Over 300 skiing Santas took to the slopes over the weekend in western Maine for a good cause.
It was all part of Sunday River Resort's 24th Annual Santa Sunday, with hundreds of skiers and riders dressing up as Santa Claus and skiing down the Broadway trail. The event raised $9,000 for The River Fund Maine, a local nonprofit, according to Sunday River.
Each Santa had to preregister for the event, and wore the classic Santa attire: a red hat with a white pompom, a matching red Santa jacket and pants and a fluffy Santa beard. In exchange for their support and holiday spirit, Sunday River gave each person who participated a free lift ticket for the day and an extra lift ticket to be used for a future visit at the ski resort before the end of the year.
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"This event is a wonderful way to celebrate the season, but its true impact comes from the generosity of our mountain community,” Sunday River Resort President Dana Bullen said in a statement. “We’re honored to support partners like The River Fund Maine, and their mission, to create meaningful educational opportunities for local students."
The River Fund Maine, which benefitted from the proceeds raised at the event, is dedicated to strengthening the local community by investing in students and leveraging the region's recreational assets. Since 2018, it has awarded two $20,000 annual college scholarships.
