A Long Overdue Update
3-19-2026
2026 has begun in earnest and we’ve got an awful lot to be thankful for. I thought I’d write to share all of the neat things currently happening and some of what we’re dreaming about for the near future.
The year began, as it usually does, with ski trips. We’ve continued to support SASD’s high school ski program by transferring our Epic Promise grant to those students who apply for a scholarship. The fantastic snow conditions this year meant that we were able to get everyone out four times (three trips to Seven Springs and one trip to Hidden Valley). While we’d hoped for a few more trips, slick roads and a particularly aggressive cold-and-flu season kept us to four trips.
I was encouraged in two big ways by our ski season. Our kids were excited about skiing and boarding and really seemed to enjoy themselves. However, they seemed to be just as stoked to play cards in the lodge and just be together. I think that’s a great thing. One of our trips encountered some truly gnarly snow conditions (think: vertical skating rink). I thought the kids would be frustrated or discouraged, but found just the opposite to be true. It’s neat to see the power of connection. On that same theme, we had a very dedicated group of adult leaders who joined us for all ski trips this season. It was so cool to watch them engage students, help them work on their skiing and boarding skills, and get to know them better. Hearing kids talk about their future plans, struggles at home or challenges with grades, and just the stuff that makes being a teenager good and tough all at the same time with an adult who cares is profound. I really believe that students left these trips not only with all the benefits that come from being outside, but also the benefits that come from being part of a community and being reminded that there are people who care about them.
I suppose that’s one of the most powerful aspects of the work we’re undertaking with MVMNT. When you think back on your teen years, do you remember the adults who, as Mr. Rogers says, “loved you into being”? We use the outdoors as the excuse to gather, to be active, and to have an opportunity to talk with one another and work with one another. But I am becoming increasingly convinced that it’s the caring for one another that makes the lifelong impact. Of course, it’s great to help kids find new healthy activities to enjoy and learn to love this beautiful area we live in, but think of the power that comes in knowing you’re cared for and valued.
So, as we wrap up ski season, we enter the tedious shoulder season – a time when cold and muddy trails can often keep us at home. We’re doing our best to power through the temptation to remain inside and we are planning to get kids out climbing, biking, and hiking just as soon as we possibly can. We’re also making a few small-scale improvements to our office space by installing a climbing training area where we can teach students to belay, tie knots, and rig anchors. Alongside this little area we’ve set up a hangboard where students can train and build their forearm muscles in preparation for the big climb outside.
This winter and spring we’ve also been so fortunate to receive funding from a number of generous donors. First, we’re so grateful to the individual folks who support us each year and those who give monthly. We’re also grateful to the Wheeler Charitable Foundation, the 1889 Foundation, North Star Youth Outreach, and Berkebile Oil Company. Each of these organizations has given a generous gift this year and that giving is paving the way for us to continue to serve students, train leaders, host service opportunities, and empower our Summer Lunch program. This giving will also allow us to update several of our well-loved mountain bikes for more modern and reliable models. We’re excited to be able to make sure kids have a great first mountain-biking experience on a high-quality set of wheels.
That giving also makes a powerful difference in our planning and dreaming. It is such an encouragement to be supported by community partners. We’ve become better at making do with less than we’d like or less than we’d hoped for. That’s a valuable skill and has helped us be sure that we’re wise stewards of our resources. As we continue to work towards reaching our full budget amount for 2026 we’re excited about what we get to say “yes” to and the dreams we can bring to fruition.
I’m excited to write you another update soon. This time of year is full of new life, new opportunity, and fresh stoke. We look forward to bike rides that end with an ice cream cone, rock climbs that turn onlookers into cheerleaders, service projects where we learn to I.D. poison ivy the hard way, family dinners where we discover the simple joys of a grilled-cheese sandwich, the laughter and ruckus that spills out of the MVMNT office into the alley, and van rides on twisty roads to places we’ve never been before.
I’m fortunate to have a number of folks in my life who “loved me into being.” I hope that our MVMNT kids will, too. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to serve in this way. We’re so grateful.
-Spencer