FARMINGTON — Selectmen this week approved placement of signs on town property honoring Mt. Blue High School championship ski teams pending review of sign language.
Mt. Blue High School senior and girls Nordic ski team captain Hannah Allen presented a request to the board Tuesday to consider placing signs on or near the town’s “Welcome to Farmington” signs.
A longstanding tradition of winning state ski championships deserves recognition, Allen told the board.
“There’s a lot of hardworking people and athletes (on the teams). It’s about time they received the recognition they deserve,” she said. “It’s not just about the team. It’s also about so many people who support them.”
Skiing at Titcomb Mountain since she was 4, Allen said there’s a program for young skiers from age 5 to 8, then a Middle School team and the high school teams.
Many of the teams over several years, including this year, have earned Class A State Championship titles with little recognition.
Allen and her parents, Beth and Doug, brought an idea for signs that read “Home of the Class A State Ski Champions Boys 2011, Girls 2011.”
The board had no problem with honoring the young skiers but were hesitant to name any particular year.
Selectman Nancy Porter researched her own children’s yearbooks and found ski teams dating back to 1985 who were defending their Class A Championship from the year before.
The board felt signs should reflect the local skiing legacy, including teams of the past, present and future by leaving the message dateless.
“I’m happy to see a student come and want to do this. That you take it upon yourself … and make an effort to do that impresses me,” Porter told Allen.
The Allens anticipate fundraising for the signs with the amount determining their size and number. There are four town welcoming signs on routes coming into town. Whether this sign could be attached to those or stand separately will also need to be determined.
The three members of the board at Tuesday’s meeting agreed to having signs, pending a review of the final wording.
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