30th Anniversary!
2025 is Chill’s 30th Anniversary Year!
In 1995, Jake and Donna Carpenter of Burton Snowboards, founded Chill Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to introducing young people to boardsports who wouldn’t otherwise have had the opportunity. Since then, Chill has served more that 30,000 young people across 20 locations in 9 countries.
Now, as Chill celebrates its 30th anniversary, we’re excited to continue running strong programs that introduce youth to snowboarding, skateboarding, surfing and stand-up paddleboarding, and continue growing our alumni programs that offer advanced boardsport coaching and career development opportunities in the outdoor industry.
Read below to learn more about our history and how you can celebrate this huge milestone with us!
Celebrate With Us
Here are some Ways to Get Involved:
To commemorate this special anniversary, Chill is launching a 30 for 30 Campaign, with a goal of raising $30,000 to secure a $30,000 match by March 18th, 2025. Donations will directly fund programs that provide life-changing experiences for the next generation. Your support is crucial in carrying Chill’s programs into the future and ensuring that more young people can experience the transformative power of boardsports!
We’re throwing Chill a proper birthday bash where it all started at Bolton Valley Resort, our first snow partner! Bringing riders from far and wide for a private mountain experience, the night will feature product demos, drinks, food, raffles, and a whole lot of fun!
Join us March 30th, 2025, 5:30-10pm in celebrating not only Chill’s 30 years but our 30-year partnership with Bolton Valley!
Rep Chill and support our mission by purchasing merch featuring our 30th anniversary logo design! These items will only be available through 2025, so grab a cozy hoodie or shirt for you or your friends and family members, and all proceeds will benefit Chill’s programs.
Do you have a special memory from being a participant, volunteer, staff, or supporter of Chill? We want to hear from you! Use the form linked below to tell us your story and share a photo or video. We’ll be compiling your stories and sharing them throughout the year, so let us know how Chill has made an impact on your life, on and off the board!
Chill's History
1995
- Jake and Donna began The Burton Foundation in 1995 in Burlington, VT, the home of Burton Snowboards.
- The program runs with 10 local community organizations at Bolton Valley Resort, two nights a week, for 8 weeks
1996
- Chill launches its second site in Seattle at The Summit at Snoqualmie
1997
- The Burton Foundation is established as a private operating foundation and registered as a 501c3 charitable non-profit. A local coordinator in each city is hired and the programs name is changed to “Chill” after one of Burton’s very first snowboarding videos
- Chill Boston is launched at Wachusett Mountain
1998
- Chill NYC is launched at Sterling Forest
1999
- Chill attends the 1999 US Open for the first time; coordinators from NYC and Boston bring a group of youth to the event in Stratton, Vermont
2000
- Chill Los Angeles is launched at Snow Valley
2001
- Chill Chicago is launched at the Raging Buffalo Resort
- Chill Japan launches its first snowboard program providing programs for Japanese youth in social care homes, free schools and displaced by natural disasters
2002
- Chill Salt Lake City and Chill Washington D.C. are launched at Brighton and Whitetail Resort
2003
- Chill Toronto is launched at Snow Valley Resort
- Chill’s CORE value curriculum is introduced.
- The first year of the National Chill Golf Tournament in Burlington, VT. This is still Chill’s largest and longest running event
2005
- Chill Vancouver and Chill Denver are launched at Cypress Mountain and Keystone Resort
2006
- Chill Portland is launched at Timberline Resort
- Baltimore is added as part of the Chill DC program
2007
- Chill launches programs in Australia
2008
- Chill announces its future expansion plans into Skate, Surf, and SUP
- Chill launches programs in Austria
2009
- Chill launches programs in Italy
2012
- Burlington becomes the first year-round site, offering both snow and skate programs for the full calendar year
2013
- Chill New York City launches Chill’s first surf program
2014
- Chill Czech Republic is launched in partnership with Burton Prague, offering winter snow programs for youth living in children’s homes.
- Burlington launches Chill’s first ever SUP program
2018
- Chill Vancouver and Chill Burlington run the first ever Evolution ALPS (Adventure Leadership Personal Growth and Service). Vancouver includes avalanche awareness training/certification and backcountry split boarding clinic in Whistler.
2019
- Chill West Michigan launches with a snow program at Cannonsburg
2020
- Chill provides online learning opportunities for boardsport technique and continues to run programs, when possible, during the Covid-19 pandemic
2021
- Chill Switzerland launches in partnership with LAAX Resort and is established as its own non-profit foundation.
2022
- Chill Germany launches programs in partnership with Burton Europe and is established as its own non-profit foundation.
- Chill Evolution programs expand to include Explore programs for alumni focusing on advanced coaching, career exploration and professional development opportunities.
2024
- Chill launches its first Alumni Committee, an opportunity for Chill’s alumni to participate in a leadership role and have an impact on alumni initiatives and curriculum.
2025
- Chill celebrates 30 years of programming, impacting over 30,000 youth worldwide since its founding!
