Welcome Friends

Happy “Vacation Week!” The seasonal school break between Christmas and New Year’s finds Bridgton at its winter best, with Main Street lined with twinkling snowflake lights, local businesses bustling with post-Christmas deals and the Mountain covered with snow. Many of our favorite families “from away” return to make new Maine memories and pump their money into our economy, so everybody wins. Bridgton really is the perfect four-season town, and it’s nice to show there’s more to it than just summer fun.

Share the Wealth

I hope you all had a safe and happy holiday. I returned from my family visit with a carload of gifts, which made me feel simultaneously grateful and overwhelmed. Grateful because I am so lucky to have such love and kindness in my life, and overwhelmed because my mother-in-law is obsessed with bargain shopping at Costco and I don’t have nearly enough room in the pantry for ten 15-packs of paper towels.

If you find yourself similarly overburdened by generosity please consider taking your Christmas bounty to the Bridgton Community Center. This awesome nonprofit survives on the kindness of volunteers and local residents, and provides vital social and community outreach year-round. Rather than stuffing more unneeded gifts in the corners and closets of your house, why not practice “out with the old and in with the new” this year and start the New Year with a cleaning binge.

They will appreciate your donation and everything will go to great use by people who really need a helping hand. To donate or volunteer please call 647-3116 or just drop it off at the BCC on Depot Street, located right behind Reny’s and the Magic Lantern.

Blades of Glory

These cold nights are perfect for freezing up lakes and ponds, and ushering in the season of winter sports. One of the most fun pastimes is ice skating, and the Bridgton Ice Rink is open for business.

Bridgton Rec sponsors this popular program, which runs through early March. The rink is open every Tuesday through Friday from 3-6 p.m. and on Saturday, Sunday and school holidays/vacation from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Aside from the perfectly groomed rink itself there is also a warming room with wood stove, cable TV, music and hot cocoa. Skates are available, and while donations are gladly accepted, everything is free.

The Bridgton Ice Rink is located behind the Town Hall on North High Street. Call Rec Director Tom Tash with questions at 647-8786.

Autism Assistance

Raising a child with special needs is a major challenge for parents and can be overwhelming at times. Bridgton Hospital is starting a new Autism Caregivers Support Group this month, and everyone is welcome.

The group will meet every third Tuesday of each month from 6 to 8 p.m. in the hospital’s conference room, with the first meeting Tuesday, Jan. 22. Staff leaders will discuss autism spectrum disorders and issues surrounding raising a child with autism in a caring, positive environment. Please call Kendra at 256-7393 to register and for more information.

Dog Eared

Bridgton Library has a full calendar of events for children and adults all year long, and offers a warm, cozy space to while away winter days. One of the most popular children’s programs is “Reading with Holly Dog” (not to be confused with “Reading with Holly Hancock the Library Director”), which kicks off its new season on Friday, Jan. 4.

Join Holly downstairs in the Children’s Services Room at 3 p.m. for an hour of early literacy, where youngsters learn to read to the perfect captive audience: a friendly, patient and super-sweet Labrador Retriever. Everyone is welcome, and check out www.bridgton.lib.me.us for a full calendar of events or call 647-2472 fmi.

Bridgton Idol

Are you a burgeoning performer looking for an outlet for creative expression? The Rec Department is sponsoring a new program for young writers to sharpen their songwriting skills.

The program breaks down the basic elements of successful songwriting and assists young songwriters with honing their talents. It is also open to poets, musicians and singers, and encourages self-expression in a comfortable, non-judgmental environment. The focus will be on creating original music and ultimately recording a CD for the participants to take home at the end of the program. This program is open to all students in grades 6-12, and will run after school for five Mondays beginning in January. FMI on the schedule call Tom Tash at 647-8786.

Hit the Slopes

Shawnee Peak is celebrating its 75th season this winter, making it the longest running ski slope in Maine. They have stuffed their schedule with special deals, new classes and apres-ski parties all season long, and are kicking it off with two great events next week.

One of the coolest annual programs is the “Boys and Girls Club of Dorchester Day” which is on Saturday, Jan. 5. In an effort to get more kids from inner-city neighborhoods introduced to the sports of skiing and snowboarding, Shawnee Peak hosts a Learn to Ski or Snowboard day for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorcester, Mass. Initially conceived and funded by Mark Wahlberg’s charity, this amazing program buses kids up from the city and lets them hit the slopes for free. The mountain is open to the public, too, so it’s a great chance for everyone to mingle slopeside.

Then, on Sunday the 6th, the Red Cross hosts their “Shawnee Peak Blood Drive” from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., where you can give a pint of blood and get a free one-day midweek (Monday-Friday) lift ticket valid through the end of 2012/13 ski season. Give the gift of life and get a free day of skiing in return? Sounds like a great deal. Check out www.shawnee peak.com for a complete listing of their winter schedule, and pray to the Norse god Ullr to keep the snow coming!