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Hike, Wine & Dine event to go virtual

While COVID-19 may be impacting the ability to gather together, Vail Health is celebrating the spirit of togetherness by taking its annual Hike, Wine & Dine event virtual, allowing people to participate wherever they might be located. On Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, participants are encouraged to hike on their own and share their experience with the event group through the Strava Club, as well as on Facebook and Instagram.

The virtual Hike, Wine & Dine event will honor Dr. Jack Eck’s contributions to the community. Dr. Eck will retire from the Vail Health Foundation in December.

A portion of the funds raised from this year’s virtual Hike, Wine & Dine will be used to keep Jack’s Place open on weekends during the winter. All proceeds benefit Jack’s Place and Shaw Cancer Center, services of Vail Health, a nonprofit 501(c)(3).

“Hike, Wine & Dine holds a special place in my heart, as the event brings the community together to support Shaw Cancer Center and Jack’s Place, even during times when we can’t all be physically together,” said Dr. Eck. “I am humbled to be honored in this way. These two facilities combine state-of-the-art treatment with a caring place of respite for cancer patients and their families.”

Event registration is 100 percent tax deductible, and all proceeds support the operating expenses of Jack’s Place and Shaw Cancer Center.

Participants are encouraged to join the Facebook event. For those hiking locally, Dr. Eck will be sharing his favorite local hikes leading up to the event weekend. At those trailheads, participants can take a selfie in front of the Hike, Wine & Dine yellow ribbon to be entered to win gift certificates from participating restaurants. In the Strava Club, participants can track progress of their hike. The longest hike and most elevation gain will win a gift certificate from a local restaurant.

Participants are encouraged to adhere to all COVID-19 restrictions in place in their location.

For more information, visit the event details page on Facebook or hikewinedine.com.

About Jack Eck
This year's event will honor the caring house's namesake Dr. Jack Eck, who is retiring from Vail Health Foundation in December. Dr. Jack Eck has been a cornerstone in the Vail Valley. He started practicing medicine here in 1971, and was the first physician to serve on the Vail Ski Patrol. After successfully overcoming prostate cancer, he began working at Vail Health in 2007, and was integral in the creation of Shaw Cancer Center. Jack’s Place, a cancer caring house named in his honor, serves as a haven of tranquility and well-being for patients undergoing cancer treatment at Shaw Cancer Center.

About Vail Health
Vail Health is a nonprofit community health care system with 12 locations across Eagle and Summit counties. Vail Health offers a 56-bed hospital, 24/7 emergency care, helipad, urgent care clinics, cancer care, breast centers, cardiovascular services, surgery, childbirth, physical therapy, primary care, behavioral health care, internal medicine, endocrinology and more. Locally operated and governed by a volunteer board of directors, Vail Health has committed $60 million during the next ten years to Eagle Valley Behavioral Health and has launched a $100 million campaign to transform the behavioral health landscape. For more information, visit www.vailhealth.org