Community Involvement

Wilderness House prides itself to be a productive member of every community where it operates. This deep and enduring commitment to youth, persons with handicaps, the environment, responsible citizenship, and new business incubation is central to its mission. Critical responsibilities to serve the public manifest themselves in selfless actions by the entire WH team.

WinterKids (Founded 1997)
Wilderness House enthusiastically partners with WInterKids in enabling nearly 10,000 Maine children and families to develop healthy lifelong habits through outdoor winter activities. With donations of financial resources, equipment, facilities, and the crucial ingredient of volunteered time, WH stands shoulder-to-shoulder with WinterKids in service to youth across Maine.

Maine Handicapped Skiing (Founded 1982)
Wilderness House-Newry provides a base for Maine Handicapped Skiing to provides access to various thrilling outdoor activities for those with physical limitations, always refusing to let anyone be defined by their disabilities. WH provides permanent office space for MHS, equipment rentals, and 40km of trails groomed by the Sunday River XC Center.

Youth Enrichment Services (Founded 1968)
Wilderness House is delighted to assist the great work by YES, a Boston-based organization that has taught 100,000 urban kids how to “achieve and believe” by taking them to outdoor activities that have expanded their world. From Boston through Portland to the Maine mountain resorts, WH plays an active supporting role.

Environmental Involvement
Wilderness House recognizes that everyday company operations impact the environment. Because its products and services utilize nature for recreational purposes, the company must be cognizant of impacts resulting from supplier, retailer, and customer activities. Through newly implemented efforts to track, analyze, and conserve energy use, WH is becoming a more environmentally friendly citizen of New England.

Moguls Advisory Partnerships (MAP) (Founded 2009)
Mission: An integral community-service arm of SnowConnect, Inc., the operator of Wilderness House, MAP actively encourages the development of innovative business and civic initiatives for the advancement of Western Maine. Constructive ideas are nurtured and ultimately implemented through discussion, research and planning, assisted by experienced consultants at Moguls Advisory Partnerships.

The Eight-Stage Process: Guidelines and milestones for submitting ideas for development…

  1. First Stage… Inspiration for the project and establishing contact with MAP: The person with an idea to create a business venture or civic program in Western Maine contacts Moguls Advisory Partnerships to begin an informal relationship.
  2. Second Stage… Freeing the imagination and feeding the dream: At the opening meeting, the boundaries of the concept are explored and challenged to clarify the salient aspects.
  3. Third Stage…Researching the competitive landscape: After further communication, the budding entrepreneur begins background research on the Net and in the area through visits, phone calls, and observation.
  4. Fourth Stage…Committing to a business proposal: Following refinement of the proposal’s outline, the team fills in the many “who, where, and when” issues so vital in launching new enterprises.
  5. Fifth Stage…Establishing a location for the venture: After green-lighting the proposal, MAP arranges for an attractive and efficient office space above Wilderness House in Newry to serve as command center for the incipient enterprise.
  6. Sixth Stage…Follow-through on the idea: The entrepreneur checks in periodically with MAP during implementation for suggestions, contacts, links, updates, or to discuss progress.
  7. Seventh Stage…Giving back to help others: Although the services of MAP are provided free of charge, the entrepreneur is obliged to assist the community through a donation of a small share of any ultimate profits or grants generated.
  8. Eighth Stage…Making way for subsequent ideas: As self-sufficiency is attained, the need for space or services at Wilderness House-Newry becomes redundant. The entrepreneur graduates from MAP to make room for others.