Celebrating Our WinterKids Volunteers: National Volunteer Week 2025

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.

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Angel Brackett – Inspiring the Next Generation of WinterKids

Angel Brackett, a senior at the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) majoring in Health Promotion & Wellness, is currently interning with WinterKids, bringing her passion for childhood development and outdoor education to the team. Her commitment to supporting children stems from personal experience growing up in Maine, where her love for winter sports began. “I want to be the person I needed when I was younger,” she says.

Angel is also an accomplished athlete. At the 2025 U.S. Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) National Championships, she placed 9th in the women’s slopestyle event, helping UMF secure a 4th-place team finish.

With over a decade of experience working with children, Angel has taught skiing and snowboarding at Titcomb Mountain and supported early childhood learning as a teacher at Parkside Children’s Learning Center. Whether on the slopes or in the classroom, she is committed to ensuring all kids have access to opportunities that help them grow and thrive.

We’re lucky to have Angel on the WinterKids team this season!

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Elise Bridge – 17 Years of Giving Back

For nearly two decades, Elise Bridge has been a dedicated WinterKids volunteer, helping to inspire the next generation to get outside and embrace Maine’s winters. A longtime supporter of our mission, Elise first started volunteering by assisting with data entry and mailings at our old Exchange Street office.

She soon became a familiar face at events like the early days of the Downhill 24 and Cooper Campbell Day at Shawnee Peak.

Why does Elise give her time to WinterKids? “Getting our younger generations off the screens and out in nature has amazing positive impacts on their physical, mental, and emotional well-being,” she shares. “Starting young creates lifelong healthy habits and connections to our great state and planet.”

Elise’s passion for outdoor experiences runs deep. She spent her childhood outside; her parents even required her to complete an outdoor adventure camp before getting her driver’s license! That adventurous spirit has taken her up the Appalachian Trail and to the summits of Mt. Meru and Kilimanjaro.

We’re so grateful for her continued support and the joy she brings to WinterKids.

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Kaitlyn & Tony Nuzzo – Bringing the Fun to Downhill 24

Tony and Kaitlyn Nuzzo are two of our standout WinterKids volunteers, bringing unmatched energy and enthusiasm to the Downhill 24 every year. They love the event’s energy, the friendly team rivalries, and the incredible spirit of the WinterKids staff and volunteers, who make a cold night on the mountain something to celebrate.

Kaitlyn has been volunteering since 2018, and Tony joined soon after.

WinterKids has been a part of their lives in more ways than one. Tony first encountered us as a kid with the WinterKids Passport (now the WinterKids App), which helped him learn to ski, and Kaitlyn discovered WinterKids through her work organizing the Great Maine Outdoor Weekend.

The Nuzzos’ dedication and love for the outdoors make events like the Downhill 24 extraordinary. We’re lucky to have them on the team!

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Elizabeth (Liz) Rothe – Championing Outdoor Wellness for Kids

Liz Rothe works as a sports medicine physician at Maine Dartmouth Family Medicine Residency and Sports Medicine Fellowship and serves as the head team physician at Colby College. Her involvement with WinterKids began in 2008, when she volunteered at local schools alongside our Education Director, Marion Doyle, to help educate kids on staying safe and warm in the snow.

Over the years, Liz has also enjoyed volunteering at Welcome to Winter. “Even on rainy years, WinterKids has put on a fun, popular event, and I am always happy to be a part of it,” she says.

Liz believes that being active is a huge part of keeping kids healthy. In a world of screens and schedules, she’s passionate about getting children outdoors during Maine’s winters. Her support helps keep our programs vibrant and focused on wellness.

Thank you, Liz, for your continued commitment to healthy kids and joyful winters!

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Sandra Boutin – Spreading the Joy of WinterKids

Sandra lives in Standish and works at REI in Westbrook. She first got involved with WinterKids four years ago, inspired by our mission to help kids and families get outside and stay active in winter.

Sandra now volunteers at the License to Chill fundraiser in November and the Welcome to Winter event in December at Lost Valley.

Her warmth, dedication, and enthusiasm are gifts to our team and every family she meets. We’re so grateful for the energy she brings to WinterKids.

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Ernesta Kennedy – Creating a Warm Welcome for WinterKids Families

Ernesta began volunteering with WinterKids about five years ago, supporting office projects and helping prepare for the Winter Games. Working in RSU14—the Windham Raymond Schools—she connected quickly with our mission and felt at home with our team’s positive, joyful spirit.

As a stay-at-home mom at the time, the chance to contribute on a flexible schedule made volunteering an easy fit. She says the welcoming nature of the WinterKids staff and the feeling that her time truly mattered kept her coming back.

We’re thankful for Ernesta’s kindness, care, and continued support.