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Memory of Teen Maine Skier Lives on at Shawnee Peak

December 15, 2009 - BRIDGTON -- How do you turn tragedy into something truly positive? When your 15-year-old son is suddenly taken away in a horrific car crash, with you as witness, how do you heal? How do you return to your favorite things, like skiing, when there are such painful memories?

Cooper Campbell, a freshman at Cheverus in 2008, loved to ski. In April of 2008, Cooper and his father, Stephen, were hit by a drunken driver traveling the wrong way on the Maine Turnpike. Steven Campbell of Scarborough lost his only son in that accident; his wife had died of cancer in 2005.

In honor of Cooper's memory, next Sunday, Dec. 20, will be Cooper Campbell Day at Shawnee Peak. Ski and snowboard lessons, rental equipment and lift tickets will be free for the first registered 75 kids and their parents (already filled) to learn the sport that gave Cooper so much joy. Shawnee Peak is generously donating its services, instruction, equipment and lift privileges for the day.

Steven Campbell describes his son's legacy and the words Cooper lived by as "live, love, listen, laugh, learn and leave a mark." Campbell generously donated $10,000 to WinterKids earlier this year in Cooper's memory at a fundraising evening with Seth Wescott. "Cooper would have thought it was mind-blowing that his name was uttered on the same evening as Seth Wescott," Campbell said. "In Coop's words, he would have been incredibly psyched."

The donation to WinterKids will leave a mark in Cooper's name, establishing The Cooper Campbell Fund, to provide other Maine kids with an opportunity to try the sport that Cooper loved so much. "Cooper was a true WinterKid; this is what he loved," said his father.

Fran Mullen, executive director of WinterKids, said, "The story of Cooper Campbell is truly tragic, but with Cooper Campbell Day we are celebrating his life and his love of skiing. Keeping it positive will help the family heal, and bring more kids and their parents out to enjoy the slopes. We are planning a super fun day at Shawnee Peak from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. with skiing, snowboarding, prizes and music. I expect there will be very positive energy at the event."

WinterKids is a nonprofit organization committed to helping Maine children develop healthy lifelong habits through fun, outdoor winter activity. Last winter, WinterKids' programs reached more than 8,000 Maine kids with their "get healthy, get outdoors in winter" initiatives.

WinterKids began in 1997 with one program, The Fifth Grade Passport, designed to get Maine kids to participate in the healthy sport of skiing to combat poor fitness, cabin fever and obesity. The passport allows fifth-grade students to try skiing, for free, at Maine's many ski areas. That first WinterKids program has since been emulated by states across the country, and has expanded in Maine to include cross country, snow tubing, ice skating and snowshoeing privileges for fifth-, sixth- and seventh-grade students with discounts for parents and siblings.

WinterKids has grown to offer additional programs, including the World Class Athlete Tour with Olympians like Seth Wescott touring Maine schools to talk to students about the benefits of participating in skiing and snowboarding. WinterKids also orchestrates "Welcome to Winter" events that introduce refugees in Maine to the fun of playing in snow and provide instruction for winter sports.

WinterKids operates on donations, contributions and sponsorships. Previously donations have been made by Stephen King (The Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation), the footwear company New Balance, L.L. Bean, TD Bank, TimeWarner, Hannaford and Maine ski areas.

"At Shawnee Peak we have been offering two days of 'Free Learn to Ski & Ride' clinics on the weekend before Christmas for a few years now," said Melissa Rock, spokeswoman for Shawnee Peak. "WinterKids approached us with the idea of dedicating one of the days to remembering and celebrating Cooper Campbell and his love of winter. What better way to celebrate skiing than teaching a whole new crop of kids?"

Mullen of WinterKids said, "Our goal with Cooper Campbell Day at Shawnee Peak is to introduce kids and families to the sport of skiing or snowboarding, so they can get outside, get active and have fun together in the mountains more in winter. We think Cooper Campbell would be psyched about that."

HEATHER BURKE, Portland Press Herald, December 10, 2009


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