BY KAREN BOSSICK

It’s big and it’s blue.

And the new Ski-and-Ride Bus is primed to be a game changer for kids and parents as it ferries youngsters from the south valley to Bald Mountain for ski practice.

The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation will celebrate the launch of its new Ski-and-Ride Bus from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday Dec. 22.

Picabo Street will be closed for a street party in collaboration with Apple’s Bar and Grill.

There’ll be a ribbon cutting ceremony and hot beverages on the bus.

And then Apple’s will screen the premiere of Teton Gravity Research’s ski movie “Far Out.” There’ll be raffle prizes and food and drinks at the screening. Tickets are $10 at the door with the proceeds benefiting SVSEF.

The new bus was sponsored by Katherine Rixon and Rob Cronin of Keller Williams Sun Valley. It fills the gap in transportation that developed after the Blaine County School District announced it would no longer provide transportation to the ski hill.

The new bus ensures all students can participate, regardless of school location or economic status, as it transports students from Alturas, Sage, Wood River middle and Hemingway schools to the SVSEF Engl Training Center at Warm Springs and to the Rotarun Ski Area in Hailey.

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