HOULTON, Maine — Local business owners once again showed their support for the annual Moosestompers Weekend with stunning results. Jim Brown, event chairman, said “if we didn’t have our sponsors for support, we wouldn’t be able to do it. The whole event is supported by sponsors. It just takes a phone call and everybody is willing to help me out.”
And, so they did. Walter Goodrich, owner of Goodrich Jewelry, donates awards for winners of various competitions. “I supply them with all their plaques and engraving needs. And, I have little trophies for some of their events. It’s my way of giving something to the event for the town and the kids. So, that’s my contribution toward it.”
The Half-dollar Scramble for Kids has the prize built into the competition. Banks donate half-dollar pieces which children can keep after they find the coins buried in mounds of snow. Robert Faulkner, vice president and manager at Key Bank, said: “We’ve had an annual commitment to the half dollar scramble event. It’s always a pleasure for us to continue to do that. I think it’s a very popular event and we feel its our way to give back to the community.”
Tim McAtee said Alyssa Gould won the big prize at the Sawdust Prize Search — a stuffed animal —donated by the North Country Cruisers who sponsor that event similar to the scramble. Other prizes like French fry certificates were donated by the local Burger King and McDonald’s restaurants. Instead of cash, children search for coupons telling them what they have won.
As for the impact of the weekend’s events on Houlton, Faulkner said: “In February, in northern Maine, typically it’s a slower time of year. Anytime you can host an event, advertise it and get people to come here, you’re creating an element of excitement.”
And, there was plenty of enthusiasm over the cold, windy weekend. Although there are no official estimates on numbers for the entire event, Houlton Police Department Lt. Dan Pelletier said: “people were coming and going all day Saturday with about 300-500 at any point.” Pelletier also said “everyone had a great time.”
New this year, was G-Force Laser Tag, sponsored by Bangor Savings Bank. Christine Nickerson, vice president and northern area sales manager, said the bank opted for a higher level of sponsorship than previous years. “We wanted to get a little more involved in Moosestompers than we have in the past because we feel it is a great opportunity for families to get out and spend some time together. It fits very well with supporting this community’s events.”
Money collected from the game’s proceeds, according to Nickerson, will be split into donations for St. Mary’s Food Pantry and the Just for Kids Program. Nickerson gives a lot of credit to Brown for Moosestompers’ continuing success. “I would like to thank Jim Brown for his time and effort because without his dedication, I’m not sure it would be at the caliber that it is right now. He has definitely been an integral part of this and it brings a lot of people to the area year after year.”
Brown and his committee don’t sit on their laurels. Getting the word out, even on a known commodity, is still important. Greg Swallow, vice president of marketing for F.A. Peabody Company, explained that his company “has always been involved. We promote it on our marquee and we donate towards it monetarily. And, we host the Web site for them in addition to being a basic sponsor.”
David Rairdon, owner of Rairdon’s Bait Shop, has sponsored an annual ice-fishing derby for six years and said “it has grown every year at the qualifying lakes — Nickerson, Bradbury, Drews, Cochran and Mill Pond. Right now I have over 50 door prizes for this year alone.”
“I have steak dinners from Grammy’s and a savings bond from McPartland Plumbing and Heating. We try to give that to a kid. I make no money on the derby itself. The only money I make is when they buy the bait from me because I sell live bait. It’s been a long tradition to have an ice fishing derby. But, it has to be non-profit.”
Rairdon said prizes are given out in several categories for children and adults. “I go to area businesses for prizes. For example, I got an oil change from Sears, six combination pizzas from High Street Grocery. A Food Trend car wash, everyone will give me something.” On top of those prizes, there are raffles that Rairdon sells for the cash prizes.”
Lori Weston, executive director of the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce said: “The business community gains by people who attend, and it brings folks into the community for a weekend of family fun.”
“Business sponsorship has been wonderful and we want to see it grow. We put it on our Web site, promote it, and work with the event to arrange advertising. It’s one of the few outdoor organized family events for the winter months that Houlton has. It grows in popularity every year. We have things that are just total fun, family events. This year it was excellent. As cold as it was with the wind, there was a steady crowd and it was a lot of fun.”
