Nonprofits in Park City

Park City Nonprofit Highlight: Park City Institute

July 18, 2018 by Molly Miller, Colony PR

PARK CITY INSTITUTE
Park City Institute, originally known as the Park City Performing Arts Foundation, was founded in 1998, to bring world-class performances and new ideas to the Park City community (photo courtesy: Park City Institute). This year is its 20th year of doing just that – it finds incredibly thought-provoking speakers and delightful performers and puts them in front of our community at the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Center stage.

PCI’s concert series, now in its 15th consecutive year, was a study in problem-solving after Deer Valley threw a huge curveball this spring. After 14 years of holding its events at the Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheatre, DV informed Park City Institute its St. Regis Big Stars, Bright Night Concerts Series would need to find a new home – just months before the 15th season was to begin.

An orderly scramble ensued, and a solution was manifested: pop-up concert events! The rest of this season’s shows will be held at the Quinn’s Junction Recreation Complex* (Grace Potter was held at City Park). The challenges didn’t stop there, however, as the location didn’t have parking – or any nearby concession options. PCI kept leaping those hurdles and came up with free luxury shuttles for those who park at the Eccles Center at Park City High School and Richardson Flat. And, for the ever-important food, they coordinated their brilliant Food Truck Court. (*UPDATE: On Friday, July 27, Park City City Council approved the request to move all remaining summer concerts to City Park; all other details remain the same.)

The Riverhorse Provisions Food Truck is pretty darn cute. Photo courtesy: Park City Institute

FOOD TRUCK COURT
If you ask us, the quality of the selection at the Food Truck Court alone is a draw to attend these PCI pop-ups! Check out who parks at each party:

Riverhorse Provisions
You can pre-order picnics for the Big Stars, Bright Nights events from Riverhorse Provisions’ adorable food truck (well, really, for any occasion, but you can pick them up on-site at PCI’s pop-ups). Choose from the Southern Basket with fried chicken and creamy macaroni salad, the Falafel Box with falafel and tabbouleh, the Seafood Pack with shrimp cocktail and pasta salad – we could go on and on, but don’t make us because seriously, we’re getting hungry.

Best lobstah roll in Park City… and beyond! Photo courtesy: Bubba Brown/Park Record

Freshie’s Lobster Co.
Park-City born-and-based Freshie’s is the home of the best lobster roll in the world, and those lobster rolls are up for grabs at each Big Stars, Bright Nights concert! The rolls come in three sizes, the Tourist, for those who only want 2 oz of fresh Maine lobster (just curious whether that size has ever been sold…), the Real Mainah, with 4 oz., and the XL, with 5 oz. of the good stuff. Ayuh.

Spencer’s Smokin’ Grill
Now, if you’re more in the mood for BBQ – head on over to Spencer’s. Pulled Pork, Pulled Chicken, BBQ Beans, Dirty Rice, Tri-Tip, and, of course, Cornbread can be found here. Few things could be more fun than a full rack at a concert.

Praise Cheezus Gourmet Grilled Cheese
This one is pretty self-explanatory – toasty, gooey, delicious grilled cheese! From savory cheezus choices (The Old Testament concoction has gouda, cheddar, swiss, and garlic cream cheese spread), to sweet cheezus (The Trinity has brie, triple berry compote, and wild honey) – these grilled cheese sandwiches are practically a spiritual experience.

Wasatch Creamery Ice Cream Company
Speaking of spiritual experiences, whatever you do while you’re at the events, *do not* miss the Wasatch Creamery ice cream bike. Flavors like Salted Oreo (do not even come near us with that because we cannot stop eating it), Lavender Blueberry, Peaches-n-Buttermilk, Peaches-n-Bourbon, Summer Strawberry (the most fresh thing we’ve ever tasted in our entire life), and Mango Sorbet, along with TONS of others, with more constantly being beta tested, are available at this station while supplies last.

Of course, attendees are always welcome to pack picnics, snacks, and beverages (you’re asked to avoid glassware for safety reasons), but with these world-class options *right there,* why bother?

