MADAWASKA – Residents from Madawaska to Mars Hill have been welcoming athletes, coaches and parents from all over the world into their homes during the last 10 days while the Youth and Junior International Biathlon Union World Championships are being held in Presque Isle.

People have gone out of their way to make the visitors welcome in northern Maine. They have been holding impromptu birthday parties, inviting people into their homes for supper, and just giving people from away some time away from the pressure of competition.

Annette and Romeo Daigle of Madawaska opened the doors of their Gagnon Road home Monday night to 10 parents of athletes from Minnesota.

Annette Daigle is a first cousin of Aaron Nistler, one of the young competitors from Minnesota.

“We had a blast,” said Annette Daigle, who came to Maine from Minnesota in 1978.

“They are enjoying northern Maine,” she said. “We were told they loved the scenery, the warm people, and most said they plan to come back at some point.”

Some had come to northern Maine for other biathlon competitions. Others who had never been here had been told about the area by their biathlete children.

The Minnesotans traveled 1,500 miles to attend the competitions at Presque Isle.

The Daigles also invited people in Madawaska to their soiree, and 17 people showed up. They fed their guests sugar pie, peanut butter whoopie pies, salmon from Long Lake, baked potatoes, fresh bread and creton, a locally made meat spread, tourtieres or meat pies, lobster and fish chowder.

“They ate everything,” Daigle said. “Most of it was food they don’t have in Minnesota.”

Many at the gathering were people who live close to where Daigle spent her younger years, in Grand Rapids, Duluth and Minneapolis.

The group had spent part of the day skiing at the 10th Mountain Division Lodge and venue at Fort Kent, visiting Fort Kent, a town their children had told them about, and just enjoying northern Maine.

Tammy Wheeler, a volunteer coordinator with the Organizing Committee of the World Championships, said people had been opening their homes and hearts to athletes and families.

Lori Ladner of Caribou, who could not be reached Thursday, had 12 people for dinner at her home Tuesday night.

Deb Sirois of Caribou had the Swiss team at her home.

Joe Olore of Presque Isle has been driving the Italian team around Presque Isle, to eat, to their training venues and to the competitions.

Wheeler said a volunteer bus driver for the games learned that the Chilean team, which left Thursday morning and could not be reached, had a young athlete turning 16 on Wednesday.

Ashby got a birthday cake for the girl. The Chileans and northern Maine friends gobbled it up.

“People have been very accommodating,” Wheeler said. “It seems to be just the Aroostook County thing to do.

“Invite them into your home,” she said, “and feed them a meal.”