At the 2024 Jane-A-Thon, nearly 500 participants turned out to ski at the Mary Jane side of Winter Park Resort to raise funds for Invest in Kids.

It was the fundraiser’s 25th anniversary – two days of friendly competition on the slopes. March 1 was Corporate Day and March 2 was Friends and Family Day. Jane-A-Thon raised $360,824 for Invest in Kids.

The nonprofit improves the health and well-being of Colorado children and families. In Grand County, Invest in Kids offers two health and educational programs — the Nurse-Family Partnership and The Incredible Years.

“It helps social and emotional development for kids, which now more than ever is so important,” Bryan Turner said, who is a board member of Invest in Kids.

Turner is managing director at KPMG, a Denver-based accounting firm. On Corporate Day, he won a trophy for being top fundraiser – he raised $9,000 with KPMG. He was able to raise the funds by networking with friends, family, coworkers and alumni of KPMG.

Turner first learned about Invest in Kids through Andrew Higdon, the Jane-A-Thon co-chair.

“We were having lunch one time and he’s like, ‘hey, do you like skiing and fundraising and hanging out with people? Having some beers and just socializing?’ I thought, that sounds awesome,” Turner said.

While skiing at this year’s Jane-A-Thon, Turner reflected on how he got started with the fundraiser, and how he was able to encourage others to attend.

“This has been impactful for me,” he said. “… It all goes back into the community.”

As a fulltime Grand County resident, Turner reached out to a dozen local businesses to donate to the fundraiser. Businesses included Noble Buck, Pow Pow Donuts, Fraser Valley Distilling, Hernando’s Pizza and more.

“It’s awesome getting local folks involved,” he said. “To get Grand County plugged into (Jane-A-Thon) is incredible. It’s right in our backyard, at the base of Mary Jane. That’s how it was founded.”