News

Join the VYCC and Bolton Nordic Center for our First Annual Bolton to the Barns Backcountry Ski Tour! On Saturday, March 6th, ski enthusiasts will have the opportunity to spend a day in the hills of Vermont and to help the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps create opportunities for young Vermonters wishing to play an active role in conserving the Vermont landscape.

What: EPIC Backcountry Ski Tour

Where: Bolton Valley Nordic Center to the VYCC’s Monitor Barns

When: Saturday March 6, 2010

Transportation: Participants will meet at the West Monitor Barn in Richmond, VT. From there, the VYCC will provide a shuttle to the trail head at the Bolton Valley Nordic Center. Shuttles will leave at 7:15 am and 8:45 am.

Route: Skiers will have two options: a 17-mile route (the Crew Leader Route) or an 11-mile route (the Crew Member Route). Both routes will begin at the Bolton Nordic Center and finish at the Monitor Barns.

Start Time: Shuttles will leave from the VYCC West Monitor Barn 45 minutes before each tour’s starting time. For the Crew Leader tour, the shuttle will leave at 7:15 am. For the Crew Member tour, the shuttle will leave at 8:45 am.

Après Ski: Upon arrival at the Monitor Barns, warm food will await hungry, triumphant, and deserving skiers. Other festivities will include the showing of classic ski movies, a warm bonfire, and libations. Spend a day skiing new terrain and then relax amongst friends, new and old!

Poster: Help make our First Annual Bolton to the Barns Backcountry Ski Tour a success! Spread the word by printing out a Bolton to the Barns Ski Poster and posting it at your office, local grocery store, favorite diner…wherever!

For additional information, email Breck at breck.knauft@vycc.org or give him a call at 802.434.3969 ext. 110.

Thank you to everyone who visited and bid on items at the VYCC’s Online Holiday Auction! All of us at the VYCC, the Catamount Trail Association, the Moosalamoo Association, and the Vermont Mountain Bike Association are overwhelmed by the generosity of our bidders, donors, and supporters. With your help, we raised over $17,000!

Between our year-round School Program and the upcoming Summer Field Season, we are busily preparing for what’s sure to be a great 2010, full of priority conservation work, outdoor education, and tons of laughter & fun. The funds raised from our Online Holiday Auction will help provide more employment opportunities to Vermont’s youth, as well as continue our important conservation work throughout the state.

Thank you again for supporting the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps!

Delivery & Pick-up Instructions:

All gift certificates will be mailed to the winning bidders. For larger items, please stop by the West Monitor Barn in Richmond, Vermont to pick up your auction item(s).

If you are unable to pick up your item or have questions, please contact Kristin Smith at the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps at kristin.smith@vycc.org or (802) 434-3969 x122. Shipping & Handling will be paid by the winning bidders.

Click here for directions to the West Monitor Barn.

Time is running out! Bid on some last-minute deals at the VYCC’s Online Holiday Auction before the auction closes TODAY at 11:59PM EST. We are nearing our fundraising goal but need your help overcoming the last hurdles! Every purchase you make at our Online Holiday Auction supports the VYCC’s efforts to offer more employment opportunities to Vermont’s youth and to complete more priority conservation projects throughout the state. Complete your holiday shopping, and help the VYCC change lives! Visit www.vycc.cmarket.com

GREAT DEALS!

Killington Season Pass

Oraganic Cotton Sheet sets

Organic Cotton Duvet Cover with Two Shams

Bonnie Acker Paintings

Jay Peak Season Passes

Gift Certificate to Shelburne Camping

Canoe

One-of-a-kind Stone Necklace

…and more!

Thank you to everybody who has supported the VYCC and participated in the Online Auction over the last two weeks! We had a ton of fun hosting the auction and hope you had a great time perusing all the donated items!

Information about picking up an auction item that you won can be found at the Auction’s website.

ONLY 5 DAYS OF BIDDING LEFT! We’ve added new items to our Online Auction! Two Brothers Tavern • New World Tortilla Gift Certificate • Killington Season Ski Pass • Lake Champlain Chocolates • Yoga Classes • Bike Accessories • Alpaca Throws • Large Bonnie Acker Paintings!

Visit our Online Holiday Auction at www.vycc.cmarket.comfor all of your holiday shopping needs! Every dollar you spend at the Online Auction supports the VYCC’s efforts to provide meaningful jobs to Vermont’s young folks and to complete priority conservation work all over the state.

Great Deals! Great Gifts!

We received a large donation of Organic Cotton linens from our partnerships with Seventh Generation and ReSOURCE. These luxury linens are being sold on our auction at a great price. Proceeds raised from these items will be split between ReSOURCE and the VYCC. You can support two local conservation nonprofits with one purchase! Check them out by going to the HOME category on our auction site.

