Youth Enrichment Services (YES) held their first ever Virtual Black Diamond Gala on Monday, October 5. On the night of the event, more than $75,000 was raised to support YES’s youth programs bringing the event’s total revenue to over $500,000! Funds will support YES’s outdoor sports and leadership programs: Operation SnowSports, Outdoor Adventure, Leadership Corps, and College Preparation programs.
Colleen & Kris Courtney and Genny & Geoff Soper were co-chairs of the event for the evening. Highlights of the YES Gala included YES teen leader alumni, Ginika, talk about the positive impact that YES has had in her life. She shared, “Who knew that building up my skills to be a better snowboarder would also teach me to be a better leader? Growth is the biggest thing that I am walking away with since my participation in YES.”
Viewers also heard from YES Trustee, Brian Lash, who received the 2020 Achievement Award. “It’s an honor to be able to share my love of the outdoors, my love of skiing with the YES kids,” Brian reflected as he shared how he got involved with the organization and his passion for the YES mission.
We were also fortunate to have a number of athletes virtually participate in the event: Olympian Sophie Caldwell (Cross Country Skiing); Olympian Julia Ford (Alpine Skiing); World Cup Skier, AJ Ginnis; BAA Team Member, Dana Giordano (Track & Field); US Ski Team Member, Storm Klomhaus; Olympian Julia Krass (Freestyle Skiing); Gold Medal Olympian, Ted Ligety (Alpine Skiing); Olympian Tricia Mangan (Alpine Skiing); Gold Medal Paralympian, Tatyana McFadden (Track & Field); Race Director, Philanthropist, and Elite Athlete, Dave McGillivray (Track & Field); and Olympian Alice Merryweather (Alpine Skiing).
Top sponsors of the Virtual Black Diamond Gala included Adage Capital Management, Yawkey Foundation, The Martin Richard Foundation, Brian Lash & Family, Phill & Liz Gross, Skip McKee & Meg Reynolds, Carolyn & Jason Soules, David & Mia Fitzgerald, Biria & Elaina St. John, The Abrams Management Company, Citi, Claremont Corporations, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Devonshire Recruiting and Consulting Partners, The Strachan Group from Morgan Stanley, Peabody Office, RBC, Repligen, The Carney Family Foundation, Geoff & Genny Soper, Mark & Wendi McKenna, and Bob & Laura Reynolds.