PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A day of skiing, food and fun is just what Quoggy Jo needed to kick off its capital fundraiser.
Quoggy Jo Ski Center held its capital fundraising event on Saturday, March 26, at the hill. The mountain was open for skiing from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., while J&R Barbecue served hot food from its truck, and Too Far North kept the mood up with some live music.
The goal of the event was to raise money for several capital improvements at Quoggy Jo. While helping to pay for general upkeep, money also will go toward purchasing a new selection of skis, particularly in the teen and adult sizes, updating the lighting on the mountain for improved night skiing and restarting the after-school ski program next season. Quoggy Jo wants to raise $50,000 before the next ski season to accomplish these goals. From this event alone, Quoggy Jo estimates that they raised approximately $4,000.
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — March 26, 2022 — The band Too Far North playing music for attendees at Quoggy Jo’s capital fundraiser event. from left; Melissa Hall, Sherry Calhoun, Beth Hunter, Kevin Huston, Ben Lothrop, John Simonoff and Joel Hall. (David DiMinno | The Star-Herald)
The day was a warmer welcome than the other chilly days earlier in the month, bringing out strong crowds by mid-day. When the parking filled up at Quoggy, shuttles were available to bring people over from the Nordic Heritage Center.
The event brought out dozens of families who were all looking for some fun on the slopes, including Daniel Hapgood and his family, who came to enjoy all the activities at the hill.
“We like to come out here as often as we can,” Hapgood said. “It’s a great family activity for us. My son has been having a great time dancing on the hill all day. It’s a great local place and we don’t live very far away, and this is a great grand finale for the end of the season.”
Too Far North donated their time to performing at Quoggy at their first outdoor concert in the winter. Drummer Ben Lothrop said the band was happy to help.
“Too Far North was happy to help Quoggy Jo with this fundraiser,” Lothrop said. “It’s a great resource for kids and the community during the winter months. We’ve never played outside in the winter before, so it’s certainly an experience we won’t soon forget.”
Inside, Quoggy volunteers were cooking pizza, grilled cheese and hot dogs, with the sweet smell of fresh baked brownies filling the lodge and enticing hungry skiers.
The day concluded with a fireworks display sponsored by John J. Harvell with State Farm. Each explosion was met with cheers from the crowd all the way to the explosive finale.
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Fireworks being set off from the top of the hill at Quoggy Jo Ski Center during their capital fundraiser event. (David DiMinno | The Star-Herald)
With the success of the event, Quoggy Jo board Chairperson Chris Kilcollins said this would become an annual event at the mountain. According to Kilcollins, the event went very well, and the hill saw roughly 400-500 people at its peak.
“We just want to thank the community for their support of Quoggy Jo,” Kilcollins said. “We are completely volunteer run so we are always looking for new volunteers. If anyone is still willing to donate, donations are always accepted as that is how we keep our programs running and our costs low.”
Correction: In a previous version of this story, Too Far North drummer Ben Lothrop was incorrectly identified as the band’s lead guitar player and vocalist.
