Staff Writer

Special Olympics Maine was the winner as the Nonantum Resort hosted a 2-mile canoe race as part of its Fourth of July celebration honoring the hotel’s 127^th anniversary.

While the race is meant to highlight the resort’s long history, for the past two years the  Nonantum has teamed up with Special Olympics to make sure the money goes to a good cause.

The event beat previous years and raised $2,500. The money comes from fundraising and entrance fees of racing teams sponsored by individuals, local businesses and organizations.

This year racers started at the Nonantum dock, raced down the Kennebunk River and around two boats carrying American flags that teams picked up. The canoeists then paddled back to the Nonantum’s shore where one member ran to the lighthouse on the property with flag in hand.

For the second year in a row, the winner was Alisson’s Restaurant with a time of 22 minutes and 53 seconds. Second place went to Butterflyfish, a shop located in Kennebunkport and Federal Jack’s restaurant came in third.

Teams this time had rules that leveled the playing field, including that each team be comprised of one male and one female.

Before the race, the team from Kennebunk Savings Bank nervously discussed a strategy for the first-time contenders.

“It started off as a joke. I never thought he’d say yes. I’m very nervous. I’m afraid we’ll tip,” said bank employee Stephanie Fessenden about how she and her partner, Rick Rouillard, got paired for the race.

As they pulled their canoe off the bank and into the starting formation, Fessenden was still reminding Rouillard of his promise to not rock the boat.

One team hoping to rock their boat was from Arundel Wharf, which brought along a radio.

For the second year in a row Erin Kaye and Sean Bishop of Team Arundel Wharf raised the most money and brought in $550, mostly by selling 60 custom-made T-shirts to wharf employees.

“We had 60 shirts made. Only two XXLs were not sold. I actually wish I made more, we could have made more money selling them to customers,” Kaye said. “Being in first place to raise the most money, it warms the heart.”

While the team may come in first in fundraising, Bishop said they have another title they hoped to defend.

“We are two year defending ‘dead middle of the pack’ champs,” he said.

The two admit the race is more about helping a cause than winning the race.

Alisson’s Restaurant in Dock Square defended its title thanks to the secret team strategy of Shannon Lizotte and Michael Morneault.

“She basically says ‘do this’ and I say ‘OK’,” Morneault said.

The team researched proper paddling techniques before they won the race last yearand learned the smaller canoeist should sit in front, but Morneault admitted they hadn’t refreshed their education since then.

“It’s for a good cause,” Morneault said. “Why not race?”

The race was originally conceived as a way to celebrate the resort’s 125^th birthday.

Marie Caswell, special events coordinator for the resort, said the sales team at the Nonantum came up with the idea to recreate an 1883 activity as part of the celebration.

People in birch bark canoes came up the river to sell baskets at the hotel, hence the canoe race, Caswell said.

While the competitors do not use birch bark canoes, they did play a role in history this year by paying a $127 entrance fee to mark the 127^th anniversary of the hotel.

“I have to say this is one of the most fulfilling and rewarding fundraising events I’ve ever done,” Caswell said. “We get such an overwhelming response from the local businesses.”

Phil Geelhoed of Special Olympics Maine said money from this year’s racewill help send 30 delegates and their trainers to the 2010 Summer Special Olympics games in Omaha, Neb., to compete.

Staff Writer Suzanne Hodgson can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 233.