As the leaves turn and temperatures signal that first breath of autumn, two Park City non-profit organizations have figured out how to host their annual fall fundraisers in hopes of including the community more than ever before.
Holy Cross Ministries, celebrating 25 years of assisting underserved and at-risk families and individuals in Park City, has turned its annual Harvest Celebration into a two-week virtual campaign that will run Sept. 7-18. Similarly, Tour des Suds – the 36-year bike race tradition that opens the fall mountain-biking season and raises funds for Mountain Trails Foundation – will be a month-long virtual event throughout the month.
“We are super bummed that we won’t be able to host what we call the ‘Party in the Barn,’” HCM CEO Emmie Gardner recently told The Park Record. “This gives us a platform and opportunity to share videos, photos and stories of people who have experienced the impact and legacy of Holy Cross Ministries in the state of Utah over the 25 years.”
For 25 years, Holy Cross Ministries has been committed to creating more just, compassionate, inclusive and sustainable communities through providing health outreach, early childhood education, trauma-informed therapy and legal services to families and individuals who are at risk and living in poverty. In honor of its 25th anniversary, Holy Cross Ministries has also created a Legacy Sustainer Pledge Drive in an effort to engage new sponsors and help families hit hardest by the COVID-19 crisis.
HCM’s goal is $80,000, and all contributions made to the Autumn Harvest Benefit will directly fund programs including health outreach, early childhood education, counseling and legal services for underserved individuals and families in Summit County.
“By committing to support Holy Cross Ministries through a recurring contribution of any amount, donors will help us meet immediate needs and also ensure the continuation of our programs,” Gardner added.
Ginger Wicks, Mountain Trails Foundation’s director of events, expressed similar sentiments regarding this year’s virtual Tour des Suds, which runs through the month of September.
“Saving our events even during a pandemic is critical for the community because Park City is a huge outdoor-enthusiast community,” Wicks told The Park Record. “We will miss seeing everyone at the start and finish lines, and we miss seeing our volunteers who have supported us over the years by working our aid stations, but I think virtual is a good compromise and checks all of the boxes Mountain Trails tries to do during the year of COVID.”
The virtual seven-mile race will be run on the honor system (no e-bikes, please), and participants can choose between two course routes. Riders are still encouraged to dress in costume, and MTF is creating a voting platform where the general public can vote for the top three costumes. But whether you treat it like a legit mountain-bike race (yes, there are awards!) or a crazy costume party on bikes, it’s still 2,700 feet of vertical straight up to the finish line at the top of Guardsman Pass.
Registration is $30, and MTF notes this year’s event is unsupported, meaning no aid stations or medical staff will be on trails. Please follow COVID social distancing guidelines. For more information about Mountain Trails Foundation and this year’s Tour des Suds, including registration and detailed map routes, visit https://mountaintrails.org/event-race-mtf/tour-des-suds/.
To join in festivities for the Autumn Harvest Benefit, follow Holy Cross Ministries on Facebook at @holycrossministries, on Instagram at @hcm_utah or sign up at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/SiXoFGk/AHB. For information about Holy Cross Ministries’ Legacy Sustainer Pledge Drive, visit hcmutah.org. To learn more and/or donate, visit http://hcmutah.org/ahb-2020/.
Photo courtesy of The Park Record
