Press Releases
WinterKids and The Leadership School at Kieve Team Up With Edgecomb Eddy School
April 9, 2009
PORTLAND, Maine: The 2008-2009 winter season marked the beginning of an exciting collaboration between WinterKids and The Leadership School at Kieve. The two organizations teamed up to bring a day of winter fun and learning to the students and staff at Edgecomb Eddy School on March 23, 2009. The entire student body—in grades K through 6—enjoyed a variety of hands-on activities throughout the day, including an energizing nutrition lesson (on snowshoes!) and lively classroom discussions incorporating teambuilding, conflict resolution, and communication skills.
In January 2009, WinterKids’ Program Director, Marion Doyle, trained 17 instructors from the Leadership School at Kieve how to facilitate WinterKids’ celebrated Active Academics Workshops. These school-based workshops, based on lessons from the WinterKids Guide to Outdoor Active Learning, take the classroom outside for a dynamic, hands-on educational experience. The Active Academics Workshops also show teachers how to combine outdoor physical activity with classroom work throughout the winter season.
“The Kieve teachers are a natural fit to help WinterKids deliver exciting winter programming to Maine kids and their schools,” Doyle said. “Their enthusiasm, energy, and experience working with and challenging students shined through at Edgecomb Eddy. We’re looking forward to teaming up to reach more schools next winter.”
The Edgecomb Eddy students learned about nutrition, healthy lifestyles, and the importance of daily physical activity before heading outside to play an active game on snowshoes. The snowshoeing activity reinforced the nutrition lesson in a fun, engaging, and memorable way. Doug Wilson, a teacher with The Leadership School said, “We had a great day in Edgecomb. The kids were excited to have us at their school and I heard lots of positive feedback from the teachers!”
The Leadership School at Kieve has been a valued educational partner in the state of Maine for the past 28 years and is fully endorsed by the Commissioner of Education, Susan Gendron. The school works with students, teachers and parents to effectively deliver positive messages which will help create better citizens and healthier communities. Students spend their days learning through experiential and character-building models using hands-on activities and open classroom discussions revolving around topics of teambuilding, conflict resolution, communication skills and making healthy decisions in the face of various school and peer pressures. The Leadership School staff also works to build students’ self-esteem and self-awareness, and the curriculum is designed to provide students with accurate information and the tools necessary to stay on track despite contrary peer influences.
WinterKids is the nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Maine children develop healthy lifelong habits through fun, outdoor winter activity. WinterKids sponsors include Hannaford Supermarkets, Healthy Maine Partnerships, TD Banknorth, and Time Warner Cable. For more information about WinterKids, call (207) 871-5700, email info@winterkids.org, or visit the website at www.winterkids.org.
Other programs offered by Kieve-Wavus Education, Inc. include Kieve Camp for Boys and Wavus Camp for Girls, which serve youth from Maine and around the world; Kieve-West, a co-ed wilderness program in Colorado; an Alumni and Family Camp; and a 9/11 Family Camp for families from New York and Washington, D.C. who were affected by the 9/11 tragedy. In addition, Kieve-Wavus Education, Inc. operates The Kennedy Learning Center on the Nobleboro campus, which serves as a private retreat and conference center for adult teambuilding programs. For more information about The Leadership School call (207) 563-6212, email leadershipschool@kieve.org, or visit the website at www.theleadershipschool.org.
WinterKids Celebrates Sponsor Appreciation Day
March 18, 2009
PORTLAND, Maine: Celebrating the generosity of their sponsors, WinterKids once again welcomes the employees of sponsors and supporters to enjoy a free day of skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing and snowshoeing on Sunday, March 22nd.
The 2009 WinterKids Sponsor Appreciation day will be hosted by Mt. Abram Resort and Carter’s X-C Ski Center. The event is open to the employees of WinterKids’ sponsors: Hannaford Supermarkets, TD Banknorth, Time Warner Cable and Healthy Maine Partnerships, as well as employees of supporters L.L.Bean and New Balance.
Financial support from major sponsors advances the WinterKids mission of helping children develop healthy lifelong habits through fun, outdoor winter activity. Without the support of generous businesses, WinterKids would not be able to provide children with the well-known Passport program, which provides free and discounted skiing and riding opportunities to Maine’s 5th, 6th and 7th graders. WinterKids relies on support from corporate sponsors to fund the “Guide to Outdoor Active Learning” school curriculum and teacher training program, and “Welcome to Winter” outreach, which introduces immigrant and refugee families to the fun of outdoor winter activities.
