On Sunday, March 5, skiers and riders took to Jay Peak Resort for their annual Hope on the Slopes (HOTS) event that raises money for the American Cancer Society (ACS) and promotes cancer awareness.

 
Jay is one of the only resorts on the East Coast to host the event. To participate, each person paid a registration fee and then worked to collect and raise as much money as they could to benefit the ACS.

 
The event takes place each year at ski resorts across the country during the winter months and parallels other ACS events like the Relay for Life.

 
At this point, roughly $52,000 has been raised through the 168 participants who signed up for the HOTS event at Jay this year, and anyone who is still looking to donate has until August 2017 to do so.

 
All of the raised money will be used by the ACS to help people take steps to reduce their risk of cancer or find it early when it is most treatable; to invest in research to find, prevent, treat and cure the disease; and to provide free information and services to help people facing cancer.

 
Along with participant registration fees and fundraising, HOTS also raises money through a silent auction, selling HOTS apparel, and through the sale of rubber ducks for the rubber duck race that is held in the Jay Peak waterpark on the day of the event.

 
Finding a cure is important for many of the people who participated in the event like Olivia Miller, who says the whole event is a positive, joyous occasion for her.

 
“This event has always been really important to me because I’ve known so many people in this community who have battled this disease,” said Miller. “Not only does the event raise thousands of dollars every year for the ACS, it also gives us a chance to come together and remember, honor and celebrate the lives of those we’ve lost and to show support for survivors and those who are currently fighting cancer.”

 
Like Miller, participant Mimi Magyar says that cancer is something that has always affected her life. “It has affected immediate family members and extended family members,” says Magyar. “Until I lost my husband Bill two years ago, I am sad to say that I had almost gotten used to accepting the loss that cancer causes.”

 
Magyar said that snowboarding was something she and her husband enjoyed doing as a break from the everyday stresses of their jobs.

 
“When Bill was diagnosed we went snowboarding two days later, as he was not sure whether he would have the opportunity to do so again,” said Magyar. “HOTS provide me with a chance to fight the idea that we must accept the loss that cancer causes and helps me feel close to Bill and somehow bring meaning to his passing.”

 
One of the overall aims for the event is for it to grow. There is always an aspect of friendly competition involved.

 
Participants will create and join teams and ski or ride as long as they can throughout the day in honor of individuals that they know who are being affected or have been affected by cancer.

 
With this, there is a vertical challenge. Each participant is given a Flaik GPS tracker to keep tally of the amount of vertical feet they ski or snowboard throughout the day.

 
Following the long cold day of skiing and riding, awards are presented to the highest fundraising individuals and teams, along with the highest amount of vertical feet tallied for individuals and teams.
With all the smiles throughout the day and a group of dedicated fundraisers, skiers and riders, this year’s Jay Peak HOTS event can definitely be looked at as another success.

 
For more information on how you can donate to Jay Peaks HOTS event and the ASC, you can visit community.acsevents.org/jaypeak.