AUBURN – Championship skiers can’t perform in a vacuum. Any hall of fame touting their accomplishments would feel empty without equal recognition of coaches, volunteers, inventors, ski resort operators, founding fathers, even journalists.

Now preparing for its fourth induction ceremony, the Maine Ski Hall of Fame has taken that inclusiveness to a new level. The Hall is set to add a whopping 10 achievers to its ring of honor in tonight’s annual ceremony at Lost Valley.

One of those honorees, ski jumping champion Norm Cummings of Auburn, is preparing his second acceptance speech after gaining entrance to the Auburn/Lewiston Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. No self-promoter, Cummings was given a blank check to speak for an hour at that event. He came up at least 45 minutes short.

“This time they want to keep things moving along, so I’m told there will be a two-minute warning for everyone,” Cummings said. “I’ve assured them they won’t have to worry about me.”

Cummings, who graduated from Edward Little High School and Middlebury College on his way to a combined five Olympic and World Championship trials, shares room at a crowded head table that will pack a distinct local flavor.

Legendary cross country competitor, coach, organizer and official Ray Broomhall of Rumford and the Chisholm Ski Club will enter the Hall this weekend along with Charles Akers of Andover, an NCAA champion at the University of Maine who competed in two Olympic Games in cross country and biathlon.

Akers is one of two area Olympians in this year’s class. The other is Jack Lufkin, who starred at Stephens High in Rumford and Fort Lewis (Colo.) College before landing a spot on the Olympic cross country team in 1968.

Dick Gould was Maine’s collegiate cross country champion at Bates College in 1937. After graduation, he coached the Nordic teams at Farmington High School for 24 seasons.

Peter Webber was heavily involved as a businessman and board member in transforming Sugarloaf/USA into one of the premier ski resorts in the East. John Christie (Sugarloaf and Saddleback) and Fletcher Brown (Sugarloaf, Bigelow, Cannon Mountain) were also leading organizers in the local ski industry.

Irv Kagan will be recognized for his efforts as a godfather of freestyle skiing. Longtime ski writer and broadcaster George Ouellette rounds out the Class of 2005.

“What makes this different from other Halls of Fame is that they really make an effort to recognize everyone,” Cummings said. “That includes the volunteers, the judges, the ski patrol guys. It’s quite a gig.”