The number of Wood River Valley kids wanting to participate in winter sports is on the rise. Once again, the community has responded with time and money to help make it happen for them.
Approximately 400 people attended the 29th annual Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation Fall Game Dinner and Auction, held Saturday night at the Limelight Room in Sun Valley.
"It was very successful," said Kate Berman, event director. "The community support was enormous."
Organizers had hoped to gross $100,000.
"It looks like we made that," Don Wiseman, the foundation's executive director, said Tuesday.
The foundation took in 300 contributions from the community and was aided by 185 volunteers.
"Raffle sales were higher than they've ever been," Berman said. "Balloon sales increased as well. And the silent and live auctions both did very well."
Sicilian red wine flowed as diners feasted upon duck and elk.
In previous years, area hunters donated game. Now, the foundation purchases at a discount farm-raised game from Mountain Pride.
The foundation has to raise $600,000 each season to continue its activities, which include alpine, cross-country, freestyle and snowboard programs, Berman said.
The foundation usually secures $350,000 of that through three major fund-raising events each year, including the wild game dinner.
"We give away a substantial amount of financial aid," Berman said. "Enrollment is way up, and so are requests for financial aid."
Wiseman estimates that between 50 and 70 percent of the foundation's participants come from the southern Wood River Valley.
"These are regular, working kids," he said. "They're not making big bucks."
An additional drive for financial aid funds was held after the live auction. Approximately $20,000 was raised above the $100,000 sum, Wiseman said.
"One of the missions is to make it available to all families that want to participate," Berman said.
The foundation has its largest group of participants ever: 450 kids, with another few weeks left to enroll.
