Pay For This Year's Skis With Last Year's Cast-offs
News
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Denver, CO, Oct. 19, 1999–Don’t toss those old skis. They may be worth something to you on next April’s tax return.
The second annual Donate-a-Ski/Snowboard drive has begun and is coming to a ski shop near you. Some 300 retailers across the country are excepting donations of used skis, snowboards, and winter clothing for charities in exchange for a receipt for tax deduction. Some stores, such as Christy’s Sports of Colorado, are even offering credit towards new gear purchases.
Last weekend, Ski legend Billy Kidd–the first American to win an Olympic medal in Alpine skiing–kicked off the drive at a Christy’s Sports shop in Denver, CO. Kidd donated some of his own used ski gear to three Special Olympics athletes.
“It is a real pleasure to donate gear to Special Olympics athletes. For many Special Olympians, getting outfitted with equipment will be the first, exciting step in starting a new sport,” says Kidd. “By donating your used equipment and apparel, you’ll not only help get a new skier or snowboarder off to a great start, you’ll make room in your closet for some of the season’s newest gear.”
Last year, running as a test program, Donate-a-Ski brought in over 36 tons of ski and snowboarding gear, and expects to increase that number dramatically this season.
To participate, skiers need only bring their used gear to a participating retailer. Once the items are collected, they will be evaluated for usability, then given to one of eight charitable organizations. Donors will then receive a receipt for tax deduction. This years’ charities include Special Olympics, Rumford Group Homes, United Homes for Children, Charlotte Central School, BootStrap High School, Youth Enrichment Services, Challenged Athletes, and the Snowboard Outreach Society for use in their winter recreational programs.
Gear that does not meet usability standards set by Donate-a-Ski will be recycled so as not to add to current landfill problems. According to Doug Powell, a spokesperson for Donate-a-Ski, “A number of things are done with the skis that we can’t use, some of them can be turned into furniture, and the rest get stripped down, the metal and the plastic can both be recycled.”
The program runs from October 15 through December 31, 1999.
A list of participating stores is available at www.snowlink.com. For more information call Jeanne Mattie at (201) 848-6818.
