, a luxury resort hotel company, manages casually elegant properties. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning, development and construction subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com.