Skiers, riders and all Bostonians are asked to open their hearts and dig into their closets – to support the Ski Vermont Mitten Drive during the Boston Globe Ski and Snowboard Expo at the Bayside Expo Center, Nov. 20-23, 2008.

Ski Vermont is collecting mittens and gloves to donate to the Pine Street Inn, New England’s leading resource for homeless men and women. At the Expo, visitors will find Vermont Christmas trees fully adorned with coupons and holiday bins awaiting mitten and glove donations.

“With the coming winter, it is critical for people to have warm outerwear and gloves,” said Barbara Trevisan, spokesperson for the Pine Street Inn. “We have a number of people who literally live on the street and for them, this can be life saving.”

Visitors, vendors and Expo employees are encouraged to bring a pair of new or gently used mittens or gloves. Additionally, all those warm-hearted mitten donors can choose one coupon given by Ski Vermont for discounted Kombi Gloves, $10 off an adult lift ticket or $5 off a child’s lift ticket, valid through Dec. 19, 2008.

The lift ticket discounts are redeemable at participating Vermont resorts: Bolton Valley, Bromley, Jay Peak Resort, Mad River Glen, Magic Mountain, Mountain Top Inn and Resort, Mount Snow, Okemo Mountain Resort, Smugglers’ Notch and Stratton.

Kombi, a Vermont sporting goods company, offers a $10 discount on any new Kombi Gore-Tex gloves purchased at Vermont ski resorts. For the Kombi glove dealer locations, visit www.kombiltd.com.

The Pine Street Inn provides shelter, housing, clothing, outreach and job training in the Greater Boston region - serving more than 1,300 men and women daily. To learn more, donate or volunteer, please visit www.pinestreetinn.org. Enjoy this season of giving.