“Thanks to support from our sponsors, WinterKids was able to provide opportunities for fun, outdoor winter activity to over 7000 children in Maine this season,” explains Fran Mullin, WinterKids Executive Director. “We appreciate the strong partner relationships we have with our WinterKids sponsors. They help fund our programs, and they also promote WinterKids on their websites and at their stores, banks, and offices.”
Skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts will find plenty of snow at family-friendly Mt. Abram Resort. Even though the bare ground is beginning to show in southern Maine, there is plenty of great snow cover throughout the mountains. Mt. Abram Resort, under new ownership, has stepped forward with 150 free adult lift tickets. "Where else can you bring the family and have the greatest time?" asked Art McNeally, Mt. Abram Resort's Marketing Director. "I can't wait to see the big smiles and watch everyone have fun on the mountain!" For more information about Mt. Abram Resort, please visit their website www.mtabram.com or contact Art McNeally, Mt. Abram Resort’s Marketing Director at 207.875.5000.
Employees preferring Nordic skiing or snowshoeing can visit Carter’s X-C Ski Centers in either Bethel or Oxford. "With over 25 years in the Nordic ski community, we are passionate about skiing here, and we like to share that passion with other people," explained Merri-Beth Bumpus. "We're happy to help WinterKids in any way we can. We enjoy meeting the families of Passport kids and we're delighted to be part of Sponsor Appreciation Day." For more information about Carter’s X-C Ski Centers, please visit their website www.cartersxcski.com or contact Dave Carter at 207.539.4848.
“Mt. Abram Resort and Carter’s have both been wonderful in offering this free day for employees of our WinterKids sponsors and corporate supporters,” states Fran Mullin, WinterKids Executive Director. “They really champion the mission of WinterKids with their participation in the Passport program, and now they are welcoming workers from the companies that fund our programs. We love that they are sharing their passion for winter and we appreciate their enthusiastic support for WinterKids.”
For more information about WinterKids Sponsor Appreciation Day, please contact Julie Mulkern at 207.871.5700, ext. 103. For more information about WinterKids, check out the website at www.winterkids.org.
WinterKids Expands Volunteer Program
March 11, 2009
PORTLAND, Maine: WinterKids is a unique nonprofit organization that is making winter fun for more children by expanding opportunities to volunteer. The rising number of obese and inactive children nationwide is a call to action to develop healthy active lifestyles for Maine children. Dr. Dora Anne Mills, Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention says, "Helping Maine children to get outside and enjoy winter is just what our state needs."
WinterKids is striving to increase their impact in Maine through school workshops, community events, and partnerships with outdoor recreation areas. WinterKids has been successful with diverse programs that reach out to families, schools, and communities throughout the state. They offer a fun, dynamic environment to volunteers who would like to make a difference by offering their passion, strengths, and talents. Volunteers may assist WinterKids with community events, educational workshops, or office support.
WinterKids is well known for its Passport program that allows 5th, 6th & 7th graders to participate in a variety of winter activities at outdoor recreation areas across the state. With the new WinterKids FunPass, children from preschool through 4th grade can go cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on groomed trails at over twenty locations for free. The WinterKids team devotes much of their time to the Active Academics Workshops in schools across the state. In the classrooms of K-8th graders, they introduce the WinterKids Guide to Outdoor Active Learning (GOAL) and train teachers how to incorporate outdoor physical activity into their lessons. WinterKids also reaches out to the immigrant and refugee community with its Welcome To Winter program that introduces outdoor winter fun to everyone, regardless of income, background, or experience.
Volunteers play an important role in spreading the mission of WinterKids to help children develop healthy lifelong habits through fun outdoor winter activity. WinterKids welcomes new volunteers to continue expanding their impact on children and families all across Maine. Depending on a volunteer's interest and talents, WinterKids offers a variety of volunteer roles including classroom facilitators for their Active Academics Workshops for K-8th graders, representatives at community events, WinterKids Passport Ambassadors, and administrative/technical support.
People with a passion for the outdoors and a desire to inspire Maine children to get outside in the wintertime have a new opportunity to help. WinterKids is offering fun orientations across the state to those interested in volunteering, and the time commitment is flexible. For more information contact Pete Phair at 871-5700 ext 106 or email him at pete@winterkids.org.