THE SHOWS
Upcoming shows include Monday’s Chris Blue concert, Corinne Bailey Rae, and The Wallflowers. If you’d like to attend any of these upcoming events, you can buy tickets online, call or visit the Eccles Center Box Office (435-655-3114), or buy tickets at the on-site box office on the afternoon of the event.

SUPPORT
Mission Statement: To enrich the community by providing innovative experiences that entertain, educate and illuminate.

To accomplish this goal, PCI depends on membership and donations. Learn more about membership opportunities HERE. Each level of membership includes advance ticket purchase options, invitations to special events and Members Only events, and recognition in Eccles Center Main Stage Playbills. Some memberships include tickets to events, early event entry, and parking passes.

Want us to highlight your nonprofit? Email Molly@theColonyWPC.com.

Park City Nonprofit Highlight: Recycle Utah

June 7, 2018 by Molly Miller, Colony PR

Recycle Utah provides community-based resources and solutions (photo courtesy: Recycle Utah).

Park City & Summit County:
Committed to a Sustainable Community

A huge part of why Park City is such a wonderful place to build a life is the focus on sustainability. The effort to embrace best sustainability practices is led by our municipality. In fact, the Park City City Council lists it on the critical priority list and has set one of the most ambitious climate goals in North America: to be net-zero carbon and run on 100% renewable energy for city operations by 2022, and the entire community by 2032.

Park City Municipal has set very high-impact goals for sustainability.

Summit County, too, has created high-impact goals, with the aim to be 100% net renewable energy by 2032 for all Summit Co. government operations, and to make renewable electrical energy available and broadly adopted by all residents and businesses by the same year.

Thanks to city and county leadership, and dedicated sustainability teams, our community will reap the benefits for generations to come.

Boots on the Ground

The plan is one thing – the execution is another. And, while Summit County provides curbside recycling to all residents, there is a mountainous amount of waste which cannot be put in your bin – but *should* be recycled.

Enter Recycle Utah (aka, The Park City Conservation Association)! The visionary group has served Summit County since 1991 with the mission to empower people to lead sustainable lives – and the ultimate vision of a zero waste plan for Summit County.

Recycle Utah sees double-digit percentage increases in participation year after year.

Why Recycle?

Simply put – It’s about our groundwater, which is a critical component of our environment and, of course, our public health. What goes into the trash → leaches into our groundwater at the landfill → impacts our drinking water. To avoid toxins landing in the landfill in the first place – hit up Recycle Utah.

Not only does the Recycle Utah center (located on Woodbine Way) provide a place for you to take items like glass, styrofoam, plastic bags, batteries, and e-waste, it has an entire department dedicated to active education.

Education, Empowerment & CSAs

In an effort to provide community-based resources – and solutions – Recycle Utah conducts on-site environmental education, leads the Green Business Program, and facilitates composting workshops at the center (did you know – composting can easily decrease your garbage pile by as much as 30%?!).

Recycle Utah also supports Community Supported Agriculture – known as CSAs – by serving as a pick-up center for shareholders. This means CSAs like Bell Organic Gardens and Farmers Next Door drop off boxes of their lovely local produce at the Park City location each week, and residents who have bought in for the growing season simply zip over to pick up their share.

Recycling Services

Because of its efforts, Recycle Utah prevents 200 TONS of valuable materials from wasting in the landfill. And this is not per year. This is 200 tons – per month. The center accepts more than 50 different items for re-use, or hazmat treatment. Check out the list of acceptable items HERE.

Impact

In 2017 alone – Recycle Utah had approximately 400 visitors to the center each day, and collected:

832 tons of glass
188 tons of metal
98 tons of plastic
7.2 tons of Styrofoam
624 tons of paper and cardboard

The grand total of materials recycled adds up to 3,496,000 pounds (1,748 tons)!

Upcoming Events | How to Support Recycle Utah

Support local businesses while you save water at the native plant sale this weekend.

