Rocky Mountain Youth Corps Hosts
“A Toast to Trails & Tales” Fundraiser 

Steamboat Springs, CO (Sept. 31, 2024) – Steamboat Springs, CO-based Rocky Mountain Youth Corps is proud to host its annual “A Toast to Trails & Tales” fundraiser at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 12, at the Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School and Camp (home of its popular Yampa Valley Science School program). 

 

Attendees can expect to hear inspiring stories from young people who have come through RMYC programs and experienced the power of positive change; listen and dance to the music of Chamberlin Birch; savor a delicious spread of passed appetizers, a farm-to-table dinner, and decadent dessert prepared by Brian and Florencia Morales of La Central Catering; sip on signature creations from Routt Distillery and other beverages from local makers; participate in a live auction featuring a variety of items, trips, and experiences; and more. The event will also include a fun-filled "Heads & Tails" game and wrap up the fundraising effort with RMYC's signature "Pulaski" raise—all to support the young people RMYC serves.

 

The event also celebrates several milestones for RMYC, including coming off the nonprofit’s 30th anniversary and longtime Chief Program Officer Ryan Banks taking over as CEO, replacing founder Gretchen Van De Carr. “The event celebrates another great field season at RMYC,” says Banks. “This has been a year flush with change and transition and with that we continued to provide meaningful service opportunities to young people, while strengthening partnerships with land managers throughout our region. We’re excited to bring the RMYC family together for this event.”

 

Over its 235 project weeks last season, RMYC served over 850 youth while improving 1,621 acres of public lands; building 705 miles of trails; and removing nearly 16,000 trees (it also reached the milestone of more than 100,000 PBJs served). This summer, RMYC fielded its second-ever all-women’s chainsaw crew, performing mitigation work; a ladies-only youth crew participating in conservation and recreation projects; and saw its Natural Resource Internship program grow to more than 130 participants. 

 

Housed in a 4,300-square-foot headquarters on a 3.4-acre campus in Steamboat Springs, RMYC has served more than 13,000 youth in its three decades of service, including more than 5,000 through its Yampa Valley Science School program. Its crews work on everything from community cleanups, wildfire mitigation and tree planting projects to trail building and maintenance, GIS programming, historic structure preservation, hydrology and archaeology projects, beetle kill removal, and more. Providing more than $3 million in wages and benefits to its seasonal staff, paid corps members and interns annually, RMYC is building its long-term financial sustainability by building its endowment fund held at the Yampa Valley Community Foundation to $2 million by 2026.

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Presenting sponsors for the event include Steamboat Sticker, The Bluestem Fund, Alpine Mountain Ranch & Club, Talon Grips, and Judi McKenna, with additional support from Yampa Valley Bank, GB Design Build, The Colorado Trust, Alpine Bank, Fair & Square Construction, and Native Excavating.

 

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