Last December marked 29 years of New
Beginnings Transitional Living Program
(TLP) members going to Sugarloaf Ski Resort for their annual Adventure Challenge. This Adventure Challenge
trip began in 1991 when an employee
of New Beginnings with previous work
experience at Sugarloaf suggested the activity. The youth were willing, and Sugarloaf was, as always, ever so accommodating. Each year since its
inception Sugarloaf has provided hotel
accommodations, lift tickets, equipment
rentals and lessons for all participants, both youth and staff, in either skiing or snowboarding, making this one of New Beginnings most enjoyable trips.

In 2019 New Beginnings saw the most diverse group participate with youth from aftercare, Lewiston TLP/CLP, and Augusta CLP attending. Over the course of 29 years, roughly 210 youth have been involved in the experience. This year marked a first for participants with two youth repeating the trip. Neither one of them had skied prior to 2018 and took to the sport immediately.

The trip is a great break from reality for all participants starting off with dinner near Sugarloaf, then a night of cable TV or time in the hot tub, followed by a good night’s sleep. The next day they hit the slopes until it’s time to head back home.

Ethan May, Youth Development Coordinator for New Beginnings, has been on 25 of the 29 trips. According to Ethan, “Out of all the trips, I can’t name one incident as the most memorable. My favorite thing is just seeing the youths’ faces—the awe
and excitement of being in a luxury hotel and watching first-timers catch on to skiing and snowboarding.Those moments are the best.”