Boot Pro Dontaes to ESBR and Ascutney Outdoors

Originally Published 4/19/22

LUDLOW, Vt. – Alex and Shon Racicot, owners of Ludlow’s Boot Pro, recently initiated raffling off a pair of Atomic Skis. Proceeds were to benefit Ascutney Outdoors and The Expeditionary School at Black River, and a generous sum of $6,010 was raised. This money will now help sustain each of these program’s commitment to connecting people with their land. At its core, though, what distinguishes Boot Pro’s donation from other charitable moments, is its spirit of strengthening community by expanding local-area networks.

In the midst of the pandemic, ESBR opened its doors on Sept. 8, 2020. In 2015, Ascutney Outdoors was formed to take responsibility for the management, oversight, and development of recreational educational and community activities and conservation of land at Mount Ascutney. Both organizations are a community-driven approach to ensuring the natural environment is maintained and sustainable.

From its inception, ESBR’s Board of Trustees have set out to establish a school that would be situated in the heart of their community. To accomplish this vision, the school’s strategic plan continues to be framed by these educational pillars: environmental stewardship, outdoor adventure, community engagement, and civic responsibility. ESBR looks forward to exploring AO’s network of trails and using it as one of their outdoor “classrooms.” Like AO, ESBR has relied on pro bono support to get started. The Racicot’s introduction as the leaders of these organizations is just the beginning to ensuring that the younger generation of outdoor enthusiasts learns how to preserve and regenerate the environment here in southern Vermont and beyond.