Kamas Valley Foundation Raises Funds, Expands Support Across East Side

The Kamas Valley Community Foundation, an expansion and rebrand of the South Summit Education Foundation launched in July 2025, held its Mingle & Jingle fundraising gala on December 9 at Montage Deer Valley. The event combined live and silent auctions, entertainment and community awards as foundation leaders outlined plans to broaden funding beyond scholarships to arts, recreation and humanitarian and health causes across East Side communities including Kamas and Oakley.

The gala featured a Don Weller painting among auction highlights and a heads or tails coin flip that helped drive competitive bidding. Entertainer Jason Hewlett served as emcee, and Park City and Summit County elected and civic figures attended, reflecting growing public and private interest in expanding the local philanthropic base. Foundation leaders spotlighted scholarship support for local students and included a presentation from scholarship recipient Daniela Monzalvo. The organization also emphasized ongoing assistance to area food pantries and local trail projects, and it presented Recreation Awards to long time supporters Tom Smart, Howard Sorensen and Doug Evans.

For Summit County residents, the foundation's shift matters because it channels private giving into services that influence both household welfare and the local economy. Scholarships help offset rising higher education costs for local students, food pantry support addresses immediate needs for food security, and trail funding sustains the outdoor infrastructure that underpins tourism and recreation spending in the valley. Combining these priorities under one organization creates administrative scale and may make fundraising more efficient for projects that serve multiple towns across the East Side.

From a policy perspective, expanded philanthropic capacity can complement municipal budgets already stretched by growth and maintenance of recreational assets. Private dollars will not replace public responsibility, but targeted foundation grants can accelerate projects, support nonprofit operations and provide flexible funding for emerging health and humanitarian needs. Over the long term, a locally focused foundation that links scholarships, arts and recreation could help retain young residents, boost workforce skills and strengthen the outdoor economy that sustains Summit County communities.

The Mingle & Jingle gala marks the foundation's public launch of this broader mission and sets an early benchmark for donors and civic leaders to measure future impact on education, community services and local economic resilience.