To make a long story short, the Catamountain Classic is a UVM-wide weekend where we come together as a community to complete a hiking goal. Last year, we achieved our 4-year long goal of hiking all 273 miles of the Long Trail, and this year we hope to hike 125,000 vertical ft. We hope that by doing this, we can raise money for the Avi Kurganoff Scholarship fund while getting as many UVMers outside as possible, in his spirit.
Not only is the Catamountain Classic a great way to get both local students and UVM students outside and experiencing the Green Mountains (sometimes for the first time!) but it's also a fantastic way for clubs and student groups to recruit, get together, and build camaraderie while on the trail. Our goal is to instill an appreciation for the natural world around us into every hiker, to provide all participants with a sense of accomplishment and stewardship for the wider Burlington Community. All of the raised funds will go towards sending a DREAM student on an Outward Bound trip through the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School.
Avi Kurganoff was a UVM Outing Club Leader who passed away on March 12, 2012. He was passionate about the outdoors and was on his way to becoming a social worker, set on helping young people who needed it most. In many ways, Avi discovered a lot about himself and society while playing and working in the outdoors. At UVM, he shared these passions with classmates and local school kids through a variety of programs.
Avi’s parents reside in Evanston, IL and took part in the 1st Annual Catamountain Classic in 2013, hiking with a group of students in DREAM. They care very much about the UVM community and while time and distance separate the Kurganoffs from Avi’s years at UVM, they appreciate how Avi’s visions for a better community manifested into the Catamountain Classic.
Whether you knew him or not, we hope that you participate in the Catamountain Classic and support the Avi Kurganoff Scholarship Fund so we can continue to positively affect the Burlington community, in honor of Avi.
To register, come to OC tabling sessions in the Davis center during the week!Want to know more about DREAM or the Hurricane Island Outward Bound school? Check out these links: