PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Christmas may still be several weeks away, but the spirit of the holiday season clearly showed in the faces of numerous children and their families who hopped aboard a “train” to the “North Pole” this past weekend, courtesy of Wintergreen Arts Center.
On the night of Friday, Dec. 7, a group of around 30 children and their families waited anxiously inside Gentile Hall at the University of Maine at Presque Isle as the Wintergreen Express, also known in the community as “Molly the Trolley,” pulled up, the conductor Chad Brewer shouting “All aboard!”
The passengers were just one group of many this past weekend who became part of Wintergreen’s 7th annual “Wintergreen Express,” formerly called the “Polar Express,” based on the popular children’s book and film of the same name. As the trolley traveled through the neighborhood streets of Presque Isle, the children gazed in amazement at the bright Christmas lights and decorations that displayed in the front yards of many houses.
They soon arrived at Wintergreen, a place that 40 volunteers had transformed into the “North Pole,” complete with lively Christmas music, “elves” who served hot chocolate and sugar cookies and perhaps the most famous person in the room — Santa Claus.
“I asked Santa for Nerf guns,” said 9-year-old Kobe Argraves, of Fort Fairfield, when asked what he wanted for Christmas. Kobe rode to Wintergreen with his friend Dominic Andrews, 5, also of Fort Fairfield.
Throughout last Friday and Saturday evening hundreds of children like Kobe and Dominic continued what has become one of their favorite holiday traditions. Sisters Riley and Charlie Powers, of Chapman, visited the arts center via the Wintergreen Express for their second year in a row.
Five-year-old Riley said that her favorite part of the evening was “riding the train.”
“I think this will become a tradition for us,” said the girls’ mother, Vicki Powers. “Wintergreen does an amazing job and the kids always enjoy it.”
Over the past seven years the Wintergreen Express, which is sponsored by Katahdin Trust Company, has expanded from a one weekend event to two weekends, the second of which will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 14 and from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15.
“We’ve grown from having around 300 people total ride the trolley during the first year to having 1,500 people this year,” said Kim Guerrette-Michaud, chair of Wintergreen’s board of directors.
The number of returning and first-time volunteers has also grown to include everyone from 6th grade “elves” to high school and college students as well as Wintergreen’s own board members and regular volunteers. Michaud most enjoys the community aspect of the event, especially when children express joy over seeing their Christmas wishes come to life.
“When I ask the kids if they’re enjoying themselves, there’s always this sparkle in their eyes,” Michaud said. “For them it’s all about the magic of Christmas.”
Wintergreen still has 50 tickets available for next weekend’s Wintergreen Express, which are for round trips from UMPI to the arts center and back. People can purchase tickets online at http://www.wintergreenarts.org/wordpress/, by phone at (207) 762-3576 or at Wintergreen’s 149 State Street location in Presque Isle.
