The Wiscasset varsity Lady Wolverines basketball team played its final home game Tuesday night against the Winthrop Ramblers, and came out with the loss in a hard fought game that ended 46-25. The game started out competitively, 19-14 after the first quarter, Ramblers leading.

By halftime, the lead for Winthrop had grown from five points up to 10 points. The Wolverines stepped up their defense in the second half and came out hard, only allowing eight points in the third quarter.

For Winthrop, Shie Smith led the scoring with 10 points, followed by Addie Chaperin with eight and Aaliyah Wilson-Falcone with seven. In her final home game for Wiscasset, Hayhlee Craig led scoring with eight points. Following her were Grace Webber with seven, Jade Rego with four and Sydnie Thayer,  Shannon James and Lindsey Gordon with two each. Thayer had seven rebounds, Grace Webber six.

Wiscasset seemed to be a gold mine for steals, totaling 20 across the team. Craig and Thayer each managed to get seven steals, while Grace Webber had four and Rego two. With this loss, Wiscasset fell to 1-15 while Winthrop improved to 10-6.

The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (KELT) launched its inaugural crowdfunding campaign on Jan. 10 and is closing in on 50 percent of the $15,000 fundraising goal. With the campaign spreading as far as Washington State, Florida, and Hawaii, KELT is enthused to see the interest and generosity of nature-lovers across Maine and the United States.

The planned Squam Creek Preserve is a 144-acre property that was part of land settled around 1740 by the Dunton and his family when the area was known as “Jeremisquam.” As one of the first families on the island, they farmed the land and established the tidal mill on Heal Pond to the south. The northern part of the property was part of the original Dunton farm and boasts stone walls, cellar holes, and a cemetery. The southern part was settled by the Hodgdon family sometime before the first survey was completed on the island in 1865. The foundation of the Hodgdon home, livestock pens, extensive stone walls, and the family cemetery are beautifully preserved on this portion of the land. The last known member of the Hodgdon family lived at the family homestead until 1940. Since 1959, the Segerstrom family has gently cared for this land and KELT is honored to acquire this ecologically rich place and care for it into the future.

To donate, visit http://www.worthwild.com/initiatives/62 by 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 14.

The boys basketball games scheduled for tonight (Feb. 7) at Wiscasset Middle High School between the Wolverines and the Seahawks have been postponed until Wednesday, Feb. 8. The j.v. game will start at 5:30 and the varsity game will begin at 7 p.m.

Even in the dead of winter, the natural world is brimming with activity! All one needs to do is look for the signs animals leave behind. The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (KELT) invites the public to discover how to read animal tracks at DeWick Farm in Woolwich on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 9:30 a.m. Led by Maine Master Naturalists Priscilla Seimer and Becky Kolak, participants will learn to interpret clues to tell the story of local wildlife in winter.

Maine has very few animals that are true hibernators, or animals that spend winter in a dormant state. Many of the creatures thought to be hidden away for the coldest parts of the year are still active to find food, water, and even mates. Seimer and Kolak will share the process of tracking and identifying these furry friends by observing their prints. Participants will learn to measure and interpret an animal's print, track, straddle, and stride.

DeWick Farm is a KELT easement that was generously donated by the DeWick Family in 2013. A mixture of woodland, open fields, and shoreline on Montsweag Bay, it will serve as an excellent backdrop to explore the lives of Maine mammals in winter.

This event is part of KELT's Winter Wonderland series. Program material is geared for budding naturalists and is family friendly. Because winter weather can be unpredictable, this event will only be postponed in the case of severe weather. Let us know you will be joining the fun by contacting Becky Kolak at bkolak@kennebecestuary.org or call 207-442-8400. Driving directions to the easement will follow registration.

Midcoast Conservancy and Maine Farmland Trust will lead a farm snowshoe event and discussion on Sunday, March 5 from 10 a.m. to noon at Rolling Acres Farm in Jefferson.

The snowshoe event will explore the 130-acre protected farm property on Damariscotta Lake. Afterward, attendees will convene in the farmhouse for a discussion with Maine Farmland Staff Anna Witholt Abaldo and Caroline Ginsberg, and Midcoast Conservancy’s Director or Water Conservation, Garrison Beck, about the importance of farmland protection and its impact on the water quality of our local lakes and waterways.

Tea, coffee and breakfast treats will be provided, as well as extra snowshoes if needed. The event is free and open to everyone. Space is limited; RSVP required. Further information about this event can be found at www.mainefarmlandtrust.org or www.midcoastconservancy.org. To RSVP, call 207-338-6575or email caroline@mainefarmlandtrust.org.

Third grade swimmers finished up their final lesson last week! The amount of growth they demonstrated over the past eight weeks was remarkable. Not only did they demonstrate advancements of basic swim skills within their individual groups, but they also learned how to use a kayak and a paddle board during a special session with Miss Marino. WCC swim instructors and Miss Marino are so proud of their accomplishments!

Miss Marino wants to congratulate her entire Bitty Baller team for a fantastic season! She couldn't be more proud of the work they put in every week to have such excellent performances at the varsity games. The growth, support, and enthusiasm was admirable for such a wide range of girls working together on a team. The team was a huge success for the first year and we're all looking forward to next year’s season.

Mrs. Burgess' 1/2 grade class celebrated Global Play Day on February 1. What is Global Play Day? It is a day where kids have a specific amount of time to have unstructured play. We played for an hour! We made forts, built things, and had a dance party.

From Mrs. Drury: I am pleased to announce that the fourth and fifth grade students will be taking a field trip to see the Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) on Monday, March 27. The performance will be held at the Merrill Auditorium in Portland. This trip is made possible because of a Target Field Trip Grant. Thank you, Target! At this PSO Youth Concert, students will be seeing the world-famous production of Beethoven Lives Upstairs. This performance features more than 25 excerpts of Beethoven’s music, including “Moonlight Sonata,” “Fur Elise,’ and the fifth and ninth symphonies. The music is magically woven into the drama as two actors share their stories based on true events from the composer’s life. This is sure to be an exciting and entertaining musical experience for our children and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to take them to this special performance.

The boys Boothbay Seahawks team beat the Wiscasset Wolverines Wednesday night, 79-56. The game was the final one of the regular season for both teams, and will prove an important one when it comes to seeding. Before this game, the 10 Wiscasset seniors were all recognized for the annual senior night. They were Russell Marr, Charles Colby, Logan Orr, Nate Woodman, Kevin Lynch, Bobby Gilley, Ethan James, Andrew Chubbuck, Conlon Ranta and Cody Roberts. 

The game started out with a hot start from Boothbay. The Seahawks led 21-12 after the first, with five points each coming from  Steve Reny and Kyle Ames. At halftime, the score gap jumped to 14 for Boothbay, despite James scoring 15 of his team’s 18 that quarter. The second half unfortunately did not get any prettier for Wiscasset, as by the end of the game the lead was up to 23. The scoring for Boothbay was led by Ames with 20, followed by Carter Babcock with 12 and Reny with 10. 

Wiscasset’s scoring was carried by James. He had 28 in the season finale, followed by Roberts with eight,  Zach Reed with seven, Woodman with six, Kevin Lynch with three, and Gilley and Chubbuck with two each. Roberts led the rebounding with 10, followed closely by James with nine and Woodman and Orr tallying five each. 

After this game, Wiscasset fell to an even 9-9, while Boothbay improved to 11-7. Wiscasset is currently sitting in the ninth seed for Class C south, and Boothbay is sixth. 

The Wiscasset Wolverines girls varsity basketball team’s season ended at Madison High School on Wednesday, Feb. 8 as the Bulldogs came away with a 55-28 victory.

Madison improved to 13-5 while Wiscasset finishes the season at 1-17.

Leading the way for the Wolverines was Hayhlee Craig with 12 points.

For Madison, Sydney LeBlanc tallied 14 points, Lauren Hay added eight points and 10 rebounds, and Emily Edgerly scored nine.

Saturday was Alice Giles’ first Wiscasset Winterfest. It was also the first for the 7-month-old Wiscasset girl’s parents, William and Holly Giles.

The family was bundled, standing near a cocoa station Wiscasset Middle High School students were running outside Wiscasset Community Center.

Temperatures were in the teens early in the afternoon-evening event. A morning snow had abated after leaving a fresh coat on the snow a storm brought two days before Winterfest.

“It’s perfect,” Holly Giles said about Saturday’s weather. It didn’t look like it stopped people from showing up, her husband said.

It didn’t stop Glenn Powers and son Nestor. They even went sliding nearby on their way to Winterfest. At Wiscasset Park and Recreation’s seventh annual event, they took in Chewonki Foundation’s owl presentation inside WCC’s senior center. Nestor Powers, 9, a fifth grader at the Center for Teaching and Learning in Edgecomb, said afterward, the live owls and information about animals’ camouflage were interesting.

His father, who teaches at CTL, called Chewonki’s presentation awesome. He liked hearing the recorded sounds of owls.

