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Colorado Mountain Express Donates 15-Passenger Van to The Cycle Effect
  • Local young women benefit from Vail Resorts’ philanthropic program, EpicPromise 
EDWARDS, Colo. – Aug. 19, 2015 – As part of Vail Resorts’ EpicPromise program, Colorado Mountain Express (CME) has partnered with The Cycle Effect by donating a 15-passenger Ford E350 van to the organization.
 
The Cycle Effect is a relatively new non-profit organization that supports a key EpicPromise criterion – youth development – by helping young girls to develop confidence and life skills through the sport of mountain biking. With its rapid growth in Eagle County and expansion into Summit County, the Cycle Effect’s need for transportation was made clear in the Company’s grant process. Through Vail Resorts’ philanthropic giving council, a vehicle donation was seen as the most beneficial way to foster The Cycle Effect’s plans for more growth and delivering bikes to young women.
 
“Through the Vail Resorts Epic Promise program, CME can donate transportation services and vehicles to nonprofit organizations in need,” said Robert Tschupp, vice president and general manager of Colorado Mountain Express. “Our dedication to helping youth and environmental programs in the regions in which we operate is important to us, and their work is crucial to build stronger communities.” As CME upgrades its fleet each year, it makes sense to find ways to give back to the community and help nonprofits as much, if not more, than a cash donation.
 
The Cycle Effect was started in 2010 by Brett Donelson whose goal was to create an opportunity for committed and driven middle- and high-school-age young women who Donelson believes should be able to participate in a sport that he and many of his friends and colleagues in the mountains are so passionate about, regardless of their background or financial status. The Cycle Effect has since provided top-of-the-line mountain bikes and equipment and professional training in Eagle and Summit counties. Through the program, participants have improved their self-esteem and fitness levels and competed in race events throughout Colorado. Through it all, life-long skills of teamwork, stress-management and healthy competition are also found.
 
“One of the reasons for the growth of The Cycle Effect is that reliable transportation to races and training is a hurdle for many of the girls,” said Brett Donelson, executive director of The Cycle Effect. “In order to get these young ladies where they need to be and to allow them to fully participate in The Cycle Effect, we need vehicles. CME's van has proven to be safe, reliable and in excellent condition. We simply could not run our program without vehicles like these.”
 
This is the fourth consecutive year that CME and Vail Resorts have donated a van to a deserving nonprofit organization in Summit or Eagle County. Vans have previously been donated to the Keystone Science School, Friends of Dillon Ranger District and SOS Outreach.
 
Additionally, EpicPromise supports The Cycle Effect through its annual grant program. EpicPromise is Vail Resorts’ sustainability brand, which includes all of the Company’s environmental and community giving efforts. Through the brand, Vail Resorts contributes more than $7.8 million each year in cash and in-kind donations to critical non-profits that carry out youth and environmental programs in the communities where the Company operates.
 
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About Colorado Mountain Express
Colorado Mountain Express provides reliable shuttles and charter van services from Denver International and Eagle County Airports to most Colorado mountain locations including Breckenridge, Keystone, Copper Mountain, Vail, Beaver Creek, Aspen, Snowmass Village and Downtown Denver. CME’s fleet of 275 vehicles includes 10 passenger vans, 5 passenger four-wheel drive luxury SUVs, and 12 passenger Mercedes Benz Sprinter vans. Free Wi-Fi is available onboard all vehicles. www.coloradomountainexpress.com
 
About The Cycle Effect
The Cycle Effect is a 501(c)3 public charity whose mission is to enhance the lives of young women through mountain biking and to empower them through mentoring and education. The organization serves Eagle and Summit counties. www.thecycleeffect.org

About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading global mountain resort operator. The Company’s subsidiaries operate nine world-class mountain resorts and two urban ski areas, including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Perisher, Australia; Afton Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan. The Company owns and/or manages a collection of casually elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning and development subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com.
 
Contact(s)

Liz Biebl

Director, Brand Communications
Email: ebiebl@vailresorts.com
Phone: (303) 404-1831

Lesli Carlson

Email: lcarlson@vailresorts.com
Phone: 303-404-6472
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