All proceeds after event expenses go to the Vermont Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports to promote physical fitness through development of services and programs, sponsoring activities, recognizing outstanding achievement, stimulating research, and initiating advertising campaigns.

The Vermont Governor's Council on Physical Fitness & Sports gives funds to community groups through a grant program called Exercise Is Medicine Community Wellness Grants. These grants are guided by the principles of Exercise is Medicine (EIM), a global health initiative led by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). EIM is committed to the belief that physical activity plays an integral role in the prevention, treatment and management of chronic diseases and should therefore be considered and promoted as a vital sign of health. EIM not only strives to integrate physical activity into healthcare but also seeks to link patients to community resources with the ultimate goal of implementing interventions that will slow, stop, and reverse the progression of chronic diseases.

For more information, please visit GCPFS website.

2022 Grant Recipients

The proceeds from this event continue to support the Vermont Senior Games.

2021 Grant Recipients

The proceeds from this event continue to support the Vermont Senior Games.

2020 Grant Recipients

The proceeds from this event support community wellness grants from the Vermont Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Recipients of the council’s 2020 Community Wellness Grants include:

1. Rutland Wellness Cooperative Adult Passport Activity Program, for developing and disseminating a new, physical activity passport program for adults in Rutland County.

2. Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports, for scholarships for multi-day wellness programs that focus on nutrition and physical fitness, activities for veterans and a winter ski festival with the United States Association of Blind Athletes.

3. Bristol Recreation Department, for increasing access to mountain biking through educational clinics, and a community bike library.

4. Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront, for a park “prescription” program that engages Burlington residents in physical activity.

5. CATMA Greenride Bikeshare, for a Prescribe-a-Bike program, with the goal of engaging medical providers to prescribe free, one-year memberships to Greenride Bikeshare as part of patient treatment.

Also in 2020, the council continued to financially support the Vermont Senior Games and subsidize ski and snow board lesson packages for Vermont youth.

2019 Grant Recipients

The proceeds from this event support community wellness grants from the Vermont Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Recipients of the council’s 2019 Community Wellness Grants include:

1. Mill River Unified Union School District/Clarendon Elementary School - The Clarendon community would like to increase the number and diversity of community members utilizing a walking path. The Clarendon community visions this walking path as a multipurpose outdoor space used by everyone in the Mill River District. Planned programming for early elementary and elementary students, older adults, and families are key first steps in building broad community awareness and support.

2. Greenride BikeshareThis project will pilot a Prescribe-a-Bike program in partnership with the UVM Medical Center, Community Health Centers of Burlington, and Vermont Department of Health.When a physician believes that physical activity—specifically, riding a bicycle—should be part of a patient’s treatment or preventative care, they can prescribe a free, one-year membership to Greenride Bikeshare. Patients will also receive a helmet, an orientation to Greenride Bikeshare, a lesson on the basics of urban riding, and information about community bike rides. This program hopes to help address those with chronic diseases but also towards prevention of physical and mental issues particularly in those traditionally underserved.

3. Bristol Recreation Department, for increasing access to mountain biking through educational clinics, and a community bike library.

2018 Grant Recipients

In 2018, the council distributed $15,000.00 among four groups to develop new initiatives for improving health and fitness:

1. Community Health Centers of Burlington (CHCB), for trauma informed yoga classes, particularly for the refugee population.

2. Edgar May of Springfield, for "Move to Improve" program. These are free, fitness classes provided in non-intimidating environment for citizens with physical limitations. The classes will use special resistance bands that connect to chairs, that can be transported to residential sites.

3. Essex Junction Parks and Recreation, for a snowshoe loan program to encourage citizens to be active in winter.

4. Parks Place of Bellows Falls, for subsidizing registration fees for children in lower income homes to participate in recreation and sports.

In addition, the council gave $10,000.00 to the Vermont Senior Games for the purpose of making the games more inclusive so that more seniors can participate in the competitions.

The council also gave $3,000.00 to Move for Wellbeing, a noncompetitive program that encourages seniors to be more physically active, apart from competing in the games.

2017 Grant Recipients

In 2017, the council distributed $6000.00 among three groups to develop new initiatives for improving health and fitness:

1. The City of Rutland Recreation and Parks Department received a grant to implement a Learn-to-Bike lending program. The grant paid for bicycles for adults, children and preschoolers and helps provide lessons for those in the community who would like to learn or re-learn how to ride a bike in a non-threatening environment. The bikes are being used this month for learn-to-ride events in Wallingford, Pittsford, Brandon and Rutland. The department aims to increase the number of bike riders from all age groups.

2. The Community Health Centers of Burlington(CHCB) received a grant to pilot an exercise and healthy lifestyle educational walking group for patients at high risk for chronic diseases. The 6-week program will provide an opportunity for CHCB patients to form social connections while walking and learning about the benefits and importance of maintaining an exercise routine.

3. The Pride Center of VT received funds to provide trauma-informed yoga classes to LGBTQ community members, many of whom are survivors of violence. The Pride Center hopes to increase the number of LGBTQ individuals who engage in yoga while healing their trauma in a safe space.