Natalie Dunbar, 7, of Wiscasset especially liked seeing the smallest live owl shown, the saw whet. Dunbar attended Winterfest with grandmother Sherri Dunbar, also of Wiscasset.

Outside the community center, WMHS seniors Stephanie Jones and Keara Hunter were serving cups of cocoa at the cocoa station, under a canopy. There was a lot of snow, so it was fun being there helping with the event, Jones said.

A Parks and Recreation Facebook post Saturday night thanked the day’s attendees and volunteers and event sponsor First National Bank.

Department director Todd Souza on Sunday said Winterfest’s spaghetti supper raised $750. Half will go to the center’s scholarship fund, he said; the other half, to help with expenses linked to Wiscasset resident Nathan Panarese’s recovery from leukemia.

The Mid Coast Ice Cats, a cooperative JV hockey program based at the Mid-Coast Recreation Center in Rockport, are hosting a spaghetti dinner/silent auction on Saturday, Feb. 18 at the Elks Lodge in Rockland from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. All are welcome and encouraged to attend to support a great local hockey program.

Made up of players who attend schools from Rockland to Bath that do not offer ice hockey programs, the Ice Cats have been going strong for 13 years. They play a JV schedule against powerhouse programs like Lewiston, St. Dom’s, Kent’s Hill and North Yarmouth Academy. Coached by Steve Hand, the ‘Cats are 7-2-1 this year and have been playing  disciplined, team-first hockey.

The dinner and auction will help the financially self-sufficient team continue to offer ice hockey opportunities to unaffiliated high school age players. With ice rental costs, equipment and fund raising needs, hockey is an expensive sport. The Ice Cats are hoping for a robust turnout on Feb. 18 in an effort to raise $3,500 to help fund the program.

Among some of the auction items on offer are a cord of wood, four gallons of California paint, Havens Candies, a Boston Bruins jersey signed by Bobby Orr, a firewood rack with cover, a portable outdoor fire pit, a fireplace screen, Maine-made metal garden sculptures, seven cubic yards of ¾” gravel, golf for four at Samoset Resort with cart, 21-day membership for two at Hybrid Gym, a turkey fryer, and lots more.

The cost for the dinner is $8 for adults and $5 for children under 10. For more information and ticket availability, contact Eve Jamieson at ejamieson@roadrunner.com or call 633-2194. Look for the Mid Coast Ice Cats Hockey on Facebook to follow auction updates.

2017 CLC and Boothbay Region YMCA Summer Camp Guide is now available. Learn about all of the incredible camp opportunities offered.

At the Y, we know that every summer can be the best summer ever. One look through the Boothbay Region YMCA & CLC YMCA 2017 Camp Guide will show you how. Summer camps at the Y provide children ages 3 to 14 with safe and exciting opportunities to explore, learn, create and discover the world around them. Under the guidance of caring, enthusiastic, and trained leaders and role models, children will create lasting friendships and lifelong memories.

Camp Directors Emily Mirabile and Joe Clark are excited to welcome youth back to YMCA Camp Knickerbocker for another fun-filled summer in the sun. Situated on 65 acres of forest and wetlands on beautiful Knickerbocker Lake in Boothbay, activities at YMCA Camp Knickerbocker include swimming and beach play, kayaking, canoeing and fishing, field and court sports, arts and crafts, Baldwin Center Adventure course, playground time, and field trips to local venues and hiking preserves.

Other programs include Scamper Camp for youth entering Kindergarten; Boothbay Critter Camp for ages 3-4; Adventure Camps for ages 8-14; Music Theatre Camps for ages 6-12; Y-Arts Camps; Boothbay Specialty Camps for half-day sessions, 9am-noon; CLC Specialty Camps for half- and full-day sessions; a variety of Sports Camps at Boothbay and CLC; and the ever popular CLC Sailing Camp at Round Pond for grades 3-9.

Our Teen Leadership program features Leader-in-Training (LIT) for youth age 13 and is the first year of a two-year program combined with the Counselor-in-Training (CIT) program. LIT youth will engage in activities and discussion about types of leadership, communication styles and methods, service work, team-building and other leadership skills while participating in camp activities. CIT, for youth age 14, is the second year of our leadership development program. Participants will study teaching styles, deliver methods, communication techniques and planning preparation. They will gain valuable hands-on experiencing working with youth, leading programs and activities, and working with fellow staff in program conception, creation and execution.

Our summer camps inspire campers to embrace the Y’s core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility and challenge them to grow physically, mentally and spiritually. Camp staff are positive role models and will encourage campers of all ages to become better leaders, friends and, of course, to have fun!

Online registration for YMCA Members opens at 8 a.m. on March 6 and for the general public at 8 a.m. on March 13. Visit your home Y’s website to register for camp (www.boothbayregionymca.org or www.clcymca.org).

This summer, we are utilizing a new, secure network called ePACT to efficiently collect campers’ medical and emergency contact information electronically. ePACT also ensures that we have a way to communicate with parents as needed. Families will receive an email invitation to the ePACT network after registering for camp online.

Camp scholarship applications will also be available online on March 6. Thanks to the “Send a Kid to Camp” fund drive at the Boothbay Region YMCA and the annual “Stackhouse Event” at the CLC YMCA, both Y’s are able to offer camp scholarships. The Y believes that all children in our community, regardless of income, deserve the opportunity to experience summer camp. Scholarship dollars are granted on a first come, first served basis, so be sure to submit an application early and by the May 26 deadline.

For more information on camp programs, contact the Boothbay Region YMCA (www.boothbayregionymca.org or 633-2855) or the Central Lincoln County YMCA (www.clcymca.org or 563-9622).

With the recent abundance of snow, there has never been a better time to head to Midcoast Conservancy’s Hidden Valley Nature Center (HVNC) in Jefferson for wonderful outdoor recreating. Whether on skis, snowshoes or fat tire bikes, anyone seeking a day of winter wonderland fun will find it at HVNC.

HVNC has nearly 30 miles of trails, ranging from wide boulevards to winding, challenging routes. Most trails are groomed on a regular basis but there is plenty of “back country” style access as well. New trails are being developed annually, so even veteran skiers or hikers will find new pathways on return visits. The trail network is family-friendly, offering broad trails that invite novice skiers to test their skills and a warm-up room at the Barn for breaks between runs.

For those looking for an extended winter adventure, the four huts and one yurt at HVNC provide an overnight winter camping experience that is uniquely accessible for the Midcoast area. The cabins and yurt are equipped with woodstoves and firewood, as well as a pot or pan, tea kettle, and table and chairs. Some have bunks or cots, others sleeping lofts, and each has an outhouse nearby. With trails at their doorsteps, the huts provide the ultimate ski-in, ski-out opportunity to spend time in the woods. To learn more about HVNC, or to reserve a hut, go to http://www.midcoastconservancy.org/preserve/hidden-valley-nature-center/.

In addition to skiing, snowshoeing and biking, HVNC has a full calendar of winter programming, from kids’ ski clinics to snowshoe owl prowls to fat tire bike demos. Upcoming on March 26 is the sixth annual Liberal Cup Biathlon, a festive day of Nordic skiing and target shooting open to individuals and teams, with an emphasis on fun; skiers of all skill levels are encouraged to participate and everyone receives instruction on using the air rifles from trained instructors. Beer from Liberal Cup brewery in Hallowell, and local food vendors, will round out a celebration of winter in the woods. For more information or to register, go to http://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/6th-annual-liberal-cup-biathlon/ or call (207) 389-5150.

The Boothbay Region Baseball Association (BRBA) will be conducting a baseball skills clinic on the weekend of Feb. 25-26. The clinic will be held at the Boothbay Region Elementary School Gymnasium. The clinic will run on Saturday  from 10 a.m. to noon and on Sunday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and is open to all boys and girls between the ages of 7 -12 years old throughout  Lincoln County.

The clinic will be conducted by a special guest coach from Southington, Connecticut, Charlie Lembo, who is currently the varsity head coach for the Southington High School Blue Knights as well as head coach for The Southington Shock of the Connecticut Collegiate Baseball League. The Shock have won five CCBL titles in seven years with Coach Lembo.  Coach Lembo has extensive knowledge of the fundamentals of baseball and the ability to convey those fundamentals to a younger crowd.

Please sign up early as the maximum number of participants will be 30 students. Players should bring a baseball glove, wear long pants and shoes appropriate for the gymnasium floor. Any other personal equipment, such as bats, helmets, etc., is welcome. All other gear will be provided.

The BRBA winter skills clinic is a perfect opportunity for kids to re-acquaint themselves with the game of baseball right before both the BRBA and Lincoln Little League get started again in April. It is also  perfect for any boy or girl wanting to try out for a Little League team for their first time . There will be additional information and sign up forms available for both the BRBA league and the Lincoln County Little League at the event.

If you are coming from out of the area, BRES is located at 238 Townsend Ave. Boothbay Harbor. It is the building behind the high school on top of the hill.

