FARMINGTON — It’s nothing new for students to hold fundraisers such bottle drives or candy and food sales, but Mt. Blue High School’s alpine ski team has a unique event planned for Saturday.

The Mt. Blue Middle School gym, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on July 30 is the site of the first Mt. Blue Alpine Ski Team Community Mattress Fundraiser Sale.

That’s right, mattresses. They are new Restonic mattress sets in more than 15 styles with discounted prices.

It’s a first for Mt. Blue but other area high schools ski teams have realized success by promoting the sale, Mark Cyr, Mt. Blue alpine coach said.

He learned about it from Edward Little’s ski coach. Maranacook and Skowhegan ski teams are also holding sales this year.

The team is given a percentage for every mattress sold. A recent sale at Maranacook earned that team $6,000, Cyr said.

“The kids’ job is to get the word out,” he said.

Small orange signs have popped up on lawns and roadsides this week. Students are also putting out posters, fliers and talking to friends and family members, he said.

For every referral with a student’s name, the student skier can earn bonus points toward prizes in addition to the monetary percentage.

It sounds like a weird fundraiser but the company representative came armed with facts and information to show there is a market for mattresses, Cyr said. People tend to replace their mattresses every few years. If the sale on Saturday can tap in to just 10 percent of those people, the team has a good chance of earning extra funds even with the mattress sets discounted 30 to 60 percent.

The company will bring samples of various sizes and styles, including pillow top and orthopedic, to fill the gym, said Noelle Farrington, a mother of a ski -team member helping to promote the event.

People can pick one to buy that day then return to the same location next weekend to pick up their new set, she said.

The company doesn’t deliver. It has no overhead which is probably why it offers savings, Cyr said. The advertising is done by the athletes prior to the sale. There is no work for them to do Saturday.

“It’s a festive activity from what I hear,” he said.

“We wanted to provide the community with a service and raise some money,” Cyr said of the boys and girls alpine team which has shown their skills and talents winning several state championships. The girls team has won 16 out of 18 state championships and the boys, 14 out of 18, he said.

“It’s a successful team at Mt. Blue. Partly because there is a ski area in town but also because the community chips in. Parents of current members, alumni and alumni parents, oodles of people are there at the races to watch and to help,” he said.

He hopes the community will help raise funds this Saturday. The team of about 20 boys and girls will make a decision on where their profit is spent. Some would like to purchase new jackets. Some would like to help with costs of staying over while they mountain train at Saddleback during Christmas vacation and during the season, he said.

They’re trying to save the school some money. With the current renovation being undertaken at the high school, funds are limited, he said.

The sale takes place at the Middle School because of the renovation project at the high school.

Along with Facebook postings, emails and phone calls, team members will hold signs at Friday’s Summer Fest in downtown Farmington, Farrington said.

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