Native Plant Sale
On Saturday, June 9, Recycle Utah will host a native plant sale from 9 – 11 a.m., where you can purchase drought-tolerant plants for your garden. All plants will be supplied by southern Utah nurseries (which specialize in xeriscaping and low-maintenance landscaping), and brought here by Park City Nursery. Native plants conserve water with improved soil retention – so less water is required for maintenance.

Uncorked
The 7th Annual Uncorked outdoor concert will be held on Friday, June 29. All proceeds will go to fund glass recycling collection. A $7 ticket gives you access to live music and food, with beverages available for purchase.

Drink Green & Shop
All year-round, you can shop green. Items like composters, reusable tote and produce bags, and biodegradable dog poo bags are for sale in the center shop.

If meeting for drinks is more your speed, Recycle Utah facilitates Green Drinks. These are gatherings held on the second Tuesday of every other month for eco-conscious people to get together to talk and learn from local leaders about sustainability, environmental, and social issues.

Land preservation and sustainability are a very important part of life at The Colony at White Pine Canyon, where approximately 90% of our 4600 acres will be preserved as open space, thanks to conservation easements. We’re grateful for the visionary leadership of Recycle Utah and its steady work to improve and preserve our singular quality of life here in the mountains of Park City, Utah.

If you have a nonprofit you’d like us to highlight, please email Molly@theColonyWPC.com.

Park City Nonprofit Highlight: National Ability Center

May 30, 2018 by Molly Miller, Colony PR

INSPIRING INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT

There’s no way we can do justice to all the good the National Ability Center does in just one post. Since its inception 30 years ago, when it started providing lessons to veterans with disabilities, NAC has touched countless lives. In fact, in 2016-2017 alone, 6600 individuals, from all 50 states and 18 countries, experienced NAC programming!

PROGRAMMING

NAC provides high-quality and inclusive programs to those of all abilities and backgrounds, and strives to “empower individuals of all abilities by building self-esteem, confidence, and lifetime skills through sport, recreation, and educational programs.”

Participants can enjoy skiing and snowboarding at Park City Mountain, Deer Valley, Brighton, and Solitude with specially-trained instructors.

With year-round and seasonal programs, there is truly an option for everyone.

Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, horseback riding, hippotherapy, indoor rock climbing, swimming, archery, sled hockey, cycling, water-skiing, wakeboarding, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, and challenge course activities.

And now, through a partnership with Splore, NAC is able to provide adaptive adventures like river rafting, snowshoeing, climbing, Nordic skiing throughout Northern and Southern Utah’s mountains ranges and waterways.

People of all ages and abilities are able to participate – including those with orthopedic, spinal cord, neuromuscular, visual and hearing impairments, and cognitive and developmental disabilities. Specially-designed equipment is available for many of the activities and enables participants to enjoy each activity successfully.

And, to help eliminate isolation of individuals with disabilities, friends and family members are encouraged to participate alongside. This often yields results like reinforced relationships and the formation of a support system that expands well beyond the program experience.

Thanks to NAC, participants can water ski, wakeboard, tube, swim, canoe, kayak, and more at the Jordanelle.

IMPACT
(2016-2017)

NAC offered programs 365 days and provided 37,000 experiences
Programming provided to 6600 individuals from all 50 states – and 18 countries
50 athletes trained in NAC’s competition programs
700 unique pieces of adaptive equipment were used

SUPPORT | BARN PARTY

National Ability Center Barn Party 2017 (Photo courtesy: National Ability Center)

Support from individual donors, grants from private corporations and foundations, and the community has allowed NAC to provide scholarships to 100% of those who have made requests.

You can support this incredible organization in a number of ways – through the usual channels, or by joining them for this weekend’s Barn Party at the Equestrian Center!

On June 2nd, bring the entire family and enjoy live music, BBQ, a whiskey saloon, line dancing, fun for the kiddos, a petting zoo, and a live and silent auction. The Barn Party is an annual event meant to celebrate the amazing achievements of the Equestrian Program with the community – while also kicking off the start of the summer season in Park City.