There is a $20 registration fee for the event, a downloadable form can be found on the BRBA Facebook page "Boothbay Baseball" or you can contact John Splaine at (207) 751-9065 or velonut1@myfairpoint.net to receive a form via email. Please make checks payable to BRBA.  Completed forms and payment should be mailed to BRBA, P.O. Box 818, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538

Wiscasset Middle High School junior Sam Strozier was the underdog in all three of his wrestling matches Feb. 11 at the Class A North Regional tournament, but the No. 6 seed prevailed twice,a finishing second in his weight class.

Strozier is the only Wiscasset high school student wrestling this winter. He trains with the Morse High School squad. On Feb. 11, Class A teams went to Nokomis Regional High School in Newport for the regional tournament. Strozier competed in the 152-pound division and pinned No. 3 Seth Sweet of Camden Hills in the second period and defeated No. 2 Dylan Corbett of Oxford Hills in the semifinals. Corbett built an 8-6 lead in the final period before Strozier rallied by pinning him with 30 seconds remaining.

In the final, Nokomis’ Quinton Richards, the region’s top seed, pinned Strozier in 38 seconds.

Strozier and the seven other top Class A wrestlers qualified for the state championship tournament on Saturday, Feb. 18 at Camden Hills High School.

In 2003, the community room at the Central Lincoln County (CLC) YMCA was filled with townspeople who came together to gauge interest and discuss potentially starting a youth football league. At that meeting, the Lincoln County Youth Football (LCYF) program was formed. Recently, almost 14 years to the day, many of those individuals again met in the Y’s community room to discuss the possibility of the Y overseeing the league.

The Y and the LCYF Board of Directors have agreed to the Y overseeing the management of the program. Current LCYF board members are Jane Gravel, Gary Gravel, Kira Gallant, Cheryl Tomasello and Allen Tomasello.

The CLC YMCA is excited about this opportunity in the hopes of cultivating the program and providing youth in grades 1-8 the opportunity to learn and grow in the sport.

“The YMCA has a long history of supporting youth development,” said Senior Program Director Joe Clark. “Integrating and promoting youth football alongside other well-known and attended Y youth sport programs such as soccer, basketball, lacrosse and tennis will ultimately expand the Y’s outreach in a more substantial way.”

A task force of LCYF Board members and Y staff has already been formed. Discussions have begun around transition, logistics, scholarship assistance — collaborating on how to most effectively grow and create a solid foundation for the program under the Y’s domain.

The first football program in 2017 being administered by the Y will be football camp, run by volunteer coach Allen Tomasello. The goal is to help players prepare for the upcoming season with light conditioning and a focus on safety and fundamentals. Camp will run from July 31 to Aug. 4. Online registration begins March 6 for members and March 13 for the general public. Visit the Y’s website at clcymca.org and click on the 2017 Camp Guide link for more information. Registration for the football season will take place through the Y during the same time frame as in past years.

For more information on the upcoming program and other Y events, visit clcymca.org or call 563-9622.

The Presidents’ Day holiday found us enjoying the natural beauty of Reid State Park in Georgetown. It’s open to visitors year-round.

Before leaving Wiscasset, we checked the weather forecast, which called for partly cloudy skies and windy conditions with a midday temperature of 40 degrees. When we arrived at noontime, the sun was shining brightly with just a light breeze blowing, making a surprisingly pleasant afternoon walk.

After parking, we followed the dune path, somewhat snow-covered to Griffith Head, the highest point on the beach. It was low tide and the surf very mild under a deep blue sky. Across the aqua green waters we could see Newagen village, the southern most point of Southport and the small islands called the Cuckolds. This place is home to one of three lighthouses that can be seen from Reid State Park. The others are on nearby Seguin Island looking southwards, and at Hendricks Head to the northeast across from Five Islands.

From Griffith Head, the shoreline stretches southward along Mile Beach. Following it to its end brings you to Todd’s Point and Half- Mile Beach beyond. People of all ages were enjoying the nice weather. We counted over 40 others walking the beach and almost as many vehicles in the parking lot.

The state park encompasses over 780, mostly forested acres. Its shoreline includes the much smaller East Beach, popular with kayakers. Ocean water rushes beneath a timber bridge here into a large saltwater lagoon.

The park is named for Walter E. Reid, a Georgetown native who gave this land to the state in the late 1940s. The oceanside estate where Reid lived is now a bed and breakfast owned by his great granddaughter and her family. It’s a short distance from the park.

We also saw a dozen people cross country skiing on the wooded trails off Todds Point Road. There are several hiking trails to enjoy here suitable for snowshoeing.

A good workout is to walk the length of Mile Beach to Todds Point returning to the parking area by way of Todds Point Road, which is closed for the winter. The route carries you through a long stretch of woods and vast salt marsh. It took me about an hour when I walked the entire loop last spring.

The park offers two large picnic areas with tables and grills. One overlooks East Beach, the other is at Todds Point.

While doing research for this article, I came across an interesting story in the New York Times archives about the park. Titled, “Marines Land on Maine Beach,” it concerned a 10-day military operation dubbed “Snowy Beach” that took place here in January 1972. 

U.S. Marines in “full battle gear and carrying snowshoes landed on the snowless beaches from amphibious personnel carriers. Others arrived by helicopters,” it states. Nine hundred marines and 15,000 sailors aboard 33 naval vessels participated in the exercise carried out “to test equipment and train personnel under cold weather conditions.”

The exercise wasn’t without controversy. The article states about 100 protestors gathered at the park’s entrance to show their opposition to use of the park and the exercise’s cost, an estimated $35 million.

To visit the park, drive south on Route One from Wiscasset to Woolwich. Just before the Sagadahoc Bridge, take the Route 127 exit and continue through Arrowsic to Georgetown. At Five Islands Road, bear right onto Seguinland Road. You’ll pass a large pond on the right where ice was once cut into blocks and sold; a short distance ahead is the park entrance. 

This time of year, the park opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. There’s a small entrance fee. Dogs are permitted from Oct. 1 through March 31 but must be leashed at all times. Dog owners are responsible for removal of pet waste. Smoking and fireworks are prohibited in the park. For a complete list of rules and other information, visit www.maine.gov/dacf/parks.

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. ~ Rachel Carson

In July 2005, Sara Leone, a vibrant young woman from Edgecomb, lost her life in a car accident.  In an instant, a family of four became a family of three. Her parents, Bob and Carol, and sister, Lindsay, and their community, lost a remarkable spirit that touched everyone who knew her.  In an attempt to find their way out of their profound grief and toward a new life, the Leones turned to the one thing that had kept them grounded and connected as a family for years, a deep love for the outdoors.

Their strongest and fondest memories of Sara were connected to the years they spent together hiking and camping, kayaking and biking, diving and backpacking. They wanted to honor Sara and to share the kind of love they had as a family for being outdoors. They reached out to their community that was also looking for a way to transform its pain from the loss of an extraordinary young woman into something positive and life-affirming.  Together, they created Teens for Trails (T3.)   This year, T3 celebrates its tenth year of helping foster a love for the outdoors in young people. The charitable nonprofit is a testament to the power of love and healing, by connecting young people to the Maine outdoors.

Bob and Carol’s vision hasn’t wavered from their initial concept, summed up in T3’s mission statement: “Teens to Trails is dedicated to increasing the opportunities to experience the out-of-doors through the systematic creation of and support for high school Outing Clubs. T3’s goal is for every Maine high school to have an active Outing Club that is both enthusiastically supported by and beneficial to its community.” 

High school outing clubs are often formed by teachers volunteering their time to take students into the out-of-doors. Club members can experience hiking, camping, birding, canoeing and kayaking and learning outdoor skills.  T3 believes strongly in unstructured play as a key building block in a young person’s education. The organization wants to spread this core value to other teachers, administrators and parents and work hard to assist schools that may have more funding difficulty than others, for costs such as transportation to an outing club event.

"When we moved to Maine, we thought everyone was playing outdoors, like we were, but we were wrong. We are committed to getting young people outdoors just to play ... they need to play," said Carol.

A number of Maine schools already had outing clubs when T3 formed, but many more did not. T3 has been working for 10 years to address that need through information, increasing awareness,  a Grants-to-Clubs program and other programs. The spirit of their daughter, Sara, also plays a role with Sara’s Scholarship – Engaging Teens in the Outdoors.  The scholarship, often matched with funds from the Chewonki Foundation and the Quimby family, awards a three-week wilderness trip to one Maine sophomore girl and boy each year.

Historically, operating funds for T3 have come primarily from grants, but three years ago, recognizing it needed to look beyond that source to continue the mission, T3 created the Bowties to Bean Boots Gala. It is a wildly popular and successful fundraiser. This August, T3 launches its first Life Happens Outside Festival.  A website for the event is in the works and will be public soon.

