Press
Press
Ehrlich: 30 years of empowering youth by connecting them to snowsports
9/2/2023
It was 30 years ago out of Golden Peak that an idea was born. An idea that brought forward the power of sliding down a mountain on snow to create real and lasting change. That idea was SOS Outreach and the result was connecting youth to the mountains, to snowsports and to their community.
The push to make winter sports accessible
8/29/2023
Ski season is right around the corner, and there’s a push happening right now to make it more accessible to kids who may not usually get a chance to hit the slopes.
Vail area teenagers build work ethic, confidence through SOS Outreach’s career development program
8/15/2023
This summer, five local high school students were given the opportunity to participate in paid apprenticeships as part of SOS Outreach’s Career Development Program. In its third year, the program helps connect students with opportunities to explore careers in the outdoors and hospitality industries.
The Power of Community with Seth EhRlich
8/4/2023
Hailing from Pittsburgh, PA, Seth Ehrlich learned early the value and opportunity that exists within a strong community. He has engaged for more than 20 years in community engagement and building. Projects include multiple collaborative efforts and his professional work with SOS Outreach over the past 15+ years.
SOS Outreach launches second annual career development program
6/29/2023
The Park City based nonprofit SOS Outreach has been involved in providing children powerful experiences in the outdoors since 1993. For the second year in a row, SOS Outreach is launching their career development program for local teenagers. Through the summer program, local teens aged 16 and up are placed in six-week long paid apprenticeships across the outdoor industry.
Brass Elementary students plant flowers for Uptown businesses in Kenosha
6/3/2023
Brass Elementary students were busy Friday morning planting flowers and writing inspirational notes for Uptown businesses. The “Planting Their Roots” effort was a collaboration between Uptown Kenosha Inc., Brass Elementary, The Traveling Trunk, SOS Outreach and Kenosha Firefighters Care.
Letter to the Editor: Increasing mountain access to youth is important
4/20/2023
As we all know, skiing and snowboarding are a significant part of our culture, but unfortunately, many local residents do not have access to these sports due to various barriers. That’s why it is so inspiring to see SOS Outreach’s commitment to increasing mountain access for local youth while also delivering a multiyear curriculum focused on social-emotional learning, service to the community and developing a sense of belonging.
BELONGING WITH SOS OUTREACH AND MY FUTURE PATHWAYS
4/11/2023
What does it take to make it long term in this valley? What does it take to put down roots in this place and see them grow? Erik is joined by Bratzo Horruitiner, Executive Director of My Future Pathways and Seth Ehrlich, Executive Director of SOS Outreach to talk about the idea of BELONGING in this community.
A locally sourced way to address single-use plastic litter
4/7/2023
Earlier this week, the South Lake Tahoe City Council received a report from the League to Save Lake Tahoe about a collaborative, grassroots program to tackle local litter through outreach to local businesses.
Letter: Helping young people connect on the mountain away from screens
3/29/2023
The mental health crisis among young people is at an all-time high. The global pandemic, along with increasing reliance on social media and smartphones, has only made things worse. It’s clear that we need to take action to support the mental health of our youth, and one organization that is doing just that is SOS Outreach.
Kids from the Goshute Tribe hit the slopes in Park City
3/22/2023
After a two-year break, the Christian Center of Park City took children from the Goshute Reservation for some snow fun at Park City Mountain this month.
Kenosha area students celebrate accomplishments made on and off the slopes with SOS Outreach
3/20/2023
Kids and teens from Kenosha and Chicago recently completed a winter season of growth and accomplishments with SOS Outreach at Wilmot Mountain.
SOS, a youth development nonprofit, uses skiing and snowboarding in tandem with positive adult mentorship to help young people gain leadership skills, learn social-emotional skills and develop a sense of belonging.
Brass Community School teacher helps give local students an opportunity to learn downhill skiing
3/17/2023
Deleting junk email without giving it a second thought is a common occurrence for many people. Thankfully, Terri McGuire was intrigued by a too-good-to-be-true email she received during winter break last year. A fourth and fifth grade teacher at Brass Community School in Kenosha’s Uptown neighborhood, McGuire responded to the email sent by Tarah Waters, the National Program Operations Coordinator for SOS Outreach in Vail, Colo.