WinterKids Hosts 5th Annual Welcome To Winter Festival
January 22, 2009
PORTLAND, Maine: On Saturday January 31, 2009, WinterKids is hosting the 5th Annual WinterKids Welcome to Winter festival, a free event for local immigrant and refugee families, in Portland’s Payson Park from 12:30pm to 2:30pm.
Diverse businesses and community groups, including Portland Public Schools’ Multilingual Center, are coming together for the WinterKids Welcome to Winter festival to provide a helping hand to immigrant and refugee families in Maine. Climate, a new culture, and unfamiliarity with recreation opportunities provide challenges that may keep people inside during Maine's longest season. Many families new to Maine are experiencing winter for the first time and need assistance to help them learn how to properly navigate the cold, snow, and ice, and also how to have winter fun!
WinterKids will have information and activities geared around showing our newest residents how to properly dress and move in the winter, and how to enjoy outside activities in winter. All local immigrant and refugee families are invited to attend this free event. Local residents are also invited to welcome these new Mainers to winter.
L.L Bean Outdoor Discovery School Staff will bring snowshoes for trekking and offer tips for dressing in cold weather. Paricon has donated sleds so that families can try a thrilling ride down a snow covered hill. Let’s Go! and Healthy Portland are both adding to the fun with active games. Hannaford Supermarkets is providing healthy snacks and Time Warner Cable is serving up hot chocolate to keep the fun warm. And many of the immigrant and refugee families will stay warm after the festival is over thanks to clothing donated by SmartWool, Maine Running Company, and Horny Toad.
Dr. Elizabeth Rothe of Maine Medical Center will be on hand to answer medical questions about keeping safe and healthy in the wintertime. WinterKids volunteers will serve as helpers for snow person and fort building, sled riding, and fire pit tending. And WMTW Channel 8’s Jon Camp will serve as the festival’s master of ceremonies. WinterKids would like to thank Portland Public Schools’ Multilingual Center, Portland Parks and Recreation, the volunteers, our sponsors, and in-kind donors for helping Maine’s newest residents experience the joys and benefits of healthy, outdoor winter activity!
WinterKids is the nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Maine children develop healthy lifelong habits through fun outdoor, winter activity. WinterKids sponsors include Hannaford Supermarkets, Healthy Maine Partnerships, TD Banknorth, and Time Warner Cable. For more information, please visit www.winterkids.org.
WinterKids Announces New Program for 2008-2009 Winter Season
January 12, 2009
PORTLAND MAINE: WinterKids is pleased to announce an exciting new program, WinterKids FunPass, for the 2009 winter season. The FunPass offers Maine children in preschool through 4th grade the chance to try cross country skiing and snowshoeing for free at over twenty locations, and is available now at www.winterkids.org.
The WinterKids FunPass is a great opportunity for families with young children to get outside and active this winter. With a FunPass, eligible children receive three free trail passes at each of these participating areas: 10th Mountain Ski Center in Fort Kent, Beech Hill in Wayne, Black Mountain in Rumford, Caribou Ski Club in Caribou, Carter's XC Ski Center in Oxford and Bethel, Five Fields Farm in Bridgton, Harris Farm in Dayton, Lake George Regional Park in Skowhegan, Lost Valley Cross Country Center in Auburn, Millinocket Municipal XC Ski Area in Millinocket, Nordic Heritage Ski Center in Presque Isle, Pine Tree State Arboretum in Augusta, Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Rangeley Lakes XC Ski Club in Rangeley, Smiling Hill Farm in Westbrook, Spruce Mountain in Jay, Sugarloaf Outdoor Center in Carrabassett Valley, Sunday River Cross Country Ski Center in Newry, Bethel Inn Resort in Bethel, The Birches in Rockwood, and Titcomb Mountain in West Farmington.
The FunPass follows the success of the WinterKids Passport program, now in its twelfth year. The Passport, also available at www.winterkids.org, offers Maine 5th, 6th, and 7th graders free and discounted tickets, lessons, and rentals at downhill ski areas, cross country ski centers, snow tubing parks, and ice skating arenas across the state.
WinterKids is the nonprofit organization that helps children develop healthy lifelong habits through fun, outdoor winter activity. WinterKids programs are made possible thanks to the generosity of the following sponsors: Hannaford Supermarkets, Healthy Maine Partnerships, TD Banknorth, and Time Warner Cable. For more information, please visit www.winterkids.org.
