When Pineland Farms of New Gloucester and the Libra Foundation stopped funding the Fort Kent Outdoor Center last year and gave the facility back to the board of directors, the group knew a challenge lay ahead.

Now, they need to come up with approximately $140,000 in annual funding if they want to keep the operation and its programs intact.

The Fort Kent facility , along with the Nordic Heritage Outdoor Center in Presque Isle, were created in 1998 as part of the Maine Winter Sports Center. Primary funding came from the Libra Foundation, a Portland-based charitable organization that also owns Pineland Farms. Libra funded both centers for 25 years and Pineland owned them.

But last year, that all changed. Libra closed the Presque Isle ski area in December and put it up for sale, and th

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