Wiscasset Parks and Recreation Director Lisa Thompson put out the call last November for help with Winterfest. The response was strong, as it needs to be for a big community event, Thompson said. That's the only way it happens, she said  Jan. 25 at her desk with her beta fish Finn and with a nearby room full of donations to a silent auction. The auction and Friday’s trivia night-pizza party benefit the Cooper-DiPerri Scholarship Fund, and are part of Winterfest at Wiscasset Community Center this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 1 and 2.

The annual event of mostly free activities aims to get people outside, Thompson said. And the scholarships are a year round, confidential way to help people take part in Wiscasset Community Center activities. Thompson chairs the scholarship committee. She hopes to help get out the word this weekend because more people should take advantage of the scholarships, she said. The income guidelines are the same as for free and reduced school lunch, she said.

Recipients pay what they can, she said. The last thing she wants is for anyone to miss out on a program because they couldn't afford it, she added.

The trivia event from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday is $5 a person and there is a suggested $5 donation to enjoy the pizza, Thompson said. Winterfest 2019 will not have the spaghetti supper of years past; Thompson said last year’s supper did not get a lot of attendees, and people are ready to go home after a day of activities, so Winterfest will end at 4 p.m. Saturday.

The silent auction starts Friday night and ends at 2 p.m. Saturday. More than two dozen items are up for bid, from a pair of Red Sox game tickets to gift cards, artwork, haircuts, quilts and more. Wiscasset’s police, fire and public works departments are donating rides to school in a cruiser, fire truck and plow truck, Thompson said. “I think those will be very popular.”

Nancy Wyman collected about $1,400 in items for the auction, Thompson noted.  “She has done just a great job putting that together.”

Thompson also praised local groups and organizations offering activities Saturday. “This is what I love about it. Everyone is coming together for one mission, to promote a family event that  promotes getting outside.”

Southern Maine Gearbots is sponsoring a hot cocoa sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Stillacre Farms will do carriage rides from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.;  Morris Farm will have bird feeder-making and homemade ice cream from 10 to 11:30 a.m.; After School Adventures, children’s activities from 10 to 11 a.m.; Wiscasset Middle High School Student Council, a fire pit with smores, all day; Wiscasset Sno-Goers, snowmobile rides from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Chewonki Foundation, “Owls of Maine” presentation in the Senior Center, 11 a.m. to noon; Midcoast Conservancy, snowshoeing, from 1 to 4 p.m.; a pool party with Chuck-a-duck and other water games runs from 1 to 2:30 p.m.; and Monkey C Monkey Do, laser tag from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Sign up for that in the lobby, starting at 1 p.m.

Hot lunch items of pizza, mac and cheese, chili and more will be sold from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.