Want to ski for free? Just recite the Gettysburg Address at this NJ ski slope — if you can
When Farina, of "The Little Rascals," was asked to recite Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, he was prompt.
"Sixteen Forty-Four South Main Street!"
That answer, unfortunately, may not cut any ice with Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon.
On Feb. 12, Lincoln's birthday, they're offering a day's free lift ticket — a $99 value — to any customer who can recite the Gettysburg Address in its entirety. All 272 words. In the right order. From memory.
"It's just a fun way to recognize the occasion, and provide an opportunity for people to ski at no cost, if they're willing to put in the work," said Hugh Reynolds, marketing director for Mountain Creek.
It's not as easy as it sounds.
Everybody knows "Four score and seven years ago," and "of the people, by the people, for the people." But there are a lot of words in between.
"I would say we're fairly lenient, but you do have to make a pretty valiant attempt," he said.
Years ago — in Farina's day — any schoolkid might be called on to recite The Gettysburg Address, "The Village Blacksmith," or "Woodman, Spare that Tree." Those days of rote learning are past. But here's your chance to find out what great granddad suffered in grade school.
"It definitely harkens back to a simple time," Reynolds said.
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The resort has been doing this annual "Gettysburg" promotion for well over 20 years — but they didn't originate it. A previous marketing director seems to have brought it with him from a ski resort in Vermont, where his family used to go.
"He grew up in a not-wealthy family," Reynolds said. "The one day each year his dad took them skiing was when their local ski area offered this promotion. He told me stories of years where one of his siblings would not be able to do it. They would have to sit in the car, while the rest of the family was skiing."
Mountain Creek Resort, 200 Route 94, Vernon Township. 973-827-2000. mountaincreek.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Ski Mountain Creek for free, if you can recite the Gettysburg Address
