To raise money for the newly created La Plata County Teacher Appreciation Fund, Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort is hosting Teacher Appreciation Day on Monday.
Up to $20 of every lift ticket sold Monday, which is Presidents Day, will go to the fund. The lift tickets will be discounted at the ticket window, with no coupon required.
Prices: $65 for adults, ages 18-64; $50 for teens, 13-17; $40 for kids, 6-12; $55 seniors, 65-79; and $35 super seniors, 80-and-older.
The Teacher Appreciation Fund was created by a partnership among Office Depot, SOS Outreach and Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort, the resort said in a news release. Money raised will fund Office Depot gift certificates for qualified teachers in La Plata County, including Durango, Bayfield and Ignacio schools and charter schools. Teachers will use the cards to purchase supplies for their classrooms and students.
The fund has been set up to be an ongoing program, with the goal to grow it over time.
“Purgatory is proud to honor our local teachers and school staff,” Gary Derck, chief executive officer of the resort, said in the news release. “While our company has hosted other fundraisers in the past, this is a new program that we believe will really make a difference in the classroom, plus it’s a great way for everyone to get involved and help our teachers and students.”
La Plata County staff members, teachers and administrators can get tickets plus a complimentary lunch voucher Monday for $25.
Also Monday, $5 of each ticket for the tubing hill will go to the teacher fund. The tubing hill will be open special hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for $10 an hour per tube.
La Plata County teachers will be honored and recognized at a 4 p.m. Après Ski event at Hoody’s at Durango Mountain Resort.
Customers at Durango’s Office Depot can opt into a program to have 5 percent of their qualifying purchase donated to the school of their choice in La Plata County. Office Depot offers La Plata County teachers credits equal to 5 percent of the qualifying purchase in the form of merchandise cards that can be used for classroom supplies. For more details on this program, visit www.officedepot.com/a/promo/backtoschool/5percent/.
For more details on Teacher Appreciation Day, visit www.SkiPurg.com/Teacher.
A “Stuff the Bus” effort in the plaza also is part of Monday’s activities. The public is asked to bring school supplies and help Stuff the Bus for La Plata County Schools. A list of needed supplies is available online at www.skipurg.com/teacher.
johnp@durangoherald.
