Durango Nordic Youth Programs

The 4Corners Riversports Red Hot Relay is our annual fundraiser for our youth team and youth programs. It is taking place on Saturday, January 25, 2025. This year's proceeds will be earmarked for our van needs, described below, as well as support for our coaches in their professional goals (through pursuing trainings and other opportunities) as well as paying a competitive wage.

In spring of 2024, Durango Nordic purchased an AWD Ford Transit van to provide transportation for our youth programs to and from the Durango Nordic Center for practice as well as to races regionally. Transportation has been identified as a barrier to participation in our after-school programs as the Nordic Center is a 30+ minute drive away from town. This season, our van has been full on Tuesdays and Thursdays when all of our youth programs are practicing. So far, we have been able to accommodate all of the athletes who need transportation to get to practice! However, we are still working on fundraising to cover our monthly loan payments, which are approximately $800, in addition to the costs of driving the van (gas, wear-and-tear, etc.). We also installed two rear-mounted ski boxes, made for us by Avatar Metalworks in Sandy, Utah, to carry skis and other gear on the exterior of the van. This approach frees up valuable seats inside the van to accommodate more kids, and improves safety as the van is too tall to install roof-mounted ski boxes. We are seeking donations to help us cover the cost of our two gear boxes this year as well.