Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation Receives Visit Salt Lake Community Impact Award

The Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation was honored Tuesday with the Visit Salt Lake Community Impact Award during Visit Salt Lake’s third annual Sports Tourism Summit.

“Through their commitment to youth development and celebrating the spirit of the Olympic Games, the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation has a profound impact on our community,” said Kaitlin Eskelson, president and chief executive officer of Visit Salt Lake. “By breaking down barriers to participation, they empower young people across Utah to access opportunities for growth, health, and achievement. We are proud to honor their impact, which aligns so closely with our mission to support a vibrant and inclusive visitor economy.”

The foundation launched the Healthy Communities Initiative in 2018. The program provides a free, five-week Learn to Skate program to over 750 fourth- and fifth-grade students and includes transportation, instruction and equipment. The initiative has since expanded to provide free lessons, summer camp scholarship opportunities and other ways for low-income, special needs, and youth from diverse communities to participate.

UOLF funded over $276,000 in subsidized sporting opportunities through Healthy Communities and provided another $177,000 in scholarships between 2018 and 2022. Healthy Communities and UOLF scholarships have benefitted over 3,200 kids.

“It is an honor to receive the Visit Salt Lake Community Impact award,” said Colin Hilton, Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation chief executive officer. “This recognition further validates our daily mission to cultivate champions in sport and in life regardless of challenge or circumstance.”

The Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation includes Utah Olympic Park, Utah Olympic Oval and Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, all of which were venues during the 2002 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and are proposed venues for the 2034 Games — features youth winter sport programs in skating, skiing, sliding sports and more across Utah.