To kick off the Maine winter sport season and enjoy the newly fallen snow, HVNC is hosting a cross-country ski clinic for children ages 4-12, Sat., Jan. 5 from 9:30-11 a.m. All skill levels are welcome.
Children will have the opportunity to play group games on skis, build comfort, agility and skills, meet the coaches, spend healthy time outdoors, enjoy the miles of nature center trails and winter wildlife, drink cocoa, and learn about this new club and project of 8-year-old Whitefield homeschooler Eoin O’Mahoney, a fan of HVNC and cross-country skiing.
Coaches Kolleen Cass, Annie Nixon, and Kelley Kasper will be on hand to lead the kids and hopefully grow their enthusiasm for the sport by making it a fun, creative group activity.
Cass is the School Health Coordinator for AOS 93 and has skied since she was seven years old, growing up in New Hampshire. During high school she competed on her school team in skate and traditional styles. Nixon also started skiing at age seven, has led winter ski trips for the Chewonki Foundation for middle and high school students as well as guided backcountry ski trips for adults in Wyoming and is a Waldorf teacher.
Kasper is also a long-time skier, and outdoor educator for Maine Outward Bound and other programs. She is currently the new teaching intern at Juniper Hill School for the pre-k and kindergarten programs as part of her studies in environmental and experiential education.
After this initial kickoff clinic, the club will meet for a total of five Saturdays in January and February if trail conditions stay good. The cost is $35 per child ($25 for siblings), and for HVNC members the cost is $25 ($15 for siblings). Scholarships and assistance are available for the club as well as for ski equipment.
To register for the kickoff and for more information, contact Kristin Stone at 549-5674, kmohrstone@yahoo.com or Kolleen Cass kcass@aos93.org. For directions and more information about Hidden Valley Nature Center located in Jefferson, please visit www.hvnc.org.
