Hope on the Slopes: The New Winter Fundraiser at Mount Ski Gull

Hope on the Slopes brought its inaugural event to Mount Ski Gull on February 12, 2026, and it is the kind of winter tradition that fits East Gull Lake perfectly: teams of four race covered queen-size mattresses down the tubing hill while neighbors cheer around bonfires. The fundraiser drew 27 teams in its first year and raised money for Bridges of Hope, the nonprofit behind programs like Operation Sandwich, the Bridge on 7th overnight shelter, and Resource Connection Services. In a community known for its summer lake life, it gives the winter calendar a gathering with a purpose.

How the Event Works

Picture a relay race with a sense of humor. Small teams reserve a covered mattress, drag it up the tubing hill at Mount Ski Gull, and race back down, with the night built around bonfires, food and drinks catered by 3Cheers Hospitality, live music by AJ Spoff, and raffles. The formula worked well enough in year one that the event has already become a fixture on the local nonprofit calendar, announced each January for a mid-February date. It takes a ski hill, a cause, and a community willing to look a little silly for a good reason, which is a pretty accurate description of East Gull Lake's sense of place.

Why the Cause Matters

The money stays close to home. Bridges of Hope serves the Brainerd Lakes Area with programs that range from Operation Sandwich to the Bridge on 7th overnight shelter, and a fundraiser like this one helps keep those services running through the months when heating bills and isolation make the need greatest. For people who live on Gull Lake year-round, the event is a chance to support neighbors directly while doing something genuinely fun in the middle of winter.

What It Says About the Community

East Gull Lake has always been defined by the water around it, and our East Gull Lake community guide covers the Gull Chain and resort life that shape the area. But the community itself shows up in the off-season too, and events like this are the proof. Mount Ski Gull sits just outside town, close enough that the event feels local, and it draws the same families who spend summers on the lake, now trading swimsuits for mattress sleds. That year-round sense of community is one of the strongest arguments for living here, and it is worth paying attention to if you are considering a winter-ready lake home.

The Honest Read

A first-year event is still finding its rhythm, and next winter's date and details will be announced as the nonprofit locks them in. What is already clear is the pattern: East Gull Lake keeps finding ways to bring people together in every season, from the lake itself to a mattress race on the tubing hill. If you are the kind of person who shows up for your town, you will fit in here.

Thinking about a home on or near Gull Lake? Schedule a conversation, browse current listings, or start with our buying guide. Cheers!