Matthew Shephard Foundation Plans Memorial Gay Ski Week

The memory of Matthew Shepard will take to the slopes next spring with the inaugural Butte 11: Matthew Shepard Foundation Gay Ski Week, to be held at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, located about 40 miles south of Aspen, Colo.

The event, which takes place from March 19-26, 2011, will feature additional activities in nearby Mt. Crested Butte and Crested Butte, First Tracks Online reports.

"This new event provides the perfect vehicle for communicating the education, advocacy and awareness work of the Foundation," said Matthew Shepard Foundation executive director Jason Marsden. "This was a large scale opportunity to bring attention to our mission."

The event will be produced by StraightOut Media & Marketing, which also organizes Telluride Gay Ski Week.