Happy New Year to all of our readers. I hope you had a wonderful holiday week and survived the requisite sugar rushes, shop-a-thons and family gatherings with your sanity intact. I for one am “cookied-out” and ready to resume my exercise regime at the gym.

Mountain madness

I managed to set my fork down for a few hours at least, and did my semiannual trek up to Tuckerman’s Ravine on Christmas Day. While it was a struggle at times in the face of 70-mph wind gusts and blowing snow, it was all worth it at the top. Mount Washington was gorgeous and pristine, and the sky cleared as I reached the caretaker’s hut. All of this fluffy, early snow has led to high avalanche danger and the ravine was closed to skiers, but I was so relieved to have made it up there that I was happy to hike the trail back down. It definitely does not get any easier as each year passes, but it is nice to know I can still do it!

Return of the King

Fortunately you can avoid the perils of back-country skiing by simply heading up to Shawnee Peak. The same heavy snows that have blanketed the Presidentials have dumped over 3 feet of snow on the Mountain and conditions are perfect – perfect for skiing down the mountain in sequins, that is. That’s right, it is time for the 3rd Annual Elvis on the Mountain!

On Saturday, Jan. 10, Shawnee Peak will celebrate the King’s birthday in style. Grease up your pompadour, dust off that sequined pantsuit and pack a few peanut-butter-and-bacon sandwiches. If you dress up as Elvis, go skiing and get your picture taken with other impersonators, 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 3 to 7 p.m. Check out www.shawneepeak.com for more details.

Mush!

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). One of the highlights of the season is the annual Mushers Bowl and Winter Carnival, which bring thousands of visitors to town. This year’s festival runs Jan. 16 through Jan. 25, and if it stays this cold and snowy we will be blessed with perfect conditions.

You have probably seen the Mushers Bowl buttons popping up around town lately. These collector’s items are available for only $1 and not only get you into dozens of events during the carnival but also help the Chamber of Commerce fund the festival. Please pick up as many buttons as you can for you and your friends and family; the Mushers Bowl is a great opportunity for us to show Bridgton off in all her winter splendor, and the more people who participate the merrier. Stay tuned for more information on Winter Carnival next week.

A Bridge to the Future

Bridgton’s green spaces just got a little greener, as Pondicherry Park received another major donation from the Kendall C. and Anna Ham Charitable Foundation. The Lakes Environmental Association and Loon Echo Land Trust were recently given $25,000 to help build a new, 45-foot-long bridge that will connect the urban park to Stevens Brook School and the Bridgton Community Center.

The new bridge will span Willett Brook and connect the trail to the woodland amphitheater behind the school, where conservation classes will be taught. The Hams have already generously contributed nearly 10% of the park’s total budget, and the bridge will be named for them. The fundraising continues however, as both this bridge and the Bob Dunning Memorial bridge are expected to cost a combined $300,000. If you would like to make a donation or volunteer, please call Peter Lowell at 647-8580.

We are the world

Preparations continue for the upcoming Community Cultural Celebration in March, and there will be a planning meeting on Saturday, Jan. 3, at the Bridgton library.

Event coordinator Mody Botros is hoping to get new volunteers on board. “We are especially interested in people from different cultures joining in,” he said. “If there are any first-generation immigrants, or locals who have recently traveled to a different country and want to share their adventures with us, we welcome them.”

If you want to be a part of the third annual event, please join Mody in the events room at the library at the 10 a.m. meeting. For more information, call 890-0866.

Fire fund for the Girards

While most of us were merely inconvenienced during the blizzard on Dec. 21, a local family on Del Chadbourne Road were dealing with a devastating fire.

Kerry and Danielle Girard and their two young children saw their old farmhouse burn down that afternoon, as volunteer departments from both Maine and New Hampshire responded to the massive blaze. Although the family was able to get Christmas gifts and a few valuables out of the house, they lost everything else.

A fund has been set up for the family, and if you would like to contribute money or clothing, toiletries and essentials to the family, there are several ways to do it. Both KeyBank and BankNorth have Girard Relief Funds for cash donations. Non-monetary items can be dropped off at the Bridgton Town Office. As always, if you’ve got it, give it. See you next week!