SOS Outreach announces appointment of new members to board of directors
3/16/2023
SOS Outreach, a Colorado-based charity that aims to make snowsports more accessible to all youth, has added six new members to its board of directors, according to a news release from the charity. The new members include Gerilyn Davis of Inclusion on the Slopes, Rebecca Houck of GERBER, Charlotte Moats of Wasatch Peaks Ranch, Damon Morris of Elevate Outdoor Collective, Anne Wiper of Smartwool and Travis Tafoya of Vail Resorts.
Mentoring in the Mountains – An Impactful Approach to Positive Youth Development
2/15/2023
Since its inception in 1993 at Vail Mountain, SOS Outreach, a national positive youth development organization, has evolved from humble roots of providing youth access to skiing and snowboarding to now offering a robust multi-year group mentoring curriculum across 24 mountain resorts in 9 states.
SOS Outreach & Christy Sports | Exclusive Skis
2/6/2023
This limited-edition ski is available in sizes 162, 168, 174, 180, 186, and 194 cm and is available only through Christy Sports.
Christy sports releases exclusive nordica unleashed outreach ski to Help Underrepresented Kids Step Outside
1/17/2023
Christy Sports, the premier outdoor retailer helping people #stepoutside, in partnership with Nordica and SOS Outreach, today announces the release of the limited-edition Nordica Unleashed Outreach Ski.
Truckee’s Quintero designs custom Nordica skis to raise money for youth
1/17/2023
Local teenager, Frida Quintero, received an opportunity that would make even a professional graphic designer green with envy: to design a custom limited-edition ski in partnership with Nordica.
Custom Ski Collaboration Benefits Youth
1/30/2023
A speaking engagement at a golf outing brought Seth Ehrlich, Executive Director of SOS Outreach, and the CEO of Christy Sports together to discuss the SOS Outreach mission.
SOS Outreach named US Ski and Snowboard’s DEI Champion
6/18/2022
SOS Outreach, a sport outreach and mentorship program serving 15 communities and 24 mountain resorts nationwide, was awarded U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion Award.
TV8 Vail: Conexion Latina
9/12/2023
La Cordinadora de Ex-alumnos de SOS Outreach, Fernanda Landeros, habla con Julio Garcia de TV8 Vail Conexion Latina sobre los programas de SOS Outreach y noticias recientes. (SOS Outreach alumni liaison, Fernanda Landeros, speaks with Julio Garcia of TV8 Vail’s Conexion Latina about SOS Outreach programs and latest news.)
SOS OUTREACH COMMUNITY CONNECTS YOUTH TO THE MOUNTAINS
9/4/2023
It was 30 years ago in the Rocky Mountains that an idea was born, an idea that brought forward the power of sliding down a mountain on snow to create real and lasting change. That idea was SOS Outreach and the result was connecting youth to the mountains, to snowsports and to their community.
Colorado Snowsports Museum inducts 2023 Hall of Fame honorees
8/29/2023
On Sunday, Aug. 27, the Colorado Snowsports Museum celebrated its newest Hall of Fame members. Vail Veterans Program founder Cheryl Jensen, ski mountaineer Hilaree Nelson, ski resort executive John Norton, trailblazing female ski racer Sandy Hildner, and ski writer and historian Seth Masia made up the class of 2023. SOS Outreach, which was founded and is headquartered in the Vail Valley, received the Top of the Hill Award for its contributions to the development of skiing, introducing children who might not otherwise have the opportunity to ski or snowboard to the mountains.
Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame announces 2023 annual awards
8/3/2023
Tickets are on sale now for the 2023 Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame Celebration this August 27th. The institution proudly announces the Annual Award recipients for the year, representing snow sports advocates and some of our state’s greatest athletes.
Women’s Giving Fund to award $100,000 in grants
6/27/2023
Three finalists have been selected from more than a dozen applicants for the annual Women’s Giving Fund grant that supports local women and children. The fund is run through the Park City Community Foundation. The chair of the grants committee is Dalia Gonzalez.
Be the constant in a young person’s life
5/23/2023
Growing up isn’t easy and the past few years certainly haven’t been kind to young people trying to find their way. For better or worse, our world is rapidly evolving and times sure are different from when I was a kid.
Young people need the outdoors more than ever
4/19/2023
It’s not an easy time to be a young person. Without diving into it, the past few years have been tumultuous at best; we’re glued to our devices more than ever, and mental health issues have become an epidemic among adolescents.
SOS Outreach receives $45,000 grant to expand its career development pipeline
4/5/2023
For over three decades, the nonprofit SOS Outreach has been dedicated to increasing opportunities for underserved youth through outdoor recreation. And in March, the organization received a $45,000 state grant to grow its Career Development Pipeline program, its latest effort to extend its impact.
