Hoping for Hordes

January in Bridgton is always a busy month, as people who love winter sports revel in the snow and cold (and those who don’t hunker down and pray for spring). I’m sure you know somebody who keeps a Thule roof rack on top of their car year ’round, just waiting for those first flakes to fly so they can strap on their skis and hit the slopes. After a few pretty pitiful ski seasons, this heavy snowfall has been a blessing for businesses that count on tourist money in the winter to make it through. Hopefully we’ll get hordes of out-of-staters coming up to share this old fashioned Maine winter (and their money) with us, and there are tons of things to keep everybody busy outdoors this month.

Return of the King

Grease up your pompadour, dust off that sequined pantsuit and join Shawnee Peak on Saturday Jan. 5 for their second annual “Elvis On the Mountain” birthday celebration. Dress up as “the King,” go skiing and get your picture taken with other impersonators and you will get a free ski pass good for any day this season.

Renowned Elvis Impersonator Micha”EL VIS”elli will be in the house for an apres-ski party, Elvis “look-alike” contest, lip sync face-off and a hilarious performance in Blizzard’s Pub from 4 – 6 p.m. You can probably sneak in a few peanut butter and bacon sandwiches for some extra credibility, but Blizzard’s will be serving a full menu just in case you are watching your cholesterol level.

Night On Disco Mountain

Continuing the theme of cheesy and beloved pop icons, Shawnee Peak also has its popular “Saturday Night Fever” ski deal that night, when you can do a whole evening of night skiing for just $12. With 19 slopes lit up, you can ski or board from 7 – 10 p.m. Proper disco attire isn’t required, but a slopeside throwdown between Elvis and Tony Manero isn’t out of the question. Check out www.Shawneepeak.com for more info.

Mush!

The Musher’s Bowl is a big draw for dogsled racers across North America, who come to Bridgton as part of the winter racing circuit. The event has grown steadily and is now the pinnacle of the Bridgton Winter Carnival, which this year runs for 10 days and includes a wide variety of events both indoors and out.

Beginning on Jan. 19, the festivities this year include a Community Cultural Celebration, a biathlon at Five Fields Farm, the “Freezing For a Reason” swim in Highland Lake for Harvest Hills, the Maine State Ice Sculpting series, the second annual Bridgton Academy Dodge Ball Massacre and a ping-pong tournament (with sweet prizes). I’ll write about all this and more next week, but wanted to give you a taste of the fun to come.

Birthin’ Babies

Since Heidi Fillmore-Patrick started the Birthwise Midwifery School in Bridgton in 1994, students from all over the country have been coming here for its intensive academic and medical curriculum. The school has grown beyond its nationally accredited midwifery program to offering a variety of programs for expectant families.

The Midwives there have long been providing holistic prenatal and postpartum care and home birthing assistance, and now they have expanded their practice to include a new birth center.

Beyond the new birth house, the midwives are always offering other programs for families in the area to learn about home birthing, meet other children, and socialize in a safe, welcoming environment. The weekly mothers’ groups at the Birth House meet Thursdays 10 a.m. – noon and are open to all moms or dads and their babies of any age. The groups are free and are held at the school at 28 S. High St. For more information on the groups, call Robin Doolittle at 647-5919.

Spreading the Love

It’s always great to hear about people who are out there making a difference. Mike McClellan, executive director of the Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, recently made a grieving family’s holidays a little brighter, and proved that the true meaning of Christmas is in giving.

Last Thursday during the snowstorm he was listening to the radio and heard a story about a Maine father and son who had recently lost their wife/mother. A Freeport-based radio station receives nominations for people who might need their spirits lifted, and this family’s loss struck a chord in McClellan.

He put together a “getaway” package for them, and with the help of generous donations was able to give them two days skiing at Shawnee Peak, lodging at the Inn at Long Lake, dinner at Trailside, a gas card, and gift cards from Subway and Hannaford.

McClellan credited the radio station and the local businesses for making it possible, but without his efforts and caring it never would have happened. His kind gesture made this family’s loss a little more bearable. We can all help make the world a better place by practicing random acts of kindness, and it helps to be reminded of it every now and then. Thanks, Mike.