The Vail Valley is home to numerous non-profit organizations, together making a huge contribution to our quality of live and providing resources to our citizens.
When you think “non-profit organization”, does your mind slip to groups such as the Vail Valley Charitable Fund or Round Up River Ranch, helping those in their time of need for medical emergencies and support? Maybe you think of groups such as The Youth Foundation, Literacy Project or the Eagle River Youth Coalition, all helping the youth in our community. That’s a good start. But it’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to non-profits in our community and their impacts.
In addition to the organizations mentioned above, the Vail Valley is home to hundreds of non-profit organizations and many of these organizations help create a viable sense of community by providing arts, culture and history. Many others non-profits are community organizations designed to assist the community they are based in with a variety of needs based programs to those that need it most. Still others focus on important community services such as medical needs or education. Some, like the Vail Valley Partnership (and other chamber/merchant groups) are dedicated to helping businesses succeed and providing a voice at the local, regional or state level.
And keep in mind that some of our largest employers in Eagle County are non-profit organizations (Vail Valley Medical Center, the Eagle County School District and numerous recreation districts and metropolitan districts quickly come to mind).
The fact is our vibrant non-profit community contributes to help make our valley a special place. Together, the non-profit community helps enhance the quality of life for our residents and help to enhance the quality of the guest experience. They create jobs, service those that need assistance and make the community a better place. Looking over the list of nonprofits in the Eagle River Valley is simply impressive. Who knew there was so much going on in the background?
Outside of writing a check, what can you do to assist these non-profits that do so much for our community? Consider giving your time.
The Vail Valley Partnership, with support from Eagle County and the Vail Daily, are happy to launch our most recent Vail Valley Volunteer Guide to help you learn more about all the non-profits in the region and to help promote volunteerism. We’re doing our best to increase the awareness of our non-profit community and their volunteer needs.
The Vail Valley Volunteer Connection (online at Vail Valley Volunteers.com) is a signature program of the Vail Valley Partnership, helping non-profits connect with residents, visitors and second homeowners. The Vail Valley Volunteer Connection is a leading source for volunteer engagement in our community, and allows our non-profit partners to cultivate volunteers.
We provide this as a benefit to our non-profit community, as they are an essential part of our community and an essential part of our business community. It’s an important part of our mission to be a regional leader in sustaining & enhancing the Vail Valley as a tourism destination and as a place to do business by contributing to the identity and economic well-being of the Eagle River Valley. Non-profit organizations play an important role in the economic well-being of our community, and volunteers play a big part in the daily operations of our non-profit community. Please join us at our fund-raiser for the Volunteer Connection: a 5 course beer-pairing dinner at Dish (with Crazy Mountain Brewery) on June 12 for just $50.
We hope you take the time to visit the Volunteer Connection online and to pick up a copy of the Volunteer Guide at the Vail Valley Partnership offices. Get engaged, give your time, get involved. It helps our non-profits, which in turn helps our community. And chances are, you’ll have fun doing it.
What can your business do to help? If you benefit from these community efforts and value the networking and other benefits offered to members, get off the sidelines and join the Partnership. If you are already a member, tell your neighbors to join to help us do even more here in the valley.
As always, I encourage all member businesses to get engaged with the Partnership and to contact us with any suggestions you may have to help us better serve you and for non-members to join the Partnership. Call us at (970) 476-1000 or stop by our offices in Avon at Traer Creek Plaza to share your feedback.