Vermont Snowboarder Hannah Teter To Shred For Charity

Hannah TeterPublished in The Message For The Week, january 21, 2008
Local snowboarding legend Hannah Teter, a Belmont–native and Olympic gold medal champion in the half pipe, recently announced that she will donate all her snowboard earnings from the upcoming season to her charity, Hannah's Gold, and the organization World Vision.
The former Black River High School and Okemo Mountain School graduate, has competed in such national and world events (and won a few) as the Winter X Games, Grand Prix, U. S. Open, Worlds, Winter Gravity Games and of course, the 2006 Winter Olympics in which she won her gold medal.
Through the world charity organization World Vision, sales from Hannah's Gold helps provide funds to sponsor Kirindon, a town of 56,000 people in Kenya. The idea to donate her earnings came while Hannah was rehabilitating from a serious knee injury after the Winter Olympic Games in 06’.
“I decided to donate my contest earnings to charity after spending two years battling with a recovery from an injury and three surgeries that kept me off snow”, Teter stated in a recent, exclusive interview with The Message. “I felt that because I was so Teter with Kenyan childrenblessed to heal up and be able to return to competing on a professional level again, there needed to be a higher purpose involved with my work.”
That is pretty heady stuff for a young snowboarder generally perceived by the masses as the “mellow, hippy girl from rural Vermont, who makes maple syrup.” Although the perception may not be completely untruthful, there is so much more to this 21–year–old athlete than just shredding the half pipe and cranking up an iPod, exhibiting a compassion and wisdom far beyond her years.
Over the summer, Teter and her family, the self–proclaimed “Team Teter”, made their first trip to Africa to get a first hand look at where the funds will be helping, certainly an eye–opening experience to say the least. The family toured various schools and shelters to learn of the many improvements being made.
Teter’s goal for 2009 is to raise $100,000 for Kirindon through the sales of Teter’s Gold, combined with any snowboard earnings she may earn. Hannah plans to compete in at least 10 major events this season, with some of the prize money in the $10,000 to $20,000–range, meaning the money earned go could hopefully go well beyond the project goal.
Dancing Teters“Team Teter” is also looking into marketing their own Specialized Goodness wrist bands and shirts, made from healthy, organic products. So how does it feel to to be in a position to be able to help third world countries and people less fortunate than us?
“It is the best feeling in the world,” Teter exclaimed. “ I used to think material things could make me happy, but that's the biggest B.S. that exists here in America, and all over the place.
“I always knew that helping people less fortunate then me was a good idea, but I never knew it would transform my way of thinking about things. Especially things that matter... and also things that don't. For me, being raised in America, to go over there and see what other people live through is very grounding,” Teter added. “It makes you so appreciative of what we have and what I have.”
Teter remains grounded indeed, right down to the photos she keeps in her jacket pocket to help remind her of what is really important to her. “I've learned that all the problems we face as a human race are connected, in one way or another, and I've also learned that they all have solutions, because there are very intelligent people out there who devote their lives to coming up with the positive answers.
Teter wrap“I have immersed myself in being in tune with the things that can change our planet for the better, and not only for the better of us, but for the better of all. If the US. converted all the money we spent last year on weight loss supplements, we could end world hunger. Or if we took just a “tiny” fraction of our war money, world hunger and many other problems, could be ended permanently.” Yes folks, these are very heady thoughts indeed.
To learn more about Hannah, the endeavors of “Team Teter” and how you can help, visit www.hannahsgold.com or www.go211.com/u/hannahteter. You can also buy Teter’s products at The Green Mountain Sugar House, or any of the Dark Side Snowboard Shops.