Killington Teddy Arbo’s holiday drive raises $51K plus toys

Killington Resort’s team builds bikes to benefit local kids

The Killington community gathered at The Foundry on Dec. 3 for Teddy Arbo’s 36th annual Holiday Toy Party. What started as a small dinner party in 1986 has grown into a community-wide event designed to put presents under the trees of needy Vermont families.

“I’m just a guy who wanted to do something for the community and it grew into something much bigger,” said event founder Teddy Arbo. “There are events all season long, but I’m proud of the fact that from a standpoint of fundraising and giving, this is the biggest event Killington has all year. It comes from the heart and just continues the legacy every year. It’s a wonderful community we have here and given a reason to participate year in and year out, they do.”

This year, the party raised $51,000 through the sale of items donated by local Killington businesses, as well as monetary donations from people and companies in Rutland and beyond. That number doesn’t count hundreds of new toys that are donated by friends from Florida to California.

Arbo said Killington Resort is the biggest donor to his toy drive each year, and he works directly with the resort to come up with something unique to do each year.

For 2022, the resort leadership team and management staff worked together to assemble a fleet of 33 children’s bicycles.

Along with the toys collected at the party, the bikes will be hand-delivered to four local organizations this week including The NewStory Center, Open Door Mission, Killington Elementary School and Rutland Country Parent Child Center. The money raised is divvied out to local charities serving adults and children in need.