The VYCC’s annual Online Holiday Auction has begun! Afraid of long lines and crowded stores during the holiday season? No worries, the VYCC can help you finish up your holiday shopping from the luxury of your home computer.

We have Ski/Ride Passes to Bolton, Sugarbush, Killington, Mad River, Jay Peak, Mt. Snow, and Middlebury Snowbowl; Gift certificates to shops like the Peace & Justice Store, August First Bakery, and Bikram Yoga; Fine Dining, Museum Passes, Orchestra & Theatre Tickets, Artwork and Jewelry by local artists…and much, much more!

This year we’re also offering a special “Talents of the VYCC” section, in which you can bid on workshops and lessons provided by the VYCC’s very own Headquarters Staff! Bid on everything from Backcountry Ski Lessons with Breck (Director of Development) to a Leave No Trace Trainer Course with Chris (Conservation Intern in Residence).

Our Online Holiday Auction is in partnership with the Moosalamoo Association, the Catamount Trail Association, and the Vermont Mountain Bike Association. Help support our efforts by bidding at our Online Holiday Auction! By purchasing an item, you’re helping the VYCC and our partners provide more jobs to Vermont’s youth and complete important conservation projects throughout the state.

Let the shopping begin! www.vycc.cmarket.com

The VYCC’s annual Online Holiday Auction is quickly approaching and we need your help! The VYCC is poised to receive $400,000 in stimulus funding. However, to receive the funding, we must first provide a matching $100,000. Without the matching funds, the VYCC will not receive the stimulus funding. You can help us achieve this goal by making a donation to the VYCC’s statewide Online Holiday Auction.

Donations can be as simple or creative as you want. Here are some examples of great past gifts:
• Gift certificates
• Artwork
• Gift baskets
• Oil changes
• Financial or legal services
• Cooking classes
• Weekend getaways
• Ski passes…and everything in between!

We are partnering with the Vermont Mountain Bike Association,the Catamount Trail Association, and the Moosalamoo Association to create our largest auction yet. Combined, our mailing lists have over 10,000 names. Making a donation is simple, it’s tax deductible, and it’s a great way to get your business’s name in front of thousands of eyes as they do their holiday shopping.

Your donation will support the VYCC’s efforts to create jobs and change lives. Each year, we complete priority conservation projects in nearly every county in Vermont. In 2009, we enrolled over 540 Crew Members and provided them with meaningful jobs during a time when employment opportunities are scarce. With your help, we can continue this important work.

For more information or to make a donation, contact Kristin Smith at kristin.smith@vycc.org or 802.434.3969 x122.

Thank you, from all of us at the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps!

The VYCC is currently taking resumes for a full-time Administrative Coordinator to work at Headquarters in Richmond, VT. The Administrative Coordinator plays an important, behind-the-scenes role in helping our VYCC crews run like butter! Primary responsibilities will include fiscal bookkeeping, office supply and equipment management, technology user support for day-to-day operations, and a variety of administrative tasks associated with operating VYCC’s field programs. We are accepting applications until the position is filled, with the hopes of hiring someone to start on January 4, 2010.

To apply, send a cover letter, resume, and references to Jason Buss at jason@vycc.org. For more information, you can email Jason or reach him at 802.434.3969 x134.

Click on the Administrative Coordinator Job Description for full details.

Now in its fourth year, the VYCC’s School Program is expanding exponentially! For the 2009-10 school year, our program grew from five School Crews to nine. Our new partnership with the Barre Technical Center draws an additional 48 students into the program. Corps Members on the BTC Crews complete community-based work projects that incorporate educational lessons and teach them to take personal responsibility for all of their actions. Crews are led by two VYCC School Instructors, who are hired from all over the country and bring a wealth of experience to their roles. School Intructors’ experiential curriculum helps students who struggle with the traditional school environment overcome their pitfalls and become excited about learning.

Below is a YouTube video about the BTC Crews made by Dave Schilling, VYCC School Instructor at Cabot High School. Great work Dave!

What’s it like to be a VYCC Corps Member? We work hard, maintain trails, get muddy, build puncheon, and restore natural areas through erosion control and invasive species eradication. When not working, our residential crews camp out beneath the stars, cook meals over stoves, discuss controversial articles from the VYCC’s WoRd book, and partake in lighthearted shenanigans! Over four weeks of “roughing it” in the wilderness, we work together to strengthen communities and make friendships that last a lifetime.

Still having a hard time imagining a VYCC crew? Check out our slideshow of crew journal excerpts, WoRD articles, and pictures from the 2009 season!

*To read the WoRD articles and crew journals, we suggest you view the slideshow in full screen mode. After clicking play, click the full-screen button at the bottom right hand corner of the picture.