The Portland Press Herald / The Maine Sunday Telegram

Society Notebook: Fun snowballs
at WinterKids' 10th birthday

A special auction item and Maine's Funniest Mom keep spirits very high.

By Avery Yale Kamila akamila@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

We all know that two-time Olympian Seth Wescott is a priceless addition to winter sports and Maine. But during Wednesday night's 10th anniversary party for WinterKids at The Woodlands Club, a price was affixed to this down-to-earth snowboarding star.

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Fran Mullin, WinterKids executive director, left, and Meredith Strang Burgess, right, host committee member, show off their coordinated couture on either side of Fred Forsley, who owns Shipyard and served on the host committee.

Photos by Avery Yale Kamila/Staff Writer

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Olympian Seth Wescott stands with the two couples who pooled their resources to win slope time with him. They are Drew and Kim Graham and Chris and Steven Tenney.

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Not only is Wescott the official spokesperson for the nonprofit that makes it possible for fifth-, sixth- and seventh-graders to ski and board for free across the state, he's also willing to do whatever it takes to support the organization.

And Wednesday night that meant offering himself up on the auction block. This live bidding capped off a fabulous evening that included a cocktail hour on the sun-dappled deck, a tempting silent auction and the laugh-out-loud performances of Bob Marley, who joked about tartar-sauce-Nazis and survivalist skiing, and Karen Morgan, who poked fun at bad shoes in the soup aisle and death-trap playgrounds.

Wescott told the crowd he was willing to board with anyone, whether they're "just getting going" or ready "to find the hidden glades" of The Loaf.

Then Maine's Funniest Mom Morgan donned her auctioneer hat and got the action started at $500 for two hours of Sugarloaf slope time with Wescott followed by dinner at The Rack, which Wescott co-owns. From there the price climbed quickly, with people throughout the large room putting in bids. Despite a bit of confusion caused by some tipsy arm waving interpreted as a bid, Morgan got everyone back on track and finally brought the hammer down at $1,800.

The winning bid was a joint effort between Drew and Kim Graham of Cumberland and Steven and Chris Tenney of Falmouth. They didn't show up at the party intending to bid on Wescott, but like many in the audience they couldn't pass up such a unique opportunity. The most impressive thing? They won't claim the prize for themselves, but instead will give it to their boys.

I think they deserve an award for best parents ever.

Another person at the party who deserves an award, actually got one. That would be Jack Manheimer, who is stepping down after serving on the WinterKids board for six years. Manheimer, a partner at Pierce Atwood, headed the transition team that hired current executive director Fran Mullin and worked to increase the board from five members to 15.

To honor him, the WinterKids staff contacted his partners at Pierce Atwood and 25 of them stepped forward and contributed $4,000 in seed money to the new Jack Manheimer Fund, which will be used to support WinterKids programs and operating expenses.

And while the fund represents an exciting and worthwhile giving opportunity for those looking to support WinterKids, the really cool thing is the award Manheimer received: a signed Wheaties box featuring Wescott in his snowboarding glory.

As I made the rounds through the crowd of winter enthusiasts, everyone heaped praise on the organization.

"WinterKids gives an opportunity to a lot of the kids who might not have a chance to get out on the mountain," said Kevin Rosenberg, who is the marketing director at Mt. Abram and was at the party with colleagues Tracy Hancock and Alison Ives.

Rosenberg added that Mt. Abram intends to offer free lessons this year for WinterKids participants, in addition to the gratis lift tickets.

"Our children crave winter," said Doug Sanford, who was at the bash with his wife, Lauren Sanford. "What do people who don't have winter sports do?"

It's a good question, and one that the Sanford family has never had to answer. Not only does the family spend significant chunks of winter in the mountains, the kids are already using their skills to help others.

Jordan Sanford (who was too wiped out after a day at the lake to make it to the party) competes on the national snowboard circuit. Five years ago Jordan, now 17, and friend Jackson Tupper founded the Tucker's Boardercross for Cancer event to honor their late friend Tucker Olmstead. Since its founding, the competition has raised more than $100,000 for the Maine Children's Cancer Program.

"It's neat to see how the organization has grown over the years," said Greg Sweetser, who heads the Ski Maine Association and serves on the WinterKids board. "It has statewide appeal. We're not just a southern Maine organization."

WinterKids began in 1997 as a part of Ski Maine. Back then its focus was only skiing, but now it's broadened to offer access to a wide array of winter sports including ice skating, sledding and cross-country skiing. It became an independent entity in 2000.

"What they're doing for kids in the state of Maine is awesome," said Wescott, who cross-country skied long before he took up downhill or snowboarding. "Winter sports really changed the path in my life."

Who knows? A future Olympian may find his or her calling this coming season when WinterKids puts a whole new batch of kids on the slopes for the first time, thanks to the generosity of those who came out for the anniversary bash.

Staff Writer Avery Yale Kamila can be contacted at 791-6297 or at: akamila@pressherald.com