To learn more about Teens to Trails or to make a contribution, visit www.teenstotrails.org.  Teens to Trails also has a Facebook page.

Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District, in partnership with the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Somerset County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD), is sponsoring a Pond Construction and Maintenance Workshop on Tuesday, March 14 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Camden Public Library, 55 Main St. in Camden.

Constructed ponds can add value to a property — if properly built and maintained! Candi Gilpatric, PE/Natural Resources Conservation Service Engineer and our go-to gal for all things pond, will go over the basics of designing, planning, constructing and maintaining a private pond as well as information on water testing. Joining her this year is Joe Dembeck, wildlife biologist and executive director of Somerset County Soil & Water Conservation District. Joe’s presentation will focus on pond biology and the wildlife associated with ponds in Maine. He will discuss pond habitat features for aquatic and terrestrial wildlife, fish considerations, and nuisance wildlife. Both Candi and Joe will be happy to entertain — and provide helpful suggestions for - pond owners’ questions.

Fee for the workshop is $15, which covers the cost of provided materials. For more information or to register, call the District office at 596-2040, email rebecca@knox-lincoln.org, or visit www.knox-lincoln.org/pond-construction, where you may download a registration form or register and pay online. If you already have a pond and would like to stock it with rainbow or brook trout this spring, visit the Trout Stocking Sale page on our website, www.knox-lincoln.org/trout-sale.

Whether on skis or in running shoes, Midcoast Conservancy has a schedule of racing opportunities this year for athletes at all levels. What they all have in common is the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful Maine woods, and an emphasis on fun.

On Sunday, March 26, the sixth annual Liberal Cup biathlon will be held at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson. Racers can compete individually or in teams of four, and everyone is encouraged to compete in costume. Biathlon combines cross-country skiing with target shooting; air rifles will be provided by the Southern Maine Biathlon club, and each racer will receive safety training on how to use the rifle. Race categories are based on self-selected skill levels, and there are special categories for youth racers. Awards will be given out for best costume, best team name, and for youth and high school aged participants.

Races will begin about 9 a.m. and continue into the early afternoon. All day long there will be bonfires, great food, and something on tap from the Liberal Cup. Spectators are encouraged. To register, go to http://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/6th-annual-liberal-cup-biathlon/

This summer, Midcoast Conservancy will hold the second annual Maine Summer Adventure Race. The MSAR will involve teams of two, three or four competing in a nonstop race involving trail running or trekking, road and mountain biking, flat-water paddling and orienteering. Teams will have to combine athleticism with strategy and navigation to guide themselves to as many checkpoints as possible within the race’s time limit.

Both the ten-hour and three-hour versions of the Maine Summer Adventure Race will start at the Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson on Saturday, June 24. The race is designed by Cliff and Kate White of the Strong Machine Adventure Racing team and will challenge expert adventure racers and beginners alike with a fun and beautiful course that travels through thick pine forests, across deep cold lakes and rivers and up to promontories that offer the occasional revealing glimpse of the nearby Atlantic Ocean. For more information, or to register, go to http://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/maine-summer-adventure-race-71517/.

Finally, the annual Race Through the Woods at HVNC will be held on Oct. 1, beginning at 9 a.m. Racers can choose between a half-marathon and a 5.5 mile course. Both courses will take runners through some of the 1,000 acres that comprise HVNC, along challenging trails and past lovely Little Dyer Pond. In addition, there will be a kids’ race, for ages 5-12, free of charge, which will include a loop with fun obstacles and challenges, and prizes and t-shirts for all. Beer and food will be available to round out will is certain to be a fun-filled day in the woods. For more information, or to register, go to http://www.midcoastconservancy.org/explore/events/.

For more information on Midcoast Conservancy, Hidden Valley Nature Center and upcoming events, go to www.midcoastconservancy.org or call (207) 389-5150.

Sign ups for all levels of Lincoln Little League baseball and softball will be held as follows:

Bristol School: Monday, March 6 and Wednesday, March 8; 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 14 and Thursday, March 16; 6-7:30 p.m.

South Bristol School: Monday, March 6 and Monday, March 13; 6-7 p.m.

GSB and NCS players at GSB School: Tuesday, March 14 and Thursday, March 16; 6-7 p.m.

Boothbay Region Elementary School: March 6, 8 and 10; 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Both new and returning players, ages 4-12, should register in their local communities. All players ages 4-5 may sign up for T-ball, boys/girls ages 6-11 for farm league baseball/softball, and boys/girls ages 9-12 are eligible to try out for Little League baseball/softball.

The registration fee is $35. Additional siblings are $15, with a family maximum of $65. There will be a mandatory fundraising fee of $20, payable at sign-ups. Raffle tickets will be distributed to be sold by participants.

Information regarding tryouts for Little League baseball and softball will be available at sign ups. For more information, please contact:

Bristol – Marvin Farrin at 563-2036

South Bristol - Adam Gamage at 563-6878

GSB and Nobleboro - Allen Tomasello at 380-1751

Boothbay – Jim Abbott at 350-0573

It’s the weekend of the annual Boothbay Classic, so there’ll be a whole lotta dribblin’ (and scoring!) goin’ on when 7th and 8th grade boys and girls teams from across the state compete March 3-5 right here in Boothbay Harbor.

All boys’ teams play at the Boothbay Region YMCA and all girls’ games are in the gym of Boothbay Region Elementary School.

First games are at 4 p.m. with Boothbay’s teams playing Hall-Dale. 

Check out the brackets below for time and team information. And check back here for updates!

First National Bank has a long history of supporting community causes and has once again stepped forward at the beginning of another important project, this time to lend its leadership support to the Damariscotta River Association (DRA) in its quest to ensure that special natural areas will be available to all, in perpetuity, as part of the community fabric of Damariscotta.

Still in the quiet phase, after six years of planning, last year DRA’s board launched a campaign to purchase and conserve land that will make it possible for everyone to walk, run, bike or push a stroller from the center of Damariscotta all the way to Whaleback Shell Midden, and ultimately to Oyster Creek on the Nobleboro line. Along the way they will be able to picnic by the river, relax and view open and protected landscapes, access one of the greatest ancient shell middens in the Northeast, and get close to the Great Salt Bay, Maine’s first marine protected area.

In addition to land purchase and conservation the campaign is focused on program enhancement, endowment and facility updates.

DRA Executive Director Steven Hufnagel said, “First National Bank knows all about strategic community investments, and we’re grateful and pleased that they recognized and supported such an investment through this campaign. It is really a strategic investment in our region’s future – the people, the water and the land that are the foundation of our industries, prosperity and community.

“In particular, the campaign will further strengthen DRA’s longstanding water quality monitoring program protecting aquaculture and ensuring clean water for all. It will also enhance our celebrated outdoor education programs for local students from K to 12, ensuring that all local children have a chance to get outdoors, get unplugged and experience our natural world, especially the Damariscotta River, Johns Bay and the land and shore around them.

“First National Bank’s contribution is one part of a much larger community effort involving many individuals and supporters, but it is an important one and we are truly grateful.”

According to Hufnagel, First National Bank has been a valued partner of Damariscotta River Association (DRA) for many years, supporting DRA’s education and water quality programs for more than a decade.

“First National is very pleased to support DRA in this effort,” stated Tony McKim, the bank’s president and chief executive officer. “Supporting community programs, particularly those that enhance the quality of life of local residents and provide educational opportunities for children, is truly our passion.”

For more information call (207) 563-1393, email dra@damariscottariver.org, or view their website at www.damariscottariver.org.

First off, Friends of Windjammer Days has a new website for the Windjammer Days Festival – www.boothbayharborwindjammerdays.org. Write it down, bookmark it … just remember that web address for all the up-to-the-minute details about the Boothbay region's longest running festival.

Said Friends of Windjammer Days Board President Pete Ripley, “We're very grateful to Atomic Studios (of Boothbay Harbor) for all they did for us with our first website three years ago. The new website is just more in-house based.”

Sailing in for the 55th Windjammer Days, June 25 through July 1, are the following 11 confirmed schooners: Adventure (New Gloucester, Massachusetts), American Eagle (Rockland), Alert (Bailey Island), the pink schooner Ardelle (Gloucester, Massachusetts), Ernestina-Morrissey (New Bedford, Massachusetts), Eastwind (Boothbay Harbor), Heritage (Rockland), Lazy Jack (Boothbay Harbor), Lynx (Portsmouth, New Hampshire), Lewis H. Story (Essex, Massachusetts) and True North (built at Goudy & Stevens).

Ripley, also the Friends' liasion to the visiting (and home-based) ship captains, said everyone's really happy about the number of ships already set to sail. Cap'n Pete began networking (as he does) at events like last year's Sailing Rendezvous in Castine, and the Tall Ships event in Portand a few years ago.

“Ardelle confirmed last summer for 2017. Adventure's been trying to get back to Maine for a while, but she needed some love, which kept her in Massachusetts,” Ripley said. “The only one we need to confirm the actual dates in harbor for is Harvey Gamage – yeah, we're happy.”

