Downhill 24 Outdoor Fund Nominee Grid

The 2020 WinterKids Winter Games got 32 Maine schools (2 in every county in Maine), including 7,332 kids and 1087 teachers and support staff (superintendents, principals, vice principals, school nutrition, guidance, maintenance, bus drivers, and more) to take their classrooms outside this winter, learning, playing, and taking advantage of the magic that is Winter in Maine!

This year, more than ever, kids and teachers were happy to get outside and play in the WinterKids Winter Games. 7,275 children and 304 teachers in 125 schools & communities participated in the 2021 Games!

Between January 17-February 11, 2022, over 11,000+ students, teachers, and families participated in the 5th Annual WinterKids Winter Games, by completing 4 weeks of “Olympic Games” themed WinterKids outdoor learning challenges!

The 6th annual WinterKids Winter Games involved 16 schools competing statewide to win cash prizes for their schools, while other schools played along at their own pace! This year’s theme was “My Wild Winter.”

Between January 8-February 2, 2024, over 10,000+ students, teachers, and families participated in the 7th Annual WinterKids Winter Games by completing four weeks of WinterKids outdoor learning challenges!

This grant allowed for the purchase of 10 sets of snowshoes and travel bags to help ensure ease of delivery throughout the county. This was the first step in building a stainable plan for outdoor winter recreation offerings and were added to our lending library resource, which is a lending system for all ACAP physical activity and nutrition resources available to children, families, and organized groups including early childhood education sites.

Bangor Parks and Recreation purchased 4 mountain bikes of different sizes that will be used for many years to come.

Excerpts from an interview with Stephanie Nadeau, School Nurse at Dr. Levesque Elementary on the impact the WinterKids Winter Games had on their school.

Excerpts from an interview with Marni Crowley, 5th Grade Teacher at Jonesport Elementary on the impact the WinterKids Winter Games had on their school.

We hold two winter events – Family Ice Fishing Day and Winter Camp. Family Ice Fishing Day is a free public event where everything is provided to have an enjoyable day of ice-fishing. All holes, tip-ups, bait and a hot dog lunch are provided at no expense. WinterKids grant monies were utilized for supplies needed to make the events a success!

Mariners Soar! used the Downhill 24 funds to purchase repair tools and a storage shed for our school’s new mountain bikes, which are used by every DISES middle schooler, as well as students in grades 3 and up in the after school program at all of our sites- Deer Isle, Sedgwick, and Brooklin- at least once a week from September-December and March-June.

The WinterKids Downhill 24 Outdoor Fund grant went directly to supporting Pine Tree Camp’s open door policy, allowing Maine children with disabilities the opportunity to have barrier-free outdoor access through traditional summer camp programming and family programming in all four seasons – regardless of their ability to pay tuition.

Excerpts from an interview with Nancy Stover, Principal at Prescott Memorial School on the impact the WinterKids Winter Games had on their school.

This $500 award was used to help support the Quarry Road Ski Club’s youth Nordic ski program, which helped 65 kids get outside and active this winter in central Maine.

Rangeley Lakes Regional School was so pleased to receive the Downhill 24 Outdoor Fund grant for this year. We used the funds to help support our students get outside in fun and motivating ways.

We used the $5K to purchase stand up paddle boards for the community. We were able to purchase 5 of the 10′ boards from L.L. Bean. These also came with the appropriate paddles and leashes.

South Portland Middle School used their $10,000 grant through the 2023 Downhill 24 Outdoor Fund to purchase XC Ski gear, allowing them to expand their after school ski program.

The money we received from WinterKids supported our Fall programs to connect Maine’s middle and high school students with the outdoors. We work with 62 middle and high schools across Maine in every county except Knox.

The Downhill 24 Outdoor Fund grant was used to purchase a rope tow, revitalize the Millinocket Ski Tow. This project will go live for use December 2024. The rope tow will be free for use of anyone in the region.

Despite a very wet, and often snowless season, WinterKids has
enjoyed another successful year of getting kids of all ages outside
and active. Our impact in Maine is incredible – we are reaching
over 45,000 kids, family members, and teachers in all 16 counties
with programs designed to help kids be active outdoors at school,
at home, and in all the places they love to play – including at over
60 participating winter sports partners across the state.

A little rain did not stop over 300 smiling faces from coming out to enjoy WinterKids’ Welcome to Winter at Lost Valley on Thursday, December 28, 2023. We were proud and honored to bring this annual, free, open-to-the-public event to the Lewiston Auburn community!

An incredible time was had by all at our annual WinterKids Welcome to Winter celebration at Lost Valley! This year’s Welcome to Winter celebration was brought to you by Darn Tough.

Families enjoyed Snowshoeing (courtesy of L.L. Bean), Nordic skiing (courtesy of NENSA), snow sculpting, and fun outdoor games with Healthy Androscoggin, Teens to Trails, and Central Maine Adaptive Sports, all while enjoying hot chocolate (courtesy of Aroma Joe’s Coffee) and s’mores. Lost Valley helped provide a winter edition of Touch a Truck, allowing children to get up close to a Snow Cat, and we even gave away sleds, thanks to our friends at Flexible Flyer.

And, of course, WinterKids’ Welcome to Winter would not be complete without appearances from our favorite mascots: L.L. Bear, Oakie (from Oakhurst Dairy), and Beacon (from the Maine Mariners)!