SOS Outreach paving way for Lake Tahoe youth to turn passion into careers
3/30/2023
Last weekend, about 300 South Lake Tahoe youth celebrated the end of their winter season with the youth development nonprofit, SOS Outreach. Now in its 13th year of operation in the Tahoe region, SOS Outreach uses a combination of mentorship and mountain access to deliver a core values based curriculum focused on service to the community, social-emotional skills, and developing a sense of belonging.
SOS Outreach partners with Northstar California
3/29/2023
Youth development nonprofit, SOS Outreach, has impacted 170 local youth this year through its Learn to Ride and Mentoring programs which consist of five ski/ride days at Northstar California.The Learn to Ride program began in 2010 with a Vail Resorts Epic Promise grant to provide season passes, rentals and instructors to 25 local youth. Shortly after, SOS Outreach expanded its reach by offering its multi-year mentoring program to keep youth engaged year after year until graduation.
Polis Administration Continues to Boost Colorado’s Robust Outdoor Rec Workforce & Make Sure All Coloradans Can Access World-Class Outdoors
3/28/2023
Today, Governor Polis and the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office (OREC) of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) announced nine new recipients of the Colorado State Outdoor Recreation grant across the state. These grants will provide professional development for over 200 students and workers across Colorado as they prepare for or further their careers in outdoor recreation, including organizations that provide outdoor experiences to youth who might otherwise experience barriers to outdoor recreation.
Kenoshan of the Week: Terri McGuire (video)
3/22/2023
Video interview of Kenoshan of the Week & SOS Program Coordinator of Chicago/Kenosha: Terri McGuire
Nonprofits Give Metro Detroit High Schoolers Chance to Visit Northern Michigan, Learn How to Ski
3/16/2023
Nonprofits across the state have teamed up to give high school students from Metro Detroit a chance to hit the slopes here in Northern Michigan. The Crystal Community Ski Club has teamed up with SOS Outreach, Share Winter Foundation and the YMCA to bring students from Hamtramck High School up to Crystal Mountain. Many of the students that visited have never had the opportunity to ski or visit Northern Michigan all together. One student, Mohamad Dagena, says he’s had a blast on the trip.
SOS Outreach celebrates its biggest season of impact in Eagle County
3/17/2023
Community supporters gathered at Vail Mountain’s Sarge’s Shelter for a luncheon to celebrate the local youth development nonprofit, SOS Outreach, for its most successful season of impact in Eagle County. This season over 490 youth, from Gypsum to Red Cliff, enrolled in SOS programs, which use a combination of mountain sports and mentorship to deliver a multi-year curriculum focused on social-emotional learning, service to the community, and developing a sense of belonging.
SOS Outreach alumnae design limited edition Nordica skis to support organization’s mission
1/28/2023
Combining life skills, a love for the outdoors and big ambitions, four SOS Outreach alumnae recently got the opportunity to design a pair of skis for Nordica.
Kenosha Unified fourth-graders hit the slopes with Jockey and SOS Outreach at Wilmot Mountain
1/24/2023
Kenosha Unified students hit the slopes Monday afternoon at Wilmot Mountain for the first of many ski lessons as part of the “Learn to Ride” ski and mentor program.
Park City college student designs custom limited-edition ski with Nordica
1/17/2023
Park City college student Heidy Hernandez recently had an opportunity some can only dream of, to design a custom limited-edition ski in partnership with Nordica.
Philanthropic Community Gathers in Silverton to Raise Money for Youth in SOS Outreach
1/19/2023
Over MLK weekend, change-makers from across the outdoor industry gathered in Silverton to rally support and raise funds for over 3,000 young people across the country in SOS Outreach programs.
Nordica, Christy Sports, SOS Outreach Aim to Raise $50,000 With 50 Pairs of Skis
1/27/2023
Social, societal, and economic barriers often prevent underrepresented kids from getting to participate in the outdoors. There’s a lot of expensive gear involved, knowledge that people need, and often, accessing the wilderness itself can be a challenge.
Nordica, SOS Outreach, Christy Sports Release Ski for Under-represented Kids
1/30/2023
Nordica, SOS Outreach and Christy Sports have released a limited-edition Nordica Unleashed Outreach Ski.
SOS Outreach prepares for winter with new programs manager
11/4/2022
SOS Outreach is looking forward to starting the winter season with new mentoring programs feeding into the organization’s continued efforts to bridge gaps for underserved youth.