NEWRY – Maine Handicapped Skiing, the state’s largest year-round adaptive recreation program for adults and children with physical disabilities, had its best fundraising event in its 25-year history, raising $329,012 in pledges at the 22nd annual Ski-A-Thon on March 24 at Sunday River Ski Resort and Sunday River Inn and Cross Country Ski Center.

The top fundraising team, Both Sides of the Pond, won the grand prize for fundraising with a record-breaking $31,296, earning a five-day skiing package for five at an eastern ski resort.

Andrew Pipe, for the second year in a row, was the top individual fundraiser at $24,836, winning two round-trip airline tickets from Jet Blue. Pipe, a part-time resident of Bethel, comes from London to ski with the Maine Handicapped Skiing program every winter.

More than 630 skiers and riders and 135 volunteers from Maine and New England participated in the Ski-A-Thon. Highlights of the event included free massages all day by the massage therapists of the Maine Sports Massage Team, an on-slope obstacle course, built and operated by the Parrot Head Club of Maine and a fun race at the Monday Mourning Race Course.

Mark Duhamel, 20-year volunteer at Maine Handicapped Skiing, was given the organization’s highest honor, the 110 percent award, given to an individual, business or organization who has provided extraordinary service to MHS.

Duhamel has been a volunteer instructor at Sugarloaf and Sunday River Ski Resort and has been instrumental in bringing many new participants to the MHS program.

The Gorham Fire Department edged out 14 other teams to take first place in the 17th annual firefighters race. Their winning time was 29.55 seconds and the margin of victory was two and half seconds faster than second-place Bethel. Last year’s winner, the Portland Fire Department, took third.

Firefighters in full gear raced down a giant slalom course on the Tempest Trail, toting 50 feet of fire hose.

At the bottom of the course at the White Cap Base, the Eat The Heat Chili Cook-Off was under way. Ten teams offered up their best batches of chili. Selected as number one was Gringo Harry’s of Newry, with Gridiron’s Restaurant of Lewiston taking second along with the people’s choice award.

To learn more about Maine Handicapped Skiing’s adaptive recreational program for adults and children with physical disabilities, call 800-639-7770, e-mail [email protected] or check out www.skimhs.org.