BY KAREN BOSSICK

Rotarun, the Sawtooth Avalanche Center and the Sun Valley Museum of Art were the recent beneficiaries of 100 Men Who Care.

The grassroots organizations, which meets four times a year, gifted $15,700 at its January meeting:

$6,200 went to Rotarun to help support the learn-to-ski-and-ride program, along with general operating expenses.

Rotarun offers free learn to ski and ride programming to children ages 6-11 and middle-schoolers through the Rota-Rippers and Rota-Ravens programs, along with free public skiing on Wednesday nights from 6-9 p.m.

Lift tickets are $10-$15 on additional public skiing days including Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Children five and under always ski for free. Family “Tribe” season passes and “Freddy’s Pass Program” make skiing for the entire family accessible in a sport that often comes with a cost barrier for entry.

“We feel truly honored that our cause and our mission resonate with this incredibly impactful group,” said Scott McGrew, Rotarun’s volunteer Executive Director. “Since 1948, Rotarun has been the little mountain with a big heart for the kids and for the community, and while the landscape continually evolves, it is the collective effort of individuals like the 100 Men Who Care and others that help make the magic happen at Rotarun.”

$,3900 went to Sun Valley Museum of Art for its paid teen intern program, free teen art nights and low-cost teen workshops.

$5,700 went to Friends of the Sawtooth Avalanche Center to help cover the expenses of five avalanche forecasters for an area stretching from Fairfield to Stanley, provide avalanche safety classes and update technology for disseminating forecasting.

The next meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, at Ketchum’s Community Library. 100 Men, open to the general public, is comprised of men who pool $100 each, then vote where to disseminate those funds.

Volunteer Coach Jonna Mendes hangs with Rota-Rippers at Rotarun. COURTESY: Jonna Mendes