A gift of $25,000 has been presented to Crotched Mountain Foundation by Concord-based Northeast Delta Dental in support of construction of its Accessible Trails, the centerpiece of the Mountain's Accessible Outdoor Recreation Program.

The gift honors David Hedstrom, DDS, Greenfield, NH, Past Board Chair of Northeast Delta Dental and current member of the Crotched Mountain Foundation Board of Trustees.

"We are thrilled to receive this generous gift," said Crotched Mountain president Donald Shumway. "Our business relationship with Northeast Delta Dental goes back many years and on many levels. Their support of this endeavor is a meaningful one. The honoring of David Hedstrom is very appropriate and deserved. David is a resident of our home community of Greenfield. He has been an active and thoughtful advisor to me and the leadership team for many years. David loves the outdoors. It is only fitting that the gift from Delta Dental will open the outdoors to everyone, including people with mobility impairments."

Tom Raffio, Northeast Delta Dental's president & CEO, said of the gift, "Our mission is to expand access to oral health education and services that contribute to overall health, so it's our privilege to make this gift to expand access to Crotched Mountain as a tribute to a valued former board chair."

Constructed by master trails builder Peter Jensen & Associates of Great Barrington, MA, the Accessible Trails are open to the public and will be dedicated in the summer of 2011. To date two trails have been completed at the Crotched Mountain campus in Greenfield, NH that total over three miles in length. One trail encircles an abandoned beaver wetland and the second leads to spectacular views of the Monadnock area.

Crotched Mountain is a charitable organization whose mission is to serve individuals with disabilities and their families, embracing personal choice and development, and building communities of mutual support. Crotched Mountain provides specialized education, rehabilitation, community, and residential support services for more than 2,000 individuals living in New England and New York. For more information about the Crotched Mountain Foundation, please visit www.crotchedmountain.org.

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