Mt. Bachelor announces $7,000 in ‘Protect Your Playground’ grants

Mt. Bachelor said Sunday that $7,000 in funding has been awarded to three finalists proposing environmentally focused projects in Central Oregon through the Protect Your Playground initiative.

Protect Your Playground was introduced in the 2013-2014 season and designed as a grant program for environmental projects in our local communities. Mt. Bachelor, together with Powdr Resorts, will be awarding a total of $40,000 across its nine resort properties through this campaign.

The focus of Protect Your Playground is to empower individuals in our community – from skiers and riders, to business owners and homeowners. Applicants were encouraged to present ideas for funding between $100 and $2,500 for projects that will serve to protect the environmental playgrounds that we all love and enjoy in Central Oregon.

Project proposals were due for submission through the extended deadline of April 18, at which point Mt. Bachelor’s Green Team reviewed all applications and submitted finalists to be reviewed and approved for funding by Brent Giles, Powdr Corp’s Chief Sustainability Officer.

Mt. Bachelor is excited to announce a total of $7,000 in funding for the following selected proposals on behalf of the Protect Your Playground Initiative;

Damien T. – Leafs to Pedals: creating artisan bike racks out of recycled leaf springs from truck suspensions, supporting alternative transportation and bringing art into the community.

Noelle B.C. – Diapers to Dirt: creating a pilot program for a compostable diaper service in Central Oregon, keeping waste out of the landfill and simplifying urban composting.

Alicia E. – Warming Walls: creating an artisan bus stop shelter from recycled materials that would provide shelter from the winter elements, supporting alternative transportation to and from Mt. Bachelor.

o Alicia will be working with previous Protect Your Playground winner Andria Z., who received funding for her bus shelter proposal.

Brent Giles, Powdr Corp Chief Sustainability Officer exclaims “Protect Your Playground was created to empower and inspire individuals with the resources they need to turn their ideas into action to better their communities and protect their environment. We were ecstatic with the number and quality of applications and we look forward to seeing these projects come to life and to watch the lasting impact they will have on their environments in the future. The grant recipients are proof that one person with a vision for change can make a difference.”

For more details and information on Protect Your Playground, visit; www.mtbachelor.com/protectyourplaygound