Every winter we have the great opportunity to work with students from around the world who come to the resort by way of the J1 visa program which allows them to work with us for a time and then travel within the US for a period following their work commitments. This has been an incredibly rewarding program on all fronts, allowing us to spend time with a vibrant group of smart, university age folks who bring a lot to the Jay Peak experience.

This year, with countries implementing various restrictions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, some of our international staff have been unable to make it back to their home countries because of travel limitations and border closings. Our team members from Peru, Argentina, and Jamaica have been particularly affected and remain with us, staying on resort (rent free because it was one of the few ways we could help under the circumstances) until we can help them arrange travel home.

Given their maturity, it’s easy to forget that our J1 team members are still young – in their early twenties – and find themselves stuck abroad, during a pandemic, far from their families and loved ones. We’d extend them some understanding if they needed to express a little anger, sadness and frustration at the situation they find themselves in but that’s not the route they’ve chosen to take. Instead, they’re posting messages of gratitude for food that was delivered by the Jay Peak food & beverage team which, frankly, was the least we could do.

Like most resorts, we’ve found ourselves with an abundance of food some of which we can store and keep safe and some of which we needed to share out. We appreciate the thanks, for sure, but it should be entirely directed to our food & beverage team who have prepared and delivered meals and groceries to our international staff across the last few weeks and will continue to do so, as needed, going forward.

We are, after all, in this together. Just 6’ apart.