Whether you donate time, funds, or join the Barn Party – you won’t regret supporting the National Ability Center and the immeasurable good they create and facilitate. (All photos in this post courtesy of National Ability Center.)

If you have a nonprofit you’d like us to highlight, please email Molly@theColonyWPC.com.

Park City Nonprofit Highlight: Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter

May 23, 2018 by Molly Miller, Colony PR

Engaging Activities In Every Season

Park City is known for its winters, and now more than ever, its summers. Our ski resorts are unmatched in the snowy months and our hiking and biking trails are among the best in the world when it’s warm. But what is a soul to do for fun during shoulder and mud season? (Photo courtesy: Dennis Hinkamp)

Our answer – learn to navigate and nurture nature with the Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter, operated by Utah State University Extension. The preserve spans 1,200 acres and includes a 10,000 square foot LEED Platinum building.

Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter offers a vast array of learning activities year round.
(Photo courtesy: Dennis Hinkamp)

Inside, enjoy interactive exhibits about the environment, a lecture series, and a gift shop with eco-friendly art. Outside, Swaner offers weekly nature tours on its ten miles of trails, wildlife viewing opportunities, summer camps, and environmental education for kids and adults.

Preserve | Educate | Nurture

Swaner’s mission is three-pronged: preserve the land and the human connection to the natural landscape; educate the local and broader communities about the value of nature; nurture both the ecosystem and the people connected with it. Swaner’s mission resonates with us here at the Colony because we, too, are committed to preserving the land: nearly 90% of our 4600 acres will be held as open space and protected by conservation easements to ensure it will be enjoyed for generations to come!

Keep Those Kids Busy

Weekends at Swaner (yes, even in shoulder season) are packed with free or very low-cost activities for the community and visitors to enjoy – Saturday morning nature walks, a climbing wall which takes you “through the EcoSystem, from the bedrock all the way to the uplands,” and Swaner’s Craft Sunday, where kiddos are invited to create a nature-themed craft, are options to keep your family active and intrigued.

We know, we know, it’s nearly summer but seriously, doesn’t this look awesome? It’s the Swaner EcoClub, for kids in 6th-8th grades. (Photo courtesy: Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter)

School year fun for children includes a Little Naturalist Story Time, Swaner EcoClub, and school field trips. Sessions like Wetland Warriors, Swaner Scientists, and Creature Feature teach summer students (K-8) about the natural world through STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math). Tuition waivers ensure anyone who wants to participate – can. Teens have options, too; they can score leadership development jobs as a summer camp counselors.

Oh, and did we mention birthday parties?! No muss, no fuss – you schedule the party and they take over, with themes like Wilderness Explorers, Nature Art, and even a Geocache Adventure.

Adult Activities

The action isn’t just for kids; Swaner has a robust offering of opportunities for adults, too. Talks, tours, and workshops provide plenty of fun ways to get smart about sustainability and nature (like the Avian Adventures birding tour, and the Wasatch Wildflower Walk).

The Utah Master Naturalist Program includes three 40-hour courses focused on exploring, learning about, and conserving our natural ecosystems. (Photo courtesy: Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter)

And, unique partner programs like Utah Water Watch, Master Gardener, and Master Naturalist offer ways for the community to work and collect data with scientists, learn to garden, and receive certification to conserve Utah’s ecosystems.

Support & Sustain

Now you know how to get involved, so here’s a way for you to support if you wish. On Thursday, May 31, Swaner will hold its annual fundraising breakfast with a keynote speaker and a live auction at the Preserve. To participate, contact Swaner to RSVP. Of course, traditional giving is welcome, too.

The close of shoulder season is rapidly approaching, but Swaner’s steadfast commitment to providing rich opportunities for us to grow and learn and sustain continues. We’re grateful for its contributions to and connections for our community.

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Park City Nonprofit Highlight: Park City Institute

Want us to highlight your nonprofit? Email Molly@theColonyWPC.com.

Park City Nonprofit Highlight: Recycle Utah

Recycle Utah provides community-based resources and solutions (photo courtesy: Recycle Utah).