Houlton, ME

Everyone, I mean everyone in a small town in Maine that has followed their local team thru the regular season over winter, hopes the team makes the cut.

     In Northern Maine, the semi finals started this week at the Bangor Auditorium and when the home team is playing, not many people back in the home town to hold down the fort so to speak. Game is broadcast, but famlies, other teams, coaches, the band and cheerleaders all bee line to be courtside to see the event, win or lose. My job, son's in the hockey playoffs monday, but he is a drummer in the band so might as well capture the event on video for relatives out of state to watch. Intense local school spirit...small town proud with players representing your town that worked hard to get the chance to play on the floor of the Bangor Auditorium! Lady Shire's win yesterday below.

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   Okay, before you think of major league franchise owner, let's set the record straight.  We're talking little league franchise owner!  Back in 1980, there were 12 little league teams with sponsors in Houlton Maine.  I always thought it would be neat to sponsor one but the slots were full.  So I asked to be on a waiting list.  Well low and behold, one local team, Shop N Save decided that the little leaguers should earn the money for their uniforms and entry team fee.  I think many of these little guys are good to just locate a glove and don't need the extra pressure to pan handle or take away money from their household needed for other luxuries like school lunches, going to the movies, etc. So we "inherited" a super team that went on to be town champions that year. Bought them uniforms and pssst (come closer..whispering) I bought a new set of pin stripe suits that were sharp with logo and they did look a little like the Yankees in an area of Red Sox nation where Yankee fans are far and few but usually pretty out spoken.  At the time $1000 for the uniforms was pretty pricey but boy did they look sharp.  The team had a pitcher that was all over the infield too to keep from letting the game get away from him like little league can do when communication breaks down. When the right fielder goes into a sunshine, looking around kinda thinking about ice cream after the game mode and has left the ball park like Elvis has the building. The game which has a play that involves him after one more pitch but he has left the park momentarily thinking about what kind of ice cream he is ordering in three more innings.  He is already mentally at the Houlton Farms Dairy Bar..getting an early place in line in his head. The catcher for the team commented that Luke was hard on him, but his mom pointed out saying "Danny...Luke is no harder on you than he is himself".  A light bulb went on over Danny's catcher mitt as he realized he was putting out and not just dishing out.  There is nothing like watching your child, the kids of other friends, neighbors and business owners all together on a warm summer day enjoying the sun, talking, hooting and rooting for your home team.  Now the teams have a one look with different jerseys and hats but same gray pants to economize and streamline the league.  Here is a peek at some of the past teams we put in the fourth of july parade to recognize their effort thru cold spring practices and trips to the dairy bar to celebrate victories and to sooth the hurt of a loss in the final inning when they thought the game was in the bag. For colder weather entertainment, check out this video on Houlton Hodgdon Blackhawks You Tube game that was a good one we videoed.

What's a "Moosestomper's Weekend" and should we call animal right leaders to let them know about the event? No..."Moosestompers Weekend" is a celebration of winter..with fireworks, horse drawn sleigh rides, kids scrambling in different age groups thru piles of snow for hundreds of half dollars donated by local banks, snowsled club breakfasts and suppers and trail rides. The Wild Katahdin Snow Run foot race. Colored light parades with snowsled brought up thru Houlton's Main Street to a Bonfire, special dances and the "Moosestomper's Ball", youth events including human curling, human dog sled and sliding competition on Derby Hill. Hockey games, public skating..and the best part? It's free and put on by community minded local businesses and three area snowmobile clubs with the support of the local Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce.

The event was featured on Nickelodeon a few years back and the idea originated at Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, Maine. Colonel Allan Bean, the commander during the Loring AFB mothball when we became friends with the Russians and start dismantling bases around the country, became Houlton's town manager. He told the local Rotary Club and town council how much fun it was for the entire family during the middle of winter in the Caribou-Limestone Maine area and the idea sparked to continue the tradition in Houlton. It needed and got the support of the Linneus Sno Sports, Meduxnekage Ramblers in Littleton and the Smoki Haulers Sled Club in Oakfield. The Southern Aroostook Agricultural Museum also holds a public supper and had museum tours to make the event something for everyone. Horse drawn open sleigh rides for everyone too! Local merchants do their part with savings and incentives built around the "Moose is Loose" theme. The local public works puts up "Moose is Loose" signage and hard to drive thru Houlton and miss the banners, the local WHOU radio remotes and the Houlton Pioneer Times coverage of the event. When you live in the snowbelt of the northeast with what is ranked in the top four of state sled trail systems, the event is a shoe in to pull off with lots of volunteers helping make the fun for communities of Southern Aroostook and visiting winter enthusiasts. So when you hear "The Moose is Loose" and "Moosestomper's Weekend" don't think the worst and be calling the Humane Society or the Animal Rights People, it's a good thing to celebrate the midway point of winter. Prize drawings, free hot chocolate by the bon fires Friday and Saturday night, Poker Run trail rides, radar speed runs, demonstration of the real old pioneer snowsleds from back in the early 1960's on up. Free local movies....restaurant and lodging deals geared to involve the entire family. Cross country ski courses are also set up around the sled club and near the Houlton International Airport. Plus an ice fishing derby is another element of the weekend celebration so something for everyone involving all the fun events of winter in Aroostook County. Hockey games thru out the weekend involving tournaments and all age groups thru high school level are played continuously at the Millar Arena. The outdoor games and sliding are behind the arena so everything is centralized making it easy for parents to know where their youngsters are as the entire family enjoys the celebration. This event is a tradition in Houlton Maine! Plan to snowsled in "Moosestomper's Weekend" which is always the first weekend of February! Pictures from past Moosestompers!