Photo Essay: AYC's First Annual AETHER Games

In early September, we were the title sponsor for the first-ever AETHER Games benefitting the Aspen Youth Center. With one of our stores being located in Aspen, we have always felt it was incredibly important to not only embed ourselves in the community but to also give back to it. With that in mind, we collaborated with the Aspen Youth Center—a nonprofit that provides a free place for area youth to connect, learn, and grow during out-of-school hours—to come up with a fund-raising event that helped their bottom line while feeling appropriate for the cause. What we came up with was the AETHER Games, a series of 10 kids’ field-day games with competing teams of adults. The Youth Center attendees served as referees. The challenges ranged from a bouncy-house obstacle course to a serious game of giant Jenga, and all the proceeds went toward keeping the Aspen Youth Center free for the kids. It was an incredibly fun and successful day, raising just under $20,000. We hope you join us in the mountains next year with your own team. Here, a selection of images from the awesome inaugural event.