The ships are, sails down, the main attraction, the very inspiration for the festival, but before, during and after their appearance, much activity is afoot in Boothbay Harbor – and that's not just because the Pirates of the Dark Rose will be stirrin' up some mischief!

There's the Blessing of the Fleet – fishing, excursion and Coast Guard, the Windjammer golf tournament (now on Thursday); and the battle for bragging rights in the Tug of War across the Harbor resumes with teams gloved up and ready for action.

Competitions include One Design boat races; a lobster-eating contest, oyster shucking, a codfish relay race, a lighted boat parade, the Rocky Coast Road Race, the street parade and the kinda-still-new Miss Windjammer Pageant, year two.

Tours range from behind the scenes looks at the Department of Marine Resources and U. S. Coast Guard Station in West Boothbay Harbor to haunted history walking tours (for the rest of the story). Brand new in this category for 2017: tours of the Sail Loft in East Boothbay where internationally known sailmaker Nat Wilson and crew sew sails for modern and historic vessels.

And, speaking of historic vessels, the antique boat parade is a must for all boat admirers and owners. Watch as history sails — and motors — by.

Events for kids (that don't involve those nefarious visiting pirates) include arts and crafts at Maine State Aquarium, the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library (Windjammers for Wee Mateys), and Kids' Alley (where games and crafts abound).

Art lovers will lose themselves in the worlds within Artists' Alley (at a new location: 11 Howard Street) where they can observe local and visiting artists at work or peruse art for sale. Those of you who attend the artist's reception will know most of them before the Alley opens. Art not quite your bag? Check out the huge craft fair up to the Boothbay Common for two days.

Live music by local and regional acts will be wafting on the warm, salty breezes until that much anticipated evening midweek when the colors and sounds of fireworks fill the night sky.

While attendance numbers have continued to grow over the past three years, Friends of Windjammer Days is looking forward to this fourth year at the helm.

Treasurer Dianne Gimbel said Friends members work tirelessly, collectively brainstorming on ways to attract more visitors to Windjammer Days and the region.

“We are very grateful for the continued sponsorship and support we receive from the community, and for the incredible volunteers that make it all happen,” Gimbel said.

The Friends of Windjammer Days group meets the second Tuesday of the month at 5 p.m. at Boat House Bistro on the By-Way in Boothbay Harbor. If you're interested in volunteering, but aren't quite sure what aspect of the festival floats your boat, here's a list of committees and chairs: Tug of War Across the Harbor/Sponsorship - Mark Gimbel; Antique Boat Parade – Doug Goldhirsch and Bruce White; Artists' Alley – Janet Brennan and Sandy Wheeler; Blessing of the Fleet - local clergy; Cod Fish Races - Chris Gleason & Rusty Court; Entertainment – Bill Bailey; Food – Jackie Barnicourt; Footbridge Lighting - Nancy McEvoy; Kids Alley – Trish Warren and Lori Bailey; Lighted Boat Parade -Kim Gillies; Rocky Coast Road Race – YMCA; Street Parade – Stephanie Hawke; and Whale Park – Kris Ward.

Questions? Friends of Windjammer Days: windjammerdays@ gmail.com.

In addition to the new website, visit the Friends of Windjammer Days on Facebook.

A Wiscasset Middle High School senior basketball player and two Boothbay Region High School seniors, Kate Friant and Jacob Leonard, will be participating in the 37th annual Maine McDonald's Senior High School All-Star Games at Husson University in Bangor on Saturday, March 11.

The Maine Association of Basketball Coaches and Maine McDonald’s owner/operators honor the state’s best high school senior boys and girls basketball players and academic standouts.

Prior to the games, players get to take part in a community service event, with a visit to the Ronald McDonald House of Bangor. Maine has two Ronald McDonald Houses. For information, visit Ronald McDonald House of Maine.

WMHS’ Ethan James, who hit the 1,000-point career mark in a home game Jan. 25, and BRHS’ Kate Friant and Jacob Leonard will play alongside their fellow Class C/D South all-stars against the Class C North C/D all-stars. The boys game will start at 1 p.m. and girls game will start at 2:30 p.m.

Besides Friant, the South C/D seniors will include: Caitlin Logston, Forest Hills Consolidated H.S.; Allie Veinote, Saint Dominic Academy; Alora Ross, Mt. Abram Regional H.S.; Chloe Dwinell, Saint Dominic Academy; Kiara Carr, Temple Academy; Veronica Rossignol, Temple Academy; Marina Casey, Robert William Traip Academy; Annika Brooks, Waynflete School; and Shie Smith, Winthrop H.S. The team will be coached by Joe Burnham of Winthrop H.S. and Mike Gorman of Temple Academy.

Beside James and Leonard, the South C/D seniors will include: Mitch Jarvais, Madison Area Memorial H.S.; Nick Morales, Madison Area Memorial H.S.; Dustin Crawford, Carrabec H.S.; Matt Holt, Richmond H.S.; Barrett Grant, Searsport District H.S.; Austin Cates, Valley H.S.; Yai Deng, Waynflete School; and Jacob Hickey, Winthrop H.S. The team will be coached by Jason Knight, North Yarmouth Academy and Bill Foley, Greenville H.S.

Game tickets (includes four games) are $8 for adults and $ for children ages 12 and under.

Schedule on March 11

• 8:30-9 a.m. State Foul Shooting Championship
• 9:15-10:30 a.m. Girls AA/A/B Game
• 10:45-noon Boys AA/A/B Game
• Noon-12:15 p.m MABC Presentations/RMHC of Maine Presentation
• 12:15-12:30 p.m. Maine Athletic Fundraising Three Point Shooting Competition 
• 12:30-12:45 p.m. Dr Pepper® Slam Dunk Competition 
• 1-2:15 p.m. Boys C/D Game
• 2:30-3:45 p.m.Girls C/D Game

The event is sponsored by McDonald’s of Maine and Eastern New Hampshire.

The Boothbay Region YMCA and Central Lincoln County YMCA are partnering again this summer to provide the best summer ever for children and teens in Lincoln County. Summer camp at the Y is a place where youth learn values, build new skills, make new friends and develop self-confidence. YMCA Camp Knickerbocker is the Y’s traditional day camp for children 6-12 years old.

Located on beautiful Knickerbocker Lake with 65 acres of forest and wetlands, our day camp is a true outdoor experience for youth. Campers develop skills through a diverse curriculum of traditional camp activities that encourage youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Weekly activities include beach play, swimming, kayaking and canoeing, sports, arts and crafts, the Baldwin Center Adventure Course and field trips to local venues and hiking preserves.

Scamper Camp at Camp K is our day camp for students entering Kindergarten in the fall. Scamper campers enjoy the traditional day camp setting with participation in all that Camp Knickerbocker has to offer. Throughout every activity at camp, we strive to support youth in three areas:

• Friendship: we are here to inspire kids to make friends for a lifetime

• Achievement: we are here to show kids what they can do when they believe in themselves

• Belonging: we are here to welcome kids, and make them feel comfortable being themselves.

Camp Knickerbocker will run for 10 weekly sessions in 2017, from June 19 through Aug. 25. Transportation is provided daily for campers from the CLC YMCA to Camp K in the morning and back to the CLC Y each afternoon.

The CLC YMCA is a key collaborative leader improving the quality of life for all by being the champion for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The vision of the Boothbay Region YMCA is to nurture the potential of youth, promote healthy living for all, and foster social responsibility.

Registration is now open for Y members and the general public, and scholarships are available. To register or complete a scholarship application, visit your home Y’s website www.boothbayregionymca.org or www.clcymca.org.

Wiscasset’s Anna McDougal, author, artist and advocate for people with disabilities, is now also a two-time world medalist, taking silver and bronze in the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Austria.

“I was so proud and so excited,” McDougal’s sister Amy  Burchstead, also of Wiscasset, said March 23, the day McDougal won second place, for the silver, in alpine novice slalom; two days earlier, McDougal took third, for the bronze, in alpine novice giant slalom, according to specialolympics.org. Athletes from 105 countries competed in Austria, the website states.

Burchstead watched the silver medal-winning performance at their mother Thyle Shartar’s and stepfather Marty Fox’s Wiscasset home, and got to see McDougal interviewed on ESPN. Asked if that was surreal, she said it partly was. “But I’ve also learned to expect anything from Anna.” Her sister is one of those people who can do anything, Burchstead said.

She attributes McDougal’s many accomplishments to determination, a positive attitude and a lack of inhibitions. Someone else might be worried about what people would think of their autobiography and worry about what to put into it, but McDougal doesn’t have those concerns; she just does whatever it is, Burchstead said.

Wiscasset Newspaper readers met McDougal, who has Down Syndrome, in 2013 after she finished writing her autobiography, “A Look Back.” She described herself then as very positive. “That’s who I am. I don’t like to be negative.”

