Few communities have the good fortune to host the world during an Olympic Winter Games. In 2002, Ogden seized this opportunity by hosting the Olympic curling and downhill skiing events. The games generated an unprecedented volunteer response from the local community, and visionary leaders recognized that this pride and volunteer spirit could be harnessed to further enhance the community's sense of place and identity.
Recognizing the need to sustain this volunteer spirit, a group of Weber County citizens formed the Weber Cultural Legacy Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. With a primary focus on attracting world-class athletic events, the organization rebranded as the GOAL Foundation, adopting the tagline “Get Out and Live.”
The grassroots organization reached out to volunteers from the Olympic venues in Weber County, garnering responses from almost 2,000 eager volunteers. GOAL’s leaders defined their mission and vision, focusing on exposing Ogden’s dynamic resources, connecting communities, infusing economic vitality, promoting healthy lifestyles, and providing access to athletes, spectators, and volunteers.
GOAL’s first major success came when founding member, and former Ogden City Mayor, Mike Caldwell, convinced XTERRA leadership to let GOAL produce a point series triathlon in Ogden. This led to the most successful XTERRA point series race on the tour and eventually brought the XTERRA USA National Championship to Ogden, showcasing the city’s recreational assets and drawing national attention.
During this time, GOAL volunteers also began supporting the local Ogden Marathon. In 2006, GOAL won the contract to produce the marathon, transforming it into a marquee event and primary funding source for the organization. The marathon grew from under 1,000 runners in 2005 to 10,000 by 2015, receiving national accolades and firmly placing Ogden on the map as an Outdoor Recreation Mecca.
With the marathon’s success, GOAL was able to hire staff, attract more world-class events, and become a key economic driver for the city and county. The foundation’s partnership was vital in recruiting events that brought significant economic and media exposure to Ogden, helping to transform its identity and attract outdoor recreation companies, creating hundreds of new jobs.
The GOAL Foundation story is one of passion, collaboration, and tenacity. It is about harnessing the Olympic legacy to create a vibrant, active community that leads in world-class outdoor events and the outdoor recreation industry. GOAL has succeeded in rebranding Ogden from a charmless rail town to a nationally recognized outdoor recreation destination, continuing to inspire the community to "Get Out And Live!"