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July 15, 2002Nonprofit kicks off Holiday campaign- Group hopes to raise money for at-risk youths, disadvantaged, handicapped programsBy BILL ECHLINRecord-Eagle staff writer ACME - The community group formed late last year to buy and re-open the Mt. Holiday Ski Area near Acme will kick off the public phase of its fund-raising campaign today with a noon press conference at the ski area. The nonprofit Mt. Holiday Inc. has an option to buy the 45-acre ski hill and lodge by Sept. 15. The group aims to raise $1.5 million to close the deal and begin renovations and other work so the hill can be ready for the coming ski season. A quiet, private campaign raised part of the needed funds. The campaign will now move to an appeal to the general public, said Mt. Holiday executive director Jeff Morrison. "It's very important that we get community support to make this successful," said Morrison, who directed skiing at the hill for 12 years, last week. "On Monday we'll talk about the capital campaign, where we are, and what we'll need to complete the work and get things running." Beyond capital funds, the group hopes to raise money to support programs for at-risk youths, the disadvantaged and handicapped people. For many years the hill, on the south side of Holiday Road east of Five Mile Road, hosted the winter Special Olympics and kids from Boysville as well as Scouting events. The group hopes to resume all that. Sue Brosch, owner of the property, said an appraisal process resulted in a mutually agreed-upon price of $700,000, based on its potential for non-ski redevelopment. She said she is very pleased that Mt. Holiday Inc. will be the buyer. She said a closing had been scheduled for last Mondaybut was delayed at the request of the buyers. She had originally listed the property with a price of $2.5 million but was able to reduce the price to the community group by selling off 23 acres next to it, but not needed for the ski hill operation. That parcel will become a residential development, she said. "These are the perfect people to buy it," she said of the Mt. Holiday Inc. group, "because they want to continue to operate it as a ski hill for the community." The organization was formed with the aim of re-opening the hill after it did not open last winter. It was the first time it missed a ski season since 1983. Owner Susan Brosch said then the operation had become more than she and her family could handle. Brosch's late husband Warren Brosch first leased the ski hill and lodge in 1985 and then bought it later that year. He died in November 1999, crushed by a bulldozer as he and his son were moving earth around to prepare the hill for the ski season. He was a friend of many of the supporters of the community group, as well as an important figure in the area's ski industry. The Mt. Holiday Ski Area parcel includes the main ski hill, a lodge and a parking area. The lodge has a cafeteria, lounge and areas for rentals of ski, snow boards and other gear. The hill has two chair lifts, two rope tows and a tube run as well as a half-pipe for snow boarders. Tax-deductible donations can be made to the Mt. Holiday Capital Campaign account at the Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation, 250 E. Front St., Suite 310, Traverse City, MI 49684. The group's Web site is at www.mt-holiday.com. Bill Echlin is the reporter for business and tourism. He can be reached at (231) 933-1493, or at bechlin@record-eagle.com |
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