Kelly Brush Foundation Awards $35K in Ski Safety Grants

By
Vermont Sports Staff
Posted December 20th, 2010

Kelly Brush, the competitive skier who started the Kelly Brush foundation, skiing at Vail
The Kelly Brush Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing adaptive athletic equipment for individuals with traumatic spinal cord injuries, improving safety in ski racing, advancing scientific research on SCI and supporting the U.S. Adaptive Ski Team, awarded $35,000 in Ski Racing Safety Grants to ski clubs across the country, the organization announced.
“Ski clubs and race teams in Montana, Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont will benefit from grants awarded by the Kelly Brush Foundation,” KBF Executive Director Joyce Wallace said. “The grants enable the purchase of safety netting, lift tower padding and other safety equipment designed to enhance on-hill race course safety for ski racers of all ages and abilities.”
Cochran’s Ski Area in Richmond. was among the recipients. The small area, home of Olympic Gold Medalist Barbara Ann Cochran, received $5,000 for safety initiatives. Cochran’s hosts race training and competition for six local high schools, the University of Vermont, St. Michael’s College and their own ski club. In addition, Cochran’s holds numerous race events and race camps each ski season.
“Ski racer safety has always been one of Cochran’s top priorities. Thanks to the generosity and tenacity of the Kelly Brush Foundation, we will be able to purchase enough B-netting to provide essential top-to-bottom protection on our race trail,” said Steve Kelly, president of Cochran’s.
As the race season gets underway, the Kelly Brush Foundation also announced the launching of the 2011 Ski Racing Safety is No Accident safety awareness campaign.
“In partnership with the United States Ski Association and with support from the ski industry, the Kelly Brush Foundation has become a catalyst for awareness and change in making the sport of ski racing as safe as possible,” said Kelly Brush Foundation President Charlie Brush.
This round of grants was made possible by the foundation’s primary fund raising event, the Kelly Brush Foundation Century Ride held annually in September in Middlebury.