Bob's Sea & Ski Hosting 26th Annual Special Olympics Fundraiser

While we haven't seen much snow to speak of down here on the SouthCoast, we are happy to see cold temperatures and sunny skies in the forecast for this weekend's big Special Olympics fundraiser up at Loon Mountain.

For the past 26 years, Bob Mercer, owner of Bob's Sea & Ski, has organized this fundraiser to benefit local SouthCoast Special Olympics athletes.

Hosted by Bob's Sea & Ski, the fundraising event has skyrocketed in popularity over the past year, with over 400 skiers expected to take the ride up north this weekend.

This year, the event will once again feature a stirring speech from Melissa Reilly, a global messenger of the Special Olympics. Melissa placed as a silver medalist four years ago. The speech she delivers in the lodge brings the crowd to a silence that is not often heard slopeside. Melissa talks about how the Special Olympics changed her life.

Every dime raised with the trip and during the raffles and auctions during the event is used to fund SouthCoast Special Olympics programs. Bob told Fun 107 that last year's event raised over $39,000. This year they've already raised over $22,000 before they've even pulled out of the parking lot.

The event at Loon will also feature a live band and raffles to win ski gear, skis, jackets, and snowboards.

Bob and his ski shop have been honored by the Special Olympics in Massachusetts as a Hall of Fame donor for all of his efforts over the past couple of decades.