Auburn Ski Association (ASA) is a nonprofit organization providing financial support for Alpine and Nordic race programs at Edward Little High School and the Auburn Middle School, as well as the Lost Valley Racing Club, and Central Maine Adaptive Sports. ASA also provides scholarships and purchases equipment for area teams and clubs and supports an after school learn-to-ski program at Lost Valley for Auburn grade school students through the Merrick Chadbourne Memorial Fund.
This program has been a great success and we were able to teach 70 local elementary age kids last year. Each week for four weeks the kids are provided transportation to and from Lost Valley from their elementary school, a group lesson, a lift ticket, and ski rentals. This is provided at a cost per child of $75.00 with the large remaining expenses underwritten by the Merrick Chadbourne memorial fund (managed by the ASA) and Lost Valley.
The goal of this program is to give kids the opportunity to be introduced to skiing and get out and be active during the long winter months here in Maine. While for some this may seem a luxury, for many Mainers it is a way of life.
Merrick loved to ski and would suggest to anyone he met that they should learn also, so it is especially fitting this program continue to be funded in his name. Miles and Melinda affectionately refer to the participants of the program as “Merrick’s Kids”.
The ASA and Lost Valley along with Miles and Melinda wish to continue fundraising for the Learn to Ski Program in Merrick’s name. We hope you will make a donation to the Merrick Chadbourne Memorial Fund and help continue our efforts to provide healthy and fun winter activity to kids in the Auburn/Lewiston area.
The ASA is a 501C-3 Corporation and your donation (or your business donation) to this program is fully tax deductible.
Thank you for your support .
Sincerely, Miles Smith and Melinda Chadbourne, Merrick’s mom and dad, Auburn Ski Association Members