In May 2016, she competed at a Special Olympics regional track and field event at Wiscasset Middle High School, and gave the athlete oath in front of the crowd. She said in an interview there, she loved Special Olympics for the healthful exercise and the chance to participate in sports.  The event took place after McDougal had learned she would be going to Austria this year for the World Winter Games.

When McDougal left home in Wiscasset mid-March for the Games, she was psyched, optimistic and ready for an adventure, Burchstead said.

Burchstead is grateful and excited at her sister’s opportunity to take to the slopes on a world stage. She added that, as a sister, she was naturally also a little worried to have her sister so far away. She was looking forward to welcoming McDougal back to Maine on Sunday.

In an email Saturday, Fox said he and Shartar were ecstatic and were very proud of McDougal’s accomplishments. “We expect Anna will be on emotional high for some time.”

Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 25, Boothbay Harbor, is offering several boating classes this spring to help recreational boaters. Visit the website: flotilla25.org to find out more about the classes listed below.

About Boating Safely: an introduction to boating. Boothbay Region Adult Ed: April 25, 27, May 2 and 4; Maine Maritime Museum: May 15, 17, 22 and 24.

Navigating Mid Coast Maine: learn the basic information contained in charts and GPS displays. Boothbay Region Adult Ed: May 9, 11, 16 and 18; Great Salt Bay School: June 5, 7, 12 and 14; Maine Maritime Museum: April 17, 19, 24 and 26.

Paddle Sports Safety: covers essential paddle craft skills. Great Salt Bay School: June 20 and 22.

Suddenly in Command: steps to take to minimize problems and basic emergency procedures. Boothbay Region Adult Ed: April 11 and 13; Maine Maritime Museum: June 19 and 21.

Following a hiatus in 2016, the Damariscotta River Pirate Rendezvous will return on Saturday, June 24 – bringing a motley crew of buccaneers both young and old to invade the Twin Villages and raise funds for local non-profits.

The restructured event will be a bit leaner, with a focus on activities at the Pirate Bazaar located at Schooner Landing including music, pirate re-enactments, pirate history exhibits, non-profit fundraising as well as food and beverage service.

There will be no children’s area on Water Street, allowing that road to stay open to normal traffic. However, the event will continue to provide plenty of action and activities for little buccaneers, including the pirate invasion at high noon.

“This event has always been about the children, and we plan on continuing that tradition,” said Charlie Herrick of Schooner Landing, the event host.

Also continuing will be the participation of the Pirates of the Dark Rose professional re-enactment group. They will bring sword fighting, black powder weapons, artillery, and the armed topsail yawl SV Must Roos to the event.

While many of the details are still being worked out, the general event schedule has been established. The Pirate Bazaar will open at 10 a.m., pirates will attack at high noon and invade the village with their numbers bolstered by young pirates who will join the crew, and there will be a Kid Pirates Costume Contest at 2 p.m. Schooner Landing will provide musical entertainment through the day, and the Pirates of the Dark Rose will create their “Tortuga Village” with exhibits, games and other activities. A variety of non-profit fundraising activities will also take place. Activities will continue at the Pirate Bazaar until 4 p.m.

While Schooner Landing will now host the event, Pirate Rendezvous originator Greg Latimer will still be on hand to assist with both preparations before the event and operations during the event.

More announcements regarding the Damariscotta River Pirate Rendezvous will be forthcoming soon. For further information on the Damariscotta River Pirate Rendezvous, including sponsorship opportunities, contact Greg Latimer at 207-380-9912 or greglatimercontact@gmail.com.

The public is invited to attend the annual meeting and membership celebration of the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (KELT) on Thursday, April 6 at 5:30 p.m. at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. Join the land trust's board of directors, members, and friends as we celebrate the land trust's annual progress. After the business meeting, join us to explore how KELT and our Midcoast Maine partners in the 12 Rivers Initiative are collaborating to include climate change impacts in future conservation.

This occasion is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the land trust's work and get an update on the lands conserved in 2016. A social gathering for members will include tasty appetizers and a wine and beer tasting by Now You're Cooking and Mariner Beverages.

The presentation will highlight KELT's work with a partnership of seven other land trusts, called the 12 Rivers Initiative, to identify how we can carry out conservation in a way that is meaningful in the face of a changing climate. New resilience information and how KELT and regional partners are using it will be shared. Anna Fiedler, director of land conservation at Midcoast Conservancy, has been coordinating the 12 Rivers resilience planning; she will share the steps that the 12 Rivers partnership has taken to build a regional effort that incorporates and supports conservation for climate resilience. Ruth Indrick, project coordinator at KELT, will identify what makes land resilient, what areas in KELT’s region show the highest resilience, and how KELT will incorporate climate change resilience into our conservation planning.

RSVP by calling 442-8400, emailing bkolak@kennebecestuary.org, or register online at www.kennebecestuary.org/annual-meeting-2017. The Maine Maritime Museum is located at 243 Washington Street. Special thanks to the Merrymeeting Bay Trust, The Nature Conservancy, and Bath Savings Trust Company for sponsoring this event.

Midcoast Steward alumnus Caren Clark cares deeply about Midcoast Maine and community. During her nine years of service on the board of Medomak Valley Land Trust (MVLT), she coordinated education and outreach events and helped establish the Waldoboro Farmers' Market. "Over the years, Caren has helped expose many residents and visitors to the services our land trust provides," said Daniel Ungier, MVLT Executive Director.

It was through Damariscotta River Association’s (DRA’s) Midcoast Stewards program that Clark was initially exposed to the Midcoast land trust community. "She has a passion for Maine's beautiful lands,” Ungier explained, “and the Midcoast Stewards program helped deepen that passion by providing an awesome, experiential education in Midcoast Maine's unique ecology and natural history."

For over 15 years, Midcoast Stewards alumni like Clark have been contributing time, energy, ideas and enthusiasm to conservation organizations throughout Midcoast Maine. Upwards of 175 Midcoast Stewards have graduated from the biannual program since its inception in 2001, and DRA estimates these individuals have given a total of 81,200 hours of volunteer service to area conservation organizations and projects.

The purpose of the program is to provide participants with an overview of topics relating to the natural and cultural resources of Midcoast Maine, so that they can contribute to the protection and conservation of their coastal environment. It also gives people the opportunity to network with others who share their interests. Now coordinated by the Damariscotta River Association, Midcoast Stewards was developed by the Maine Coastal Program and sponsored by that organization for many years.

“Caren’s experience is a great representation of what often happens with Midcoast Stewards program participants, remarkable as it always seems to me,” remarked Sarah Gladu, DRA Education Director and coordinator of the program. “The program always attracts a diverse group of participants, including retirees, people changing careers, teachers, homeschool families with teenage children, and folks new to the area. They all bring their own interests and skills to the mix and are inspired in different ways,” she explained.

Midcoast Stewards program participants learn directly from professionals in a variety of organizations during the course, including scientists from the Darling Marine Center, Maine Natural Areas Program, Maine and National Audubon and Maine Geological Survey, as well as leaders from local land trusts. The class format includes a mix of lectures, discussions, field trips and hands-on experiences.

The 40-hour curriculum covers coastal ecology, Wabanaki culture, geologic history, sustainable fisheries management, birds, water quality monitoring, estuarine studies and much more. This year, the Midcoast Stewards Program will meet April 11 through June 10 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., as well as a three Saturdays.

After completing the course, participants commit to “giving back” a minimum of 40 hours of volunteer service to the protection of Midcoast Maine's natural and cultural resources over the next year with a conservation organization of their choice. Volunteer projects have included helping with events, serving on boards and committees, building trails, monitoring horseshoe crabs and a wide variety of other types of service.

The program application deadline is April 3. The materials fee for the 40 hour course is $100, payable to Damariscotta River Association. Limited scholarships are available. Applications and the program brochure can be obtained by contacting DRA.

For more information call 207-563-1393, email dra@damariscottariver.org, or visit www.damariscottariver.org.

Hildy Ellis, coordinator at Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District, will lead visitors on a walk along the margins of the bog at Midcoast Conservancy’s Hidden Valley Nature Center on April 21 from 10 a.m. to noon. A 220-foot boardwalk extends into the heart of the wetland, making it possible for visitors to interact with a fascinating, but incredibly delicate ecosystem, and to witness the spring explosion of plant life there.

The bog ecosystem is an iconic piece of Maine’s natural landscape. These wetlands have been forming over millions of years in a completely unique fashion. Much of the flora and fauna found in the bog is unique to this area and other places like it. The kettle hole bog is home to many beautiful flowering plants, including several varieties of orchids and unique bird species including the relatively uncommon yellow-bellied flycatcher.

Meet at the HVNC gate at 10 a.m.; it is an easy 10-minute walk to the bog. Dress appropriately for possible buggy conditions, bring binoculars if desired, and please no dogs. A $5 donation is requested. Register at https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/guided-bog-walk/. For more information, go to midcoastconservancy.org or call (207) 389-5150.

