AUBURN — Following a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, Mary’s Firemen for a Cure™ returns to Lost Valley Ski Area in Auburn on Saturday, Feb. 25.

The event will feature the exciting firefighters’ race, but with a key change to this year’s makeup of the teams. Firefighter teams will be made up of four racers for the first time. Every other year, each department needed to field a team of five. As it has since 2012, WTMW Channel 8 will also return this year as the event’s official media sponsor.

Since 2004, Mary’s Firemen has raised over $250,00 breast cancer patients in Maine and to raise awareness of this deadly disease. Since 2019, Mary’s Firemen for a Cure has been held at Lost Valley Ski Area in Auburn.

The firefighters’ race features races between departments from all over northern New England. For the first time since its inception, teams of four firefighters will race down a slalom course in full turnout gear while carrying a 50-foot length of hose. In addition to the races, there will be kids’ events, raffles, a 50/50 and a live auction.

“We are so excited that Mary’s Firemen for a Cure is back. This is an amazing event that we are so happy to have here at Lost Valley,” said Travis Dow, assistant General Manager at Lost Valley. “The support from the community and area fire departments for this event is truly unique.”

In 2004, Mary and Wayne Allen started “Firemen for a Cure” at Shawnee Peak in Bridgton to give firefighters the opportunity to raise awareness about breast cancer. Mary was a long-time employee at Shawnee Peak and had been fighting breast cancer for nearly 10 years. Wayne is a volunteer firefighter in North Bridgton. Unfortunately, Mary lost her courageous battle in 2005, but Wayne and her three adult-children, Christine, David and Ryan Soutter renamed the event, “Mary’s Firemen for a Cure” in 2006 and have been holding the event in memory of Mary. Unfortunately, in 2019, Shawnee Peak decided to no longer support Mary’s Firemen, but event organizers were able to relocate to Lost Valley and have had the resort’s full support.

“I know Mary is watching and is so happy that we were able to come back after the pandemic,” said Mary’s husband Wayne.

“Having four racers instead of five should allow more departments to participate,” added Mary’s son, Ryan, an avid snowboarder who lives in Colorado. “I believe Harrison Fire & Rescue has won this event almost every year. Maybe having a smaller team will give another department a window to unseat the perennial champs.”

WMTW personality Meghan Torjussen will return as emcee for this year’s event. Registration will begin at 10 a.m. on Feb. 25, with the race beginning at 1 p.m. The entry fee is $125 per team which includes four day/night lift tickets for the day of the event and a chili lunch. Teams that register by Feb. 15 will also receive a t-shirt for each racer. Discounted lift tickets are also available for family members of racers.

To register a team, to learn more or to make donations, please visit the organization’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MarysFiremenforaCure.

For any questions, e-mail dcsoutter@gmail.com.