In continuing a legacy of support for kids in sport, the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation is hosting the annual Anti-Gala on Aug. 7, an event which serves as a community fundraiser for the foundation’s Healthy Communities program and youth scholarships.
Healthy Communities began in 2018 with the Healthy Kearns initiative, a pilot effort to introduce children from underrepresented backgrounds to winter sports at the Utah Olympic Oval. Partnering with the Granite School District, the foundation launched a free Learn-to-Skate program for local fifth- and sixth-grade students — many of whom had never set foot on the ice before.
“The first year, we had 750 kids,” said Lisa Bennion Rasmussen, chief revenue officer of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation. “And through the generosity of amazing donors and supporters, we raised the funds to kick off this whole program.”
The program’s success quickly sparked expansion, growing Healthy Kearns into Healthy Communities, a broader initiative that now includes programs at the Utah Olympic Park and Soldier Hollow Nordic Center. Each venue offers sport access tailored to its location, whether that’s Nordic skiing, biathlon, skating, or sliding sports, all provided free of charge to participating youth.
“If you look at the demographic and the makeup of Kearns, it has the state’s most alarming health statistics. So we started that first year to really provide underrepresented youth with opportunities to participate in our youth sport programs,” said Rasmussen.
Since launching in 2018, the foundation has provided fully subsidized access to sport for more than 3,300 kids, either through Healthy Communities or individual scholarships. These programs are designed to combat barriers like cost, transportation and underrepresentation — challenges that often prevent kids from trying new sports.
“Our Healthy Communities program is fully subsidized, all due to our incredible donors and supporters along the way. But we’d love to continue to see that growing. We’re at 3,300 right now, and I’d love to double that over the next five years,” said Rasmussen.
Now in its ninth year, the Anti-Gala has become the foundation’s largest fundraising event, with proceeds directly supporting the Healthy Communities program and other scholarship initiatives.
“I’ve been fortunate enough that I’ve been a part of every single one that we’ve held, and just seeing the growth and the support over the course of years has been amazing,” said Rasmussen.
The Anti-Gala plays a pivotal role in reaching Rasmussen’s vision of doubling the program’s impact over the next five years. Individual tickets are available for purchase at $250 per person, though sponsorships and fire pit tickets have fully sold out.
Held at the Olympic Park’s Nordic flats, fire pits, live music and park activities will be available to guests all evening. For the first time, the event will also host a drone show and a miniature golf course. This year’s event will feature a paddle raise auction, with all donations matched up to $25,000 by the Grace Foundation. The foundation will also start a silent auction before the fundraising event on Aug. 1, with offerings like private curling or bobsled sessions with former Olympians, and private dining experiences with Culinary Crafts and Top Shelf.
Emcees of the event are former local Olympians Shannon Barhke and Chris Mazdzer, with a host of other Olympic and Paralympic athletes and scholarship recipients in attendance.
“I’m really hoping we can get over $200,000 raised for this event. It’s a lofty goal, but I’m confident we can get there,” said Rasmussen. “We would love folks to come out and support this initiative. Our goal is we don’t ever want to turn a child away from participating in our youth sport programs.”
To purchase tickets or browse auction items, visit utaholympiclegacy.org/event/anti-gala.