Ski resorts reach out to Katrina victims

Ski resorts reach out to Katrina victims{mosimage}Ski resorts across America are making plans to offer employment and housing to the displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina.

On Sept. 8, Vail Resorts Vice President of Human Resources Rick Smith e-mailed staff informing them of the corporation’s intentions to employ hurricane victims. To help identify qualified personnel, Smith contacted officials at Harrah’s Entertainment, which owns Harrah’s New Orleans, Grand Casino Biloxi and Grand Casino Gulfport – all closed indefinitely – and expressed VR’s willingness to help. Harrah’s has 4,000 displaced employees.

Smith also contacted officials at Lowry Air Force Base, a defunct military base east of Denver where victims are being temporarily housed. Smith said VR hopes to screen and interview evacuees for employment opportunities at the company’s resorts. Up to 1,000 evacuees are expected at Lowry by the end of this week. Vail Resorts owns Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Breckenridge – all in Colorado – and Heavenly in California/Nevada.

The Vail Daily reports that Eagle County is also preparing housing and medical services and will explore job opportunities for Hurricane Katrina evacuees who may relocate to the mountains.

In the East, the Rutland Herald reports that Vermont Ski Areas Association is in the initial stages of offering jobs and housing for the upcoming ski season to hurricane victims along the Gulf Coast. Read the article here.

Meanwhile, Fischer Sports USA President Dave Auer has challenged the U.S. winter sports industry to help support victims of hurricane Katrina. Fischer is making a $1,000 donation to the American Red Cross, and Auer challenges others to match or exceed Fischer’s donation.
 
“It’s truly impossible to comprehend the level of destruction and loss that these people are enduring’ said Auer. ‘I hope the support will continue from across the country to help these victims of Katrina start to get back on their feet and eventually on with their lives again.’
 
Interested companies can make donations to the Red Cross at www.redcross.org or a search online will offer many additional organizations also supporting this cause.