Thank you, sponsors, and supporters, for helping us raise $45,000 at this year’s WinterKids License to Chill 11th Annual Fundraiser to kick off a busy winter season! We can’t thank you enough for your generosity.
TOTAL RAISED
WinterKids enjoyed another successful License to Chill event at Portland House of Music on Thursday, November 10th!
Presented by Mt. Abram, guests gathered at Portland House of Music to enjoy Allagash Brewing beer specials, Portland Pie pizza, Buffalo Wild Wings, and a special “Elvis” donut by Eighty8 Donut Cafe! Our favorite hosts, Blake & Kelly, from Coast 93.1’s The Blake Show, emceed the event and led our live auction. The night was capped off by a live performance with JC and The Elvis Experience.
All told, $45,000 was raised for WinterKids programs. Incredible! We couldn’t do it without YOU— our WinterKids family of sponsors, donors, auction bidders, and guests. Many thanks for kickstarting our winter season.
Here’s an inside peek at the evening’s festivities!
Thank you for helping our kids to:
- love winter outdoors
- develop healthy, lifelong habits
- become good stewards of their environment
- build their confidence and self-esteem
- enhance their connection to Maine’s natural heritage
- move more often during the school day with WinterKids-trained teachers
- make their schools healthier places to learn
- engage their communities in outdoor winter activities, and,
- involve their entire family in the joy and healthy benefits of being outside in winter!
Didn’t get a chance to sponsor a winter kid?
What does $250 do for a winter kid?
It supports an entire preschool classroom in doing a 6-week outdoor unit with the WinterKids Early Childhood Learn Outside Guide.
What does $100 do for a winter kid?
It supports a middle schooler from the greater Portland immigrant community to participate in a 12-week Portland Nordic program as part of the Mike & Barbara Peisner Nordic Fund.
What does $75 do for a winter kid?
It supports an elementary school teacher with course-credit virtual training and a copy of the WinterKids Learn Outside Guide – to get their entire classroom outside and active more often during the school day, in the winter and year-round, with outdoor lessons aligned to learning standards.
What does $40 do for a winter kid?
Gives a family of 5 a membership in WinterKids’ Mobile App to try new winter sports, with free offers and discounts at over 66 participating winter sports areas and retailers in Maine and New Hampshire!
thank you to our event sponsors!
Presenting Sponsor
Snowman Sponsors
Snowball Sponsors
Food & Beverage Partners
Event Partner
News & Photos
Looking for fun and easy ways to get outside with your kids this summer? We’ve gathered dozens of low-cost, high-smiles ideas. Perfect for porches, parks, and backyards, no special equipment required!
Our 2024/25 season wrap up celebrates a season of transitions and creating positive changes in the lives of Maine Children!
Gearing up to try new outdoor activities is becoming increasingly accessible to Maine families, thanks to this growing network of outdoor gear libraries and consignment shops.
The 2024/25 winter season has ended, and WinterKids is thrilled to announce the winners of our WinterKids App Photo Contest. We asked families to share their winter adventures through the WinterKids App, and we had a blast seeing so many smiles on trails and slopes across Maine!
At WinterKids, our volunteers are the heart of everything we do. Their time, energy, and love for the outdoors help create joyful, active winter experiences for children and families across Maine.
In honor of National Volunteer Week 2025, we’re proud to spotlight a few of the incredible people who make our work possible. From longtime supporters to new faces, each brings something unique to our community—and we’re so grateful for their dedication.
The 13th Annual Downhill 24 at Sugarloaf Mountain was one for the books! From impressive fundraising totals to non-stop skiing and snowboarding under the lights, this 24-hour challenge brought together an incredible community of winter athletes, fundraisers, and supporters. Check out the final results, top fundraisers, and an exclusive photo gallery celebrating the biggest winter fundraiser in Maine. Whether you skied, donated, or cheered from the sidelines—this event proved that when we come together, we make a difference for kids across Maine!
The final week of the WinterKids Winter Games brought plenty of excitement, creativity, and a whole lot of learning! With a focus on clouds, students explored the sky while continuing to build teamwork, school spirit, and outdoor winter enthusiasm.
We are beyond proud to share that our incredible Executive Director, Courtney Holub, has been named one of Coast 93.1’s 20 Outstanding Women of 2025!
Courtney’s leadership at WinterKids is inspiring children and families across the state to embrace the magic of winter through outdoor adventure, learning, and play.
Week 3 of the WinterKids Winter Games was filled with outdoor challenges focusing on WIND. Each day, students headed outdoors to make weather observations.
Week 2 of the WinterKids Winter Games focused on the theme of precipitation. In spite of some of the lowest temps of the season, students bundled up and headed outdoors to gather data for their weather charts. This week’s activities focused on taking accurate measurements – be it temperatures, snowfall amounts, or the size of a snow angel!
Greater Portland offers countless ways to rediscover the season’s charm. From snowshoeing through quiet trails to crafting with the kids in the backyard or even dancing in the snow, Maine winters remain as enchanting as ever.
This year’s program is buzzing with energy as schools across Maine participate in winter-themed activities designed to promote outdoor activity and community spirit. Over the next few weeks, we’ll share stories and images from these schools as they embrace outdoor education and learn how individual and collective actions impact our climate.
Our Welcome to Winter celebration at Lost Valley on December 19th brought together families from across the community for an unforgettable evening of winter fun. From snowshoeing and skiing to snow sculpting and cozying up with hot chocolate and s’mores, hundreds of kids and families embraced the joys of Maine’s winter season.
In the winter, it’s easy to fall into comfortable indoor habits, and WinterKids is a great starting point and access point for kids to get outdoors. When you’re outside and engaging in physical movement, all of that greatly benefits your mental well-being, physical health, ability to stay focused, and overall wellness.
We had an incredible time with everyone at our 13th Annual WinterKids License to Chill on Thursday, November 7th, 2024! This year’s event helped raise over $30,000 to support WinterKids programs.
It was a pleasure to share the WinterKids mission and chat about our exciting winter calendar of events with Danny Martignetti for Newsradio WGAN!
At these events, you can find great deals on quality gear for kids (and the whole family) and discover fun ways to try something new this winter.
We are elated to announce the appointment of Courtney Holub as the new WinterKids Executive Director. Courtney brings over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, with a focus on creating opportunities for diverse populations. Her extensive career has encompassed philanthropy, program development, leadership, and impactful board positions.
Announcing the 2024 WinterKids Downhill 24 Outdoor Fund Grantees to receive part of $25,000 being distributed across Maine.
In the summer of 2023, these organizations won the WinterKids Downhill 24 Outdoor Fund community vote, earning grants to promote healthy outdoor activities for children.