KILLINGTON—Killington Mountain School and the Killington Ski Club jointly hosted a Ruby Gala to celebrate Academy and Development athletes and to recognize the 40th anniversary of Killington Mountain School. Guests donned red dresses, red neckties, Nantucket red slacks, and red shoes in keeping with the evening’s ruby theme.
A wide variety of items were generously donated for the silent auction portion of the evening, and quite a few attendees put pen to paper for quiet bidding wars over hotly contested items.
The Winter Auction is often known for including an exciting game, which gets the crowd animated and involved in the fun, and this year was no different. The game of the night was Plinko, a fan-favorite from the long-running television game show, “The Price is Right.” KMS art students spent the last several weeks decorating Plinko game pieces, which were sold for $25 each. Those who purchased the discs took their turn dropping them through the pegs on the specially decorated KMS 40th Anniversary Plinko board, amassing points as the night went on. At the end of the silent auction, the Plinko points leader won the grand prize: a year of VIP parking at Killington Resort.
After remarks by Head of School Tao Smith and the president of the Killington Ski Club Chris Clarke, a retrospective video put together by KMS PG student-athlete Katie Guest, along with the help from student-athlete Dan Schwartz, was shown to the crowd. The video documented the school’s 40-year history, using photographs to highlight various campus locations, dormitory structures, faculty members, coaches, and of course, student-athletes. A short video from last weekend’s National Club Day celebration at the Killington Ski Club was also shown, reflecting the positive connection and ongoing collaboration between the Development and Academy programs.
Next was the live auction and dinner. Live music got most guests on their feet and dancing after dinner, bringing the night to a close with crucial scholarship funds. As a result of the generous donations, many young, deserving athletes will get the help they need to turn their dreams into reality.
