Fido Freestyle at Loveland: Skiing to save animals

Have you ever wished you could convince your friends and family to buy you a lift ticket and not come off like a dirtball in the process? Now’s your chance: Not only can you get a free lift ticket, but a free lunch and other free schwag like a $25 AMC movies gift card, a $30 iTunes gift card, or a $40 restaurant gift card. How? This Saturday, March 13, Loveland hosts the first annual Fido Freestyle, a ski fundraising day for the Intermountain Humane Society and the dogs and cats and other animals the IMHS cares for.

The IMHS has come up with a novel approach to fundraising with the event. Basically, you get your friends and family to sponsor you for the day. All contributions are tax deductible and go to help the over 500 animals that the IMHS cares for each year.

You can register for the Fido Freestyle online and collect pledges through an online system. The registration is $45 for adults and $38 for youths under 14, and includes the lift ticket. Those donations are not deductible. Any donations over the registration fee are tax deductible.

As you increase your donations, prizes increase. Raising $55 gets you lunch and lift ticket ($47 for youths), $65 gets lunch, lift ticket, and a fleece beanie ($55 for youths). For each level at $100 and above, you start getting a gift card, as well as everything at the level before it. Raise $100 and you get the $25 AMC gift card, $150 gets the $30 iTunes gift card as well, $250 gets those two plus the $40 restaurant gift card, and $500 gets you all three gift cards plus your choice of a $125 Best Buy gift card, $125 Sports Authority gift card; $125 REI gift card; a two-person Royal Gorge whitewater rafting half-day trip, or a Deluxe Spa package.

Additionally, the top fundraiser over $500 will get recognition at the IMHS and two tickets for the 2011 Fido Freestyle.