The snow guns are cranking overtime as Durango Mountain Resort readies for the 18th annual Benefit Day on Sat., Dec. 5. The Boys & Girls Club of La Plata County and Winter Sports Foundation will be this year’s recipients.

“We at Durango Mountain Resort are extremely proud of our 18-year-old tradition of giving back to our community,” said Gary Derck, CEO of DMR. “The Boys & Girls Club is instrumental in providing a safe, positive and fun environment for our local youth, and we are pleased to support their efforts.”

The Boys & Girls Club will use the funds raised on Benefit Day to buy a van to transport kids to and from the

club and other activities.

DMR Communications Director Beth Holland said the resort is pulling out the stops in hopes to have Chair 1, aka the Sixpack, open in time for Benefit Day. Recent cold temperatures have made for prime snowmaking conditions. “I went up last Friday on Opening Day and it was surprisingly good,” said Holland. “The reaction I got from most people was, ‘Wow. This is really fun.’”

Also this week, DMR announced upcoming Locals Days, which benefit KSUT public radio. Since the resort received so many applications for Benefit Day, it decided to add a charity to each of the Locals Days.

The schedule and list of beneficiaries is as follows:

• Sun., Dec. 20: Manna Soup Kitchen

• Sun., Jan. 10: To offset the medical expenses of longtime DMR employee, Barry “Carmine” Kemler, whose daughter, Caitlin, is undergoing medical treatment for a life-threatening illness

• Sun., Feb. 7: Music in the Mountains for music education in local schools

• Sun., March 7: La Plata County Search and Rescue

Local Day lift tickets can be bought with a coupon in the Durango Telegraph. Locals Day ticket prices are $39 for adults and $25 for kids, and a four-punch card for all four Locals Days is available for $99.

– Missy Votel