WOW ! What a concept, maybe Sugarloaf will get a clue?

[D. B. Cooper]

Rangeley, Maine (November 30, 2021) – Saddleback Mountain is very excited to announce a lead gift of $1.5 million to support the development of critically needed workforce housing for the greater Rangeley region. The donation is being made by Susan and Fritz Onion in collaboration with Venn Foundation.



Donors Susan and Fritz Onion explained, “Having grown up skiing and hiking in the area, we know Rangeley is a resilient community and one of the most beautiful areas in Maine. However, we also know that economic development is constrained because workforce housing is in very short supply. To attract and retain workers – to grow the economy – we wanted to do something to help increase the amount of affordable housing available.”



Saddleback was purchased by Arctaris Impact Fund in 2020. “Arctaris’ interest in Saddleback was in re-establishing its role as the largest employer in the region,” said Andy Shepard, Saddleback General Manager. “Our efforts to work with the community to help solve for challenges like affordable housing for employees, access to childcare and being able to provide seasonal workers with year-round benefits are all a part of the mission that goes along with being owned by an Impact Fund. To have partners like Susan and Fritz, who have been providing thought leadership to Maine for years, bring their leadership to this effort will be transformative.”



The $1.5 million major gift launches a campaign to raise a total of $2.5 million from the community to build housing for seasonal workers in Rangeley and to be located at Saddleback Mountain. Construction on the $4.5 million, 100-bed accommodation could start as early as late spring 2022. The remaining $2 million in construction costs will come from other sources.



With both private and shared rooms, common kitchen areas, as well as ski-in/ski-out or bike-in/bike-out trailside living, the lodging is designed to attract and retain staff who might work on Saddleback Mountain during the winter and at local restaurants, retail shops and other local businesses during the summer. The goal is to make Rangeley, Maine, with its stunning natural scenery, rugged mountain, world renowned waterways, plentiful jobs, and down-to-earth, hard-working people a national destination for those who want to live and work in this remarkable community.


Chris Massi, Saddleback’s Director of Development, added, “Fritz and Susan are making a huge difference in the region, and with their gift, we’re now more than 60% of the way toward our $2.5 million goal. Workforce housing helps every business in town, but it does so much more. As we raise the next $1 million with Venn Foundation, it brings us closer to meeting the needs of the people of Rangeley and the long-term future of the region.”


“Charitable impact can be achieved by many different types of organizations, and that includes investors like Arctaris Impact Fund and businesses like Saddleback Mountain,” said Jeff Ochs, CEO of Venn Foundation, “We are proud to be investing in Saddleback Mountain to create more affordable workforce housing in Rangeley, and we invite all other interested philanthropists to join Susan and Fritz Onion in advancing this work as well.”

[cveccentric]

Wonderful work! Interesting background article on the Onions

https://www.mainecf.org/2020/07/learning-while-giving-fritz-and-susan-onion/#:~:text=Fritz%20and%20Susan%20Onion%20met%20on%20the%20marching,in%20the%20brass%20section%20playing%20trumpet%20and%20mellophone.

[Andrew B.]

How does this work.
Do the residents pay rent, if so to who?

[skiloaf]

Big sky has a ton of employee housing. Good for saddleback for getting this together though unfortunate philanthropy has to step in to make it happen. In the current job market this will put pressure on sugarloaf to figure get their shit together.

[b632]

Don’t expect that sort of donation at SL. Saddleback is a non profit and the Onions generous gift is aided by the tax benefits

[k2trav]

Don’t expect that sort of donation at SL. Saddleback is a non profit and the Onions generous gift is aided by the tax benefits

Why? Look at how much has been raised for CVA, Special olympics, winter kids, Comp Center, ect. it can be done, if you don't believe could there be some NIMBY involved?

[b632]

Don’t expect that sort of donation at SL. Saddleback is a non profit and the Onions generous gift is aided by the tax benefits

Why? Look at how much has been raised for CVA, Special olympics, winter kids, Comp Center, ect. it can be done, if you don't believe could there be some NIMBY involved?

CVA,Special Olympics, Winter Kids,are all non-profits. Boyne is a for profit entity and a “donation” to Boyne is not tax deductible. Please don’t get me wrong i think it is needed. I often think the town government could help more with TIF dollars or bonding for some of this type of infrastructure. Housing is a town issue and some incentives could help. I am probably in the minority by thinking it is not ALL up to Boyne to solve this problem of affordable housing.. it needs to be a public/private venture

[High Ball]

Don’t expect that sort of donation at SL. Saddleback is a non profit and the Onions generous gift is aided by the tax benefits

I’d be shocked if Saddleback were organized as a non-profit organization that accepts tax deductible donations. This would be a pretty significant organizational feature that normally would be prominently featured on their website. I saw a lot of discussion about commitment to community development, but nothing on being organized to accept donations, although it funny that they specifically mention that their ski patrol is organized as a 501C3. Maybe they structured somehow through the Venn Foundation to create a tax benefit or maybe these folks don’t care about tax benefits.

[b632]

From the Venn website:
Using specialized donor-advised funds called "Venn Accounts" (TM), any individual or entity can recommend that Venn make PRIs with their charitable donations. Venn can syndicate any one PRI among any number of Venn Accounts. Any financial returns from these PRIs go back to participating Venn Accounts for the donors to recommend redeployment into new PRIs or as grants to nonprofits.


I assume they are funneling this donation for a worthy purpose.

[High Ball]

From the Venn website:
Using specialized donor-advised funds called "Venn Accounts" (TM), any individual or entity can recommend that Venn make PRIs with their charitable donations. Venn can syndicate any one PRI among any number of Venn Accounts. Any financial returns from these PRIs go back to participating Venn Accounts for the donors to recommend redeployment into new PRIs or as grants to nonprofits.


I assume they are funneling this donation for a worthy purpose.

Knew it had to be something like this. Thanks for the clarification!!