U.S. Figure Skating Announces Recipients of 2019–20U.S. Figure Skating Community Development Grants
A five-member selection committee reviewed 19 applications and awarded grants to those clubs and programs that were most effectively able to demonstrate how they would use the award to develop their initiatives. The recipients of the grants are Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arena (Washington, D.C.); Alpine Skating Club (Littleton, Colorado); Apex Center IceArena (Arvada, Colorado); Cedar Rapids Ice Arena (Cedar Rapids, Iowa); The Next Ice Age (Baltimore, Maryland); and All Year FSC
(Hawthorne, California).
The grants will be used in the following ways:
• Friends of Fort Dupont Ice Arenawill continue to expand its KOI (Kids On Ice) Learn to Skate USA program. The program provides free and/or subsidized skating lessons to local children from disadvantaged neighborhoods seven days a week and
includes School Skate for Fitness and Kids On Ice P.L.U.S. (Positive Living Using Skating).
• Alpine Skating Club will expand its mobile Learn to Skate USA program, “Apex On Ice,” in a partnership with Apex Center Ice Arena. Using plastic ice, the club will travel to schools and community events to introduce skating to new audiences away from the ice rink.
• Apex Center Ice Arena, with Alpine Skating Club, is bringing “Apex On Ice,” its mobile Learn to Skate USA program to the community.The partnership plans to bring ice skating lessons to young students in the Denver area using portable plastic ice.
• Cedar Rapids Ice Arenawill expand its Learn to Skate USA program by introducing a therapeutic skating curriculum. The rink will provide equipment, trained instructors and dedicated ice time to skaters with disabilities from the local community.
• The Next Ice Age is partnering with Baltimore City Recreation & Parks to revitalize Mt. Pleasant Ice Arena’s Learn to Skate USA program and introducing B’MORE SKATING, which will serve local city youth with an after-school ice skating program.
• All Year FSC will expand its synchronized skating program to offer beginner skaters the chance to try out synchronized skating at the Iceoplex. The program will offer two free four-week introductory synchronized skating class sessions to beginner skaters.
The Community Development Grants, started by the Robert V. Hauff and John F. Dreeland Foundation, were established in 2010 with the purpose of providing funding to eligible member clubs and Learn to Skate USA programs throughout the United States. Formerly known as the Hauff and Dreeland Community Development Grant, the U.S. Figure Skating Community Development Grants were awarded to the applicants who successfully demonstrated program plans that embody the principles of U.S. Figure Skating’s mission and that will be strong role models in promoting the sport of figure skating throughout their communities.
