As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, we’re celebrating this final day with an interview with none other than Luis Calderin, a member of Chill’s Board of Directors.
Tune in to hear his incredible story, thoughts on the importance of outdoor community, Chill, Burton, and Hispanic Heritage Month.

This is one episode you won’t want to miss!

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This past Sunday, on March 13, 2022 we hosted our annual Chill Takeover event at Bolton Valley in Vermont! It was an incredible night on the slopes, everyone was out shredding and had a great time.

A huge thank you to all our sponsors who made it happen, everyone for coming out to ride, and THANK YOU JAKE for inspiring everyone to have as much fun as possible!!

Video: Karlos Jeri

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MENDON, Vt. —

Three prominent young snowboarders are blazing new trails for groups that have been historically underrepresented in winter sports.

“The idea for me would be to make the mountains more colorful over the next few years,” said Zeb Powell, the Vermont-based snowboarder who in 2019 became the first Black snowboarder to ever win gold at the X Games.

A 2019-2020 study from the trade group Snowsports Industries America found that 67.5% of participants in winter sports were white. Asians made up 7.7%, 9.2% of participants were Black and 14% were Hispanic, the study found.

Powell said he wants to see more people of color enter the sports.

“I won X Games and other Black people started reaching out to me and saying, ‘I didn’t even know other Black people snowboarded,’” Powell recalled. “Anyone can ride. No matter who you are, what color you are.”

Powell told NECN and NBC10 Boston he is planning to craft opportunities for more kids and teens from big cities to enjoy mountain sports.

Powell and his buddy Miles Fallon, who’s of Asian heritage, are supporting nonprofits that address the affordability gap.

“Programs like Hoods to Woods and the Chill Foundation, they’re allowing kids to get out there and making it more accessible for them, which is really rad,” Fallon said.

They pair has been criss-crossing Vermont with Red Bull’s “Slide-In Tour,” a laid-back road trip for elite riders. It included a stop Wednesday at Killington Resort’s Woodward Mountain Park.

The event has also highlighted the Chill Foundation’s youth development programs in the northeast.

“If we can build out our community to make it more diverse and inclusive, that’s the goal,” said Maggie Leon, another snowboarder who is part of the tour.

The Burton employee has been encouraging girls and women to pick up boards, she said.

“When I was little, I was basically the only girl on-hill,” Leon remembered. “Eventually, hopefully, we’ll have a 50-50 split on the mountain.”

Social media has been key to helping the riders grow their community, the snowboarders noted. They pledged to continue using video, photos and posts to inspire greater participation in their favorite sport by members of underrepresented groups.

“When I’m snowboarding, it’s a euphoric feeling that you can’t really capture anywhere else,” Fallon said. “And it would be rude of me to not try to share it with other people!”

The post Touring Vermont, snowboarders promote diversity in winter sports appeared first on Chill Foundation.

Two nonprofits have teamed up to offer new learn to skateboard sessions for community members with disabilities. The Chill Foundation and Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports announced a new adaptive skateboarding program. The program consists of three sessions where participants with varying abilities receive specialized instruction in skateboarding from coaches and assistance from participants’ companions as needed.

The last scheduled session will be on Wednesday, August 26th from 4:30-7:00 p.m. Space in the program is limited to six athletes and will take place at local outdoor skate park in Essex.

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BURLINGTON, Vt. (Aug. 17, 2020) — The Chill Foundation and Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, two nonprofits with roots in Vermont, are excited to announce a new adaptive skateboarding program for people with disabilities. The unique program consists of three sessions where participants with varying abilities receive specialized instruction in skateboarding from coaches with assistance from participants’ companions as needed. This joint program is open to all ages but focuses on participants ages 10-18 with developmental or cognitive disabilities. With COVID-19 in mind, additional protocols are in place to protect the safety of all participants, caregivers and staff from both organizations. The program is free to participants and gear and equipment is provided. Masks and sanitation stations plus other health and safety measures are provided and in place as well.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Vermont Adaptive to bridge the boardsport and outdoor opportunity gap for young people with diverse abilities,” said Rosetta Weber, Director of Programs for Chill. “By prioritizing inclusive, diverse and equitable spaces to promote meaningful experiences for youth from marginalized communities and intersecting identities, we look forward to growing our partnership with Vermont Adaptive and with other organizations doing similar work in our communities throughout North America.”

Chill and Vermont Adaptive have a long-standing relationship, from sharing a seasonal home at Bolton Valley Ski area to providing paddle sports in Burlington. The two organizations cross paths regularly and serve similar communities.

“With all the skate resources around and the relatively easy access to equipment, it was a natural fit for our two organizations to collaborate to expand our expertise,” said Norm Staunton, Director of Operations for Vermont Adaptive. “It’s been a passion project for both organizations for more than a year. Skateboarding is another sport, like snow sports, water sports and biking, where once you are out recreating, the adaptations become less important and real social and sport inclusion can occur.”

Space in this new program is limited to six athletes (with companions, as needed) and will take place with Vermont Adaptive and Chill staff at a local outdoor skate park in Essex (exact location confirmed with participants once registered). The three sessions will be Wednesdays, Aug. 12, 19 and 26, from 4:30-7:00 p.m.

Registration is required at www.vermontadaptive.org/return-to-play.

This program may be the first collaboration between Chill and Vermont Adaptive, but it won’t be the last. As both organizations learn and adapt to the new challenges at hand, the opportunity for future programs will grow stronger.

All other Vermont Adaptive, Chill, and state COVID-19 Response protocols apply to this program. See Vermont Adaptive’s Return to Play plan at https://www.vermontadaptive.org/return-to-play/ and Chill’s COVID-19 Response at https://static1.squarespace.com/static/579bcdf6e3df287f0062b4cb/t/5ed94713ce71c45b7b51f23c/1591297812410/Chill+Program+COVID-19+Response.pdf for more information.

To learn more about the adaptive skateboard program and future opportunities, visit vermontadaptive.org or chill.org.

About Chill

Chill is a positive youth development program where boardsports become a vehicle for empowerment. Revolving around a core value-driven curriculum, Chill programs consist of experiential learning activities, reflection, and discussion, paired with boardsport lessons. Chill operates in 16 cities throughout North America and internationally, and has served more than 25,000 young people since its inception. Chill made the transition from a private to a public charity in May 2019. For media inquiries, contact Dave Wadleigh (davewa@chill.org)

About Vermont Adaptive

Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports is a nationally recognized organization that empowers people of all abilities through inclusive sports and recreational programming regardless of ability to pay. In addition to sports, year-round programming options integrate environmental, holistic wellness, and competitive training philosophies for people of all ages with cognitive, developmental, physical, and emotional/behavioral disabilities. Sports and recreational opportunities include alpine skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports; kayaking, canoeing, stand-up paddle boarding, cycling, mountain biking, sailing, rock climbing, horseback riding, Veterans programs and retreats, and more. More than 400 volunteers serve athletes from all over the world at three winter locations in Vermont – Pico Mountain at Killington; Sugarbush Resort in Warren; and Bolton Valley Resort in Bolton, as well as statewide in a variety of locations including the Burlington waterfront during the summer and warmer months. For more information, visit www.vermontadaptive.org.

FOCUS KEYWORDS: Chill, Burton, Vermont Adaptive, skateboarding, adaptive sports

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After careful consideration for safety and following the advice of the CDC, The Chill Foundation (Chill) is gearing up for the return of its boardsport programs this summer! This month, local youth will participate in skateboarding programs at Maple Street Park and stand-up paddleboarding programs with the Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center, all with unique protocols and format changes in place to protect the safety of all participants. All associated costs are covered, and gear is provided for the participants, including masks and sanitation stations.

“Youth in our community need programs like Chill now more than ever before,” said Bailey Monty, Chill Regional Program Coordinator. “Our challenge was to figure out if we could safely return to our programs and provide a meaningful and impactful experience for our participants without adding to the long list of stressors already in their daily lives. It quickly became clear that we could. Our whole program is about overcoming challenges in the face of adversity, and the youth we serve rely on our programs so we couldn’t wait for the opportunity to get back out there and work with them again.”

The return to programs will continue to be gradual, careful, and safe, and Chill will continue to adapt along with the world. It’s clear that the youth want and need Chill, and boardsports, now as much as ever, are the perfect vehicle for taking on challenges.

Currently in its 25th year, Chill is impacting local communities with programs in 16 cities throughout North America.

Chill is a positive youth development program where boardsports become a vehicle for empowerment. Revolving around a core value-driven curriculum, Chill programs consist of experiential learning activities, reflection, and discussion, paired with boardsport lessons. Chill’s six core values provide youth with a foundation and framework for learning and growth, supported and enhanced through on-board progression and adult mentorship.

About Chill
Chill operates in 16 cities throughout North America and internationally, and has served more than 25,000 young people since its inception. Chill made the transition from a private to a public charity in May, 2019 For media inquiries, contact Dave Wadleigh (davewa@chill.org)

FOCUS KEYWORDS: Chill, Burton, Maple Street Park, Lake Champlain Sailing Center, SUP, stand-up paddleboarding, skateboarding, youth

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The post The Chill Foundation Overcomes Covid-19 Challenges to Help Area Youth – Burlington, VT appeared first on Chill Foundation.

WINOOSKI, Vt. (WCAX) – They’re two names you may be familiar with — Chill and Vermont Adaptive. For years, the two nonprofits have been working individually to help Vermont’s youth overcome challenges, and get outside. But for the first time ever, they’ve joined forces to roll out a new program in Chittenden County.

Next time you head to the skate park, you may see a few new skaters around. Brody McLaughlin might be one of them. He’s learning to skateboard through a new program launched by Chill and Vermont Adaptive.

“Super good, I went pretty far. I was able to skate on the board and drop-in,” says McLaughlin.

The groups have been meeting each Wednesday for a few weeks to teach community members with disabilities how to ride the concrete wave.

“We believe in breaking down the barriers to access. So, whether those barriers are financial, in terms of being able to afford equipment, or just in terms of the social inclusion piece, or just the know-how around how to adapt an activity. We want to provide access to the culture of Vermont,” says Norm Staunton of Vermont Adaptive.

Breaking down those barriers comes in different forms. Staunton says Vermont Adaptive focuses on skiing and snowboarding in winter, and other summer sports like paddling and biking in the warmer months.

Which is why they’ve partnered with Chill, which was founded by the owners of Burton to help teach these athletes how to skateboard.

“We incorporate this core value-driven curriculum with activities that challenge our participants to step outside of their comfort zone, teach them some lessons, and some ways to do that to allow them to do that on skateboards,” says Bailey Monty of Chill.

Before each skate lesson, Chill hones in on some life lessons for skaters to keep with them, like goal setting, persistence, and patience. “What does it look like to have to try standing and pushing on a skateboard and fall off and get back on and fall off and get back on? Being patient with ourselves and the process and being persistent with keeping going when things are challenging,” says Monty.

And those core values were on display for these skaters this week, who all continued to grind towards their goals, even when things got tough.

“To see it happen and to actually get athletes out and be in a skate park, seeing folks on boards and starting to interact with the rest of the skate community and starting to interact as peers and as equals on decks in the park — it was just killer, it was awesome,” says Staunton.

The next workshop is on August 26th.

Copyright 2020 WCAX. All rights reserved.

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Chill’s positive youth development programs are back for the 2020 winter season in its founding location, Burlington, VT! Beginning in January, local youth will participate in their six-week snowboarding programs at Stowe and Bolton Valley. All associated costs are covered for the participants including transportation, gear, lift tickets, and lessons.

Chill is a positive youth development program where boardsports become a vehicle for empowerment. Revolving around a core value-driven curriculum, Chill programs consist of experiential learning activities, reflection, and discussion, paired with boardsport lessons. Chill’s six core values provide youth with a foundation and framework for learning and growth, supported and enhanced through on-board progression and adult mentorship.

“Over 24 years of hard work, Chill has grown to 16 locations across North America, but the energy and passion in our founding location, Burlington, is still unparalleled,” said Alex Bornstein, Executive Director at Chill. “We’re incredibly stoked to be back on snow at Stowe and Bolton Valley in partnership with numerous amazing organizations that serve youth facing challenges, and we can’t wait to see how this program continues to grow and evolve.”

Chill reaches over 2,000 youth annually, with programs in 16 cities throughout North America.

The mission of the Chill Foundation is to inspire youth to overcome challenges through boardsports.

About Chill

Chill operates in 16 cities throughout North America and internationally, and has served more than 25,000 young people since its inception. Chill made the transition from a private to a public charity in May, 2019. Contact Chill to volunteer HERE. Support Chill with a donation HERE. For media inquiries, contact Jeff Morton (jeffm@chill.org).

FOCUS KEYWORDS: Chill, Burton, Stowe, Bolton Valley, snowboarding, youth

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