January greetings to my local readers and visitors alike! As we begin a new year and gain more light with each passing day, I am grateful for a still-ample woodpile, my warm “Pumpkin Valley” ski cap and especially my new studded snow tires.

Now this is what a Maine winter is all about – crisp blue skies, bright white snow, cars covered in a film of road salt and dirt, me nursing a sore arm from a slip on my ice-covered driveway. I guess we really do take the good with the bad in these parts. Fortunately my arm will heal, the car will come clean, and spring is never far away. Until then, January in Bridgton is all about biathlons, broomball, dogsleds and dodgeball. Let the Winter Carnival begin!

The Five Fields Biathlon

The cross-country ski trails at Five Fields Farm in South Bridgton are the perfect place to host a world-class biathlon. Up hills and down valleys, through stately stands of pine and oak trees and along picturesque mountain ridges, the terrain is challenging but beautiful.

I went to last year’s competition and was amazed by the super-humans who were cross-country skiing while simultaneously shooting at targets. To imagine our Nordic ancestors on handmade skis hunting game with improvised bows in the freezing cold makes their survival all the more impressive. The modern biathlon is exhausting enough to watch; I can only imagine what kind of shape you have to be in to actually do it!

The Poland Spring Lakes Biathlon is designed for both experienced and novice racers, and is open to all ages. If you are up for the challenge, there will be a clinic before the race to initiate you to the art of biathlon, and Loon Echo Land Trust will be hosting a warming area.

Last year’s race blew away attendance estimates and was a highlight of the Carnival. Bring your skis and shooting gear to Five Fields Farm on Rt. 107 and Fosterville Road in South Bridgton on Sunday, Jan. 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. A fee of $15 gets you into the Biathlon and the Cross Country Ski race.

Portraits and pinot

If your winter pursuits run more along the indoor-sporting variety, I recommend checking out the new portrait exhibit at Gallery 302. Featuring new works by local artists, the event runs through January.

The gallery is also hosting a Winter Carnival Open House Friday, Jan. 16. You are invited to meet the artists and view the portrait exhibit from 5 to 7 p.m. while enjoying a wine and cheese reception in the warm, bright exhibition space. Gallery 302 is located at 112 Main Street and is open year ’round. For more information call 647-2787.

If you can dodge a wrench …

Don’t worry, all you dodgeball enthusiasts out there still have time to sign up for the 3rd Annual Bridgton Academy “Mid-Winter Massacre” Dodge Ball Tournament. Having won a hard-fought third-place with “Team Black Horse” in last year’s event, I can assure you that until you take the court you don’t know what you are missing.

If you have ever wondered what it feels like to get nailed with a fastball from a Major League pitcher, I can tell you, because I was. Yep, yours truly found herself in a face-to-face throwdown with no less than Dave Bush of the Milwaukee Brewers in last year’s tourney, and to call it a massacre would be too kind. I still have phantom pain from the hit I took.

Ok, so maybe a dodge ball is softer than a baseball, but you get the idea. The players take the game seriously, but we all had fun and proceeds from the entry fees go to local charities. It’s a great game, a great time and a great cause. And in case you didn’t know, Bridgton is the dodgeball capital of Maine.

So join us Saturday, Jan. 17 at 10 a.m. at the BA gymnasium and ask yourself, “Are you ready for a throwdown?” For an entry form or more information, call Mike McClellan (whose team won last year, by the way) at the Chamber of Commerce at 647-3472.

Hot supper, cold snowman

The Bridgton Community Center continues to offer their diverse classes and special events through the winter. The BCC serves as a gathering place for people of all ages to come together in a safe, welcoming environment.

We are particularly lucky to have the Center in the winter months, where many of our friends and neighbors might need a little extra help. Through the ongoing help of sponsors and volunteers, the BCC is hosting a “Winter Warming Hut” every time there is inclement weather or frigid temperatures. They also have a Community Kettle every Thursday evening from 5 to 7 p.m., when a free, hot dinner is served to anyone who wants one.

One of the BCC’s biggest fundraisers of the season is the “Ice Out Contest,” where Frosty the Snowman stands on frozen Moose Pond and waits for the spring thaw. In this 50/50, the person who correctly guesses the day of the annual ice out wins half the money with the rest going to support the great programs at the BCC. The more tickets that are sold, the greater the prize. There are contest forms available at businesses all over town, so please take a guess and help the Center continue their good work. For more information call 647-3116.