Brandon Goud and Grant Hefler are pretty tough competitors when they take to the playing field for Wiscasset Middle High School. This spring, they’ll compete against hundreds of other students for a $5,000 sportsmanship scholarship from the HP Hood dairy company.

Best friends since grammar school, Goud and Hefler will be encouraging their classmates, family and friends to cast votes on their behalf. Voting for the Hood Milk Sportsmanship Scholarship began on Monday at https://hood.com/scholarship and continues until 3 p.m. April 10.

Goud and Hefler are pulling for each other and the rules allow participants to vote for both of them once every day. Both have excelled in the classroom, on the playing field and basketball court.

After graduation, Hefler plans to attend Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. At WMHS, he’s participated in baseball, soccer, basketball, wrestling and golf. He’s lettered in every sport and received a number of coaching awards. Last fall, he played soccer for the Wolverines and golfed as an independent player with the Morse High School Shipbuilders in Bath. In his junior year, Hefler hit a 325-yard hole-in-one in his first match at Bath Country Club.

“When I play, I play to win but I understand that when the game is over the people I play against are my friends and people who I can relate to,” Hefler wrote in his Hood essay.

Hefler is the son of Gregg Wood and Karen Hefler of Northwood Court, Wiscasset.

Goud plans to attend Maine Maritime Academy in Castine. He, too, is a dual athlete competing on both the Wolverine varsity soccer and cross-country teams. He’s also lettered in basketball, swimming and track and has competed in six different events on the track team including the high jump and 3200-meter race. He’s excelled in both the mile and 1600-meter races and is hoping to set new school records in both events later this spring. Last fall, Goud was named to the Mountain Valley Conference first cross-country team and finished seventh in the Class C Southern Regional race and fifth overall in the Class C State meet.

“Typically, athletes from neighboring towns and rival schools do not befriend one another, especially during the season, but I look at every meet and game as an opportunity to make new friends,” Goud wrote in his Hood essay.

Goud’s parents are Duane and Tricia Goud of Gardiner Road, Wiscasset.

Margaret Scally of the WMHS guidance department said past WMHS winners have included Maeve Carlson in 2015 and Brandon’s sister Brianna Goud in 2014. Scally added, for Hefler and Brandon Goud to have a chance of winning a Hood award, the community has to get behind the effort and keep voting.

You can vote online once a day per student; you must be a U.S. citizen over the age of 13 and have a valid email address. Those voting must register on the site.

Voting only takes a few minutes; the site includes pictures of Hefler and Goud along with their essays describing how they embody sportsmanship and integrity both on and off the playing field.  After voting, you’ll receive a reply from Hood with a link to confirm and complete your vote.

Hood annually awards 18 sportsmanship scholarships to boy and girl student athletes planning to further their education. The scholarship requires participants to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA and to have participated in a varsity sport, displayed a high degree of sportsmanship; and volunteered in the community. The 10 students from Maine who receive the most votes will be interviewed by a panel of judges along with finalists from Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Connecticut.

In May, three students from each state will be announced as winners.

Anna McDougal came home to Wiscasset this week tired and happy.

“Mission accomplished,” McDougal said in a phone interview Monday, a day after family and news media met her and the rest of Maine’s Special Olympics contingent at the Portland Jetport. Her trip to the World Winter Games in Austria was the best experience in her lifetime, McDougal, who has Down Syndrome, said. “It was amazing.”

The silver and bronze skiing medals she won were personal victories dedicated to the memory of her late grandfather Harry Shartar and they showed she had overcome a set of injuries, McDougal said; the trip felt like she was with family, a family of people who all love skiing, like she does; it’s a family she is now a part of, she said.

“It comes from love,” McDougal continued, when asked how she reached her accomplishments on the slopes. “Love of skiing, and sharing that with other people.”

She was proud to represent Maine in Austria and is enjoying being back with her family after the long trip home. She got to see the municipal building’s message board read, “Congratulations Anna McDougal.”

“That was great.” She also spoke of the sign her nephew and nieces made to welcome her at the airport. The sign had hearts, skis and other designs and messages including “you did it.”

Besides the support of her family, McDougal expressed thanks Monday for her coaches who believed in her; and the physical therapy personnel who helped her be ready to compete at the Games. To have them all be so proud of her is like a dream come true, she said.

Asked what’s next for her in skiing, McDougal said she would like to get to ski with her role model Lindsey Vahn at a Vermont event in November. Knowing Vahn overcame an injury helped her overcome hers, McDougal said.

In addition to the silver and bronze, she came home with a medal she and family members said she got for coming second with a unified team at the Games.

Looking for an exciting, in-depth boating safety course? The United States Power Squadron is offering America's Boating Course on Saturday April 29 at the Boothbay Region YMCA. The course will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This nationally certified course will provide students with the completion certificate needed to operate a motorboat in those states requiring one. In addition, many boat insurance companies offer discounts on boating insurance to boaters who successfully complete this course.

Not only will passing a boating safety course possibly provide a discount on boat insurance, it will also improve the water safety skills of participants. Boat safety courses are an excellent investment of time and money. Course instruction will be provided by certified instructors of Wawenock Sail & Power Squadron. Learn the basics of boating, rules of the road, navigational lights and buoys, boating safety equipment, trailering, and protecting your boat.

The cost of the course is $65 (individual); $80 for couples sharing materials. Pre-registration is required by Monday, April 24. To register contact: John McMullen, education officer, Wawenock Sail & Power Squadron at 207-433-7848 or postms@comcast.net

Every spring our woods and meadows resound with a chorus of birdsong. Join bird enthusiast Jody Telfair for a three-session workshop to learn more about spring songbirds. This class can deepen the experience of the wonders of spring with beautiful bird photos and recordings of singing warblers, vireos, thrushes and other jewels of May. Many of these birds have journeyed many hundreds of miles from Central and South America to find and claim their breeding territory in our backyards and natural areas.

The course will explore the mysteries and challenges of migration, as well as the diverse nesting needs of a variety of birds which nest in Maine. The course will also focus on methods of songbird identification, including visual cues, behaviors, habitat and song.

The class will meet Monday, May 8, and Monday, May 15, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Midcoast Conservancy, 36 Water Street, in Wiscasset. On Saturday, May 20, the group will meet at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson for a field trip from 8 to 11 a.m.

To register for the talk, go to https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/spring-songbirds/. For more information, go to midcoaastconservancy.org, or call (207) 389-5150.

The Native American Wabanaki tribes, or “People of the Dawnland,” have inhabited the coastal and riverine environment of this region for at least the last 12,000 years. Their primary means of transportation, the birchbark canoe, is a reflection of their intimate knowledge of the woods and waters through which they traveled. The superbly adapted craft is sturdy and flexible enough to be handled offshore or on the big lakes, yet light enough to be carried by one person.

This month Damariscotta River Association (DRA) and Lincoln Academy are offering a special program to construct a birchbark canoe using traditional Wabanaki methods, with master boatbuilder Steve Cayard and two interns, Dan Asher and Tobias Francis.

The canoe is currently under construction at Lincoln Academy’s Applied Technology and Education Center (ATEC), where students can participate in the building process throughout the month as their class schedules allow.

Cayard builds birchbark canoes in the traditional style of the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, and Maliseet builders of Maine and New Brunswick dating from the early- to mid-1800s. The boatbuilder has spent years gleaning information from research on old canoes in museums, old photos, and written accounts. He works closely with native groups, sharing building techniques to help revitalize this traditional craft.

The construction process includes soaking and steaming the cedar ribs and birch bark skin to bend them into shape, stitching pieces of birchbark together with split spruce root, weighting the gunwale frame to create the right curvature, installing planking and ribs, and fitting the headboards. Each step uses technology the Wabanaki would have used, with very little help from modern manufactured tools.

“The idea behind the project is to help connect students to the local landscape through hands-on experience with natural, native resources,” said Sarah Gladu, Education Director at the DRA. “We are extremely fortunate to have a community that fully supports this endeavor, bringing Lincoln Academy, DRA, and skilled craftspeople together to benefit local students. Seeing a project like this come together is a rare chance to experience our local history.”

“Sharing this process with the students is one way to preserve and sustain this traditional craft, which so perfectly combines the talents of humanity with the gifts of the forest,” reflected Cayard.

Members of the public are invited to stop by from 2:30 to 5 p.m. any weekday beginning on Monday, April 3, with the exception of Thursday afternoons, to ask questions and witness the process, which is expected to be completed by the end of April.

DRA has active programs in the areas of land conservation, stewardship, community education, water quality monitoring, marine conservation and cultural preservation. For more information call 207-563-1393, email dra@damariscottariver.org, or visitwww.damariscottariver.org.

New England Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich, a two-time Super Bowl champion, will sign autographs and pose for photos with fans at Hammond Lumber Company in Belgrade on Wednesday, April 12.

