Local Student Access Program
Children in western Maine live in an area rich in outdoor activities and opportunities. Mt. Abram in Greenwood, Maine provides a space for year-round recreation with winter skiing and summer mountain biking. The Local Student Access Program will provide any student eligible to be enrolled in MSAD 44 with a winter season pass to Mt. Abram, providing access to recreation and education by allowing children to develop skills necessary to participate in sports that will provide a lifelong healthy, social, and active lifestyle.
Our Goals
Build
Promote education of healthy outdoor, physical activities for youth in the community
Enable
Reduce financial barriers for students and families.
Sustain
Collaboration with Mt. Abram as a regional employer and provider of access to outdoor recreation for youth and families in western Maine.
How it works
Although many of the children live within the shadow of local ski areas, few would have the chance to experience skiing or riding without financial assistance. Our funds have provided opportunities for children to learn to ski, train and compete in regional and national events, and access recreational opportunities to create healthy, active lifestyles. Since 2008, the Mt. Abram Ski Club (“MASC”) has distributed more than $215,000 in scholarships and grants to over 1,800 children and teens from low-income families in western Maine. The Local Student Access program allows us to expand our reach to an even greater number of youth in our community.
In partnership with Mt. Abram ski area and the Friends of Mt. Abram (“FOMA”), the Mt. Abram Ski Club will provide funding which will cover the cost of a Mt. Abram seasonal pass for every student within the MSAD44 school district including public, private and homeschooled students.
Initial funding for the program is provided for by The Mt. Abram Ski Club and FOMA from annual fundraisers. Grants have been submitted to government and private funding foundations to raise funds necessary to support the program. Members of the Mt. Abram community are encouraged and welcomed to participate in fundraising opportunities and events to support and sustain the program’s goals.
Grants and donations received will directly support the Local Student Access Program.
Sustainability of this program
Since its inception, MASC has been generously supported by the larger Mt. Abram community. MASC holds two major fundraisers each year as well as several smaller ad hoc events. MASC’s primary revenue source is the annual auction, held each winter at Mt. Abram.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the auction was a live event held in February, generating $12,000 on average. The last live auction in 2020 raised over $17,000 demonstrating the continued enthusiasm from the community for MASC’s efforts to support area youth. Prior sponsors of MASC’s programs include The Thomas Agency in Portland ($5,000 in 2014), the David and Carol Hancock Charitable Trust ($1,000 in 2014), and the Earl W. and Hildagunda A. Brinkman Charitable Foundation ($3,000 in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021).
Additional corporate sponsorships and donations will allow us to continue to fund and expand this program to provide the financial assistance needed for students to participate in this program. With access to recreational opportunities, children will learn new skills and engage in activities that promote education, physical activity, and love of the outdoors.
According to the 2010 census, 17.6% of Oxford County residents under the age of 18 live below the poverty line, and the median family income was $48,000. The need for funding to support opportunities for economically disadvantaged youth in the region far exceeds MASC’s capacity, but we are committed to doing all we can to open that door for as many children as possible.