Attendees are encouraged to dress warmly for the family-friendly event, which will be open from from 3 until 6 p.m. in front of the store located at 2 Hammond Drive, just off Route 27. Admission is free.

Ninkovich was instrumental in the Patriots’ stunning comeback victory in Super Bowl LI and also played on the team that won Super Bowl XLIX in 2014. He will bring his first Super Bowl ring with him to Belgrade. (The new rings haven’t been awarded yet.) He will also bring his small, personal replica of the Lombardi Trophy, which is awarded to the winning team.

Central Maine Photography will take professional photos that fans can purchase after the event. Due to time limitations, each fan will be allowed one photo and one autograph.

In addition, five Patriot jerseys will be raffled off, and there will be alcohol-free “tailgate refreshments” for all who attend.

Ninkovich was drafted into the National Football League by the New Orleans Saints in 2006. He also played for Miami Dolphins before being signed in 2009 by the Patriots, where he has become one of the top defensive players in the game.

“To be able to play for such a long time,” the popular veteran said following the Pats’ stunning comeback in Super Bowl LI, “and to play for such a great organization where we’re competing every year at the highest level for championships. And to twin two— it’s just an amazing feeling!”

Ninkovich also enjoys coming to Maine in the off-season.

“I’m really looking forward to this trip to Hammond Lumber,” he says, “and to meeting so many Pats’ fans.”

Further information is available at the event’s special web page: www.hammondlumber.com/ninko.

The driving range formerly known as Longshot Golf Center is under new management. The lease has been taken over by the new ownership and management group that is operating The Bath Golf Club and Chip’s On The Green Restaurant at Wawenock Golf Club. The driving range and mini golf center, located at 305 Bath Rd. in Brunswick, was most recently operated as Chad Hopkins Golf Center. The group will renovate and reintroduce itself as “Sandbaggers Driving Range and Mini Golf.”

“The opportunity presented itself and we jumped on it,” said Sean McCarthy, general manager. “The location fit into our group incredibly well, and will provide an additional space for our golf professional staff for fittings, lessons, clinics, and really getting people excited about the game of golf.”

“Our staff is excited to put on clinics for players of all skill levels,” said Director of Golf Leon Oliver. “The range is the perfect place for us to get people working on their game before they come over to The Bath Golf Club to play a round with us.”

Not only will the company focus on providing an additional amenity and driving range space, but take part in the much needed renovation of a nostalgic Midcoast Maine favorite.

“Sandbaggers is going to bring back a great piece of Midcoast Maine golf history,” said Ryan Atwood, media manager for the company. “Everyone grew up playing here. We all hit countless  balls, played round after round of mini-golf, and we are excited to bring our company’s touch to the property. This will give us a new avenue to promote and grow the game while providing a fun atmosphere for everyone involved.”

The company has hired Johnny Johnston of Bath, Maine, formerly the general manager of Freeport Country Club, to run the property. Johnny is a certified teaching professional with years of experience in the golf industry, including a run in which he was the general manager at the driving range.

“I’m excited to come back to Sandbaggers. I always loved the property and I know its potential,” said Johnston. “I am grateful for the opportunity and look forward to making Sandbaggers a fantastic location for everyday golfers, families looking for a day or night of affordable entertainment, birthday parties and events, or adults looking to come out and enjoy a beverage and play in one of our night leagues or events.”

Sandbaggers Driving Range and Mini Golf will be open to the public beginning April 17. It will hold a grand opening celebration and open house the weekend of May 27-28. To contact Sandbaggers with any questions or to make reservations, call (207) 844-8057 or email Johnny Johnston at Johnny@sandbaggersgolf.com.

Visit their new website at www.sandbaggersgolf.com

On April 27, 28 and 29, Midcoast Conservancy will offer a free fat bike camp in Wiscasset. The camp is perfect for kids ages 9 to 14 who know how to ride a bike but want to take their skills a little further. The program will give participants an opportunity to explore and challenge themselves, on the grounds of the Wiscasset Rec Center and the surrounding area. Fat tire bikes will be provided in a variety of sizes for participants to use for the duration of the camp.

The camp itinerary will include: mountain bike anatomy, fit and fundamentals; mountain biking body position; trail riding and trail stewardship; shifting and cadence in different terrain; and maneuvering over, through, and around obstacles. Participants need to know how to ride a bike prior to attending camp. This program is focused on improving on the participants’ riding skills in a mountain biking environment.

Fat tire mountain bikes and helmets will be provided by Midcoast Conservancy. Participants should come dressed to ride bikes and play outside! They should bring a full water bottle, snack, sunscreen, and an extra warm layer, such as a rain jacket or fleece. Please wear close-toed shoes that fit properly and can get dirty.

This Fat Bike Adventure Camp will be led by coaches from Outdoor Sport Institute who are skilled teachers, guides, and facilitators, and are passionate about sharing outdoor sport with others. Camp times will vary by day: April 27 and 28, the camp will run from 3:30-5:30 p.m., and on Saturday, April 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Although the camp is free, participants must register. To do so, go to https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/fat-bike-adventure-camp-2/. For more information, go to midcoaastconservancy.org, or call (207) 389-5150.

Midcoast Conservancy’s Outdoor Adventure & Learning Program was launched with generous grant support from the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, Quimby Family Foundation, and Reny Charitable Foundation. Their support has enabled Midcoast Conservancy to purchase the equipment needed to provide these opportunities and work to determine the needs of various communities.

There is still time for runners of all levels to join Midcoast Conservancy’s annual Spring Trail Running Training Series, starting April 19 and held for six consecutive Wednesdays until May 24, at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson.

Come anytime between 4:30 and 6 p.m. on Wednesday nights and run either the short or long loop, solo or with a group. This is an informal training series designed to be self-competitive, where runners will be timed and can track their progress each week on the course. Volunteers will be on hand to provide bibs, timing, water, and lots of encouragement!

At the end of the series on May 24, join the group for a potluck cookout, when prizes are handed out to all participants. It’s a great way to get in shape, discover the trails and facilities at HVNC and have some spring fun!

Runners are encouraged to sign up in advance for the entire series, but day-of registration will be possible. The cost for all six weeks ranges from $20-$30, and is free for kids under 13. Day-of registration will be $8 per day. All ages and experience levels are welcome. Child care will be available each week while parents run. Cost is $5 per child, per week. Kids should dress appropriately for outdoor play and bring snacks.

For more information and registration, visit https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/spring-trail-running-series/. Call Midcoast Conservancy with any questions at (207) 389-5150, or email info@midcoastconservancy.org.

Spring sports will soon be back in full swing at Wiscasset Middle High School. The Mountain Valley Conference season gets under way Monday, April 24, when the Wolverines varsity softball team will host Hall-Dale. The first pitch is set for 4 p.m.

The following afternoon, Tuesday, April 25, the Wolverines will host their first track meet of the season. The meet is at 4 p.m. and includes teams from Mountain Valley, Boothbay Region and Dirigo High School. Josiah Winchenbach will return for his second year as coach.

Coach Gordon Campbell and the Wolverine softball team finished 2-14 last year and ranked 13th in the Class C South Heal Standings. Both Wolverine wins were against Boothbay Region, which had a winless season. Following the home opener, the team will travel to Madison April 26  on April 28 will host Mt. Valley.

The Wolverines have seven returning players from last year’s team including senior Stephanie Jones and juniors Corey Campbell, Maeve Blodgett, August Moore, Lindsey Gordon, Leah Potter and Clara Mugnai. The underclassmen include sophomores Sydnie Thayer, Page Adams and Shelby Collins. Freshmen include Farah Casey, Natalie Potter, Kelsey Jones and Kateleen Trask.

Hannah Campbell is returning to help her dad coach the team.

“I’m pretty excited about the upcoming season and pleased that so many girls have stayed with the program,” Coach Campbell said at the April 11 practice, only the second one outdoors due to the recent wet weather.

Weather permitting, the girls will host a five-team softball round robin Saturday, April 15. The tournament gets under way at 9 a.m. with a game between WMHS and Waterville. Lincoln Academy, Richmond and Boothbay Region are also participating. The games are limited to 90 minutes.

The Wolverines baseball team won’t be competing at the varsity level this season. Second year Coach Gregg Wood takes charge of a junior varsity team. To date, eight games have been scheduled. The first game, also a home opener, is against Brunswick, Thursday, April 28, at 4 p.m. On May 5, WMHS will host Medomak High. Carrabec and Mt. Ararat are also on the team’s schedule.

In January, WMHS decided to drop out of the MVC Class C baseball due to a lack of numbers. Since then, enough players have expressed an interest in playing to form a junior varsity team.

Also returning are the girls and boys varsity tennis teams. They open their MVC season April 28 and May 1, respectively. The girls, coached by Jessie Hinman, travel to Wales for a match with Oak Hill while the boys, coached by Chris Hammond, host Carrabec High School.

Spring has finally taken hold in southern and central Maine, just in time for the start of the 2017 season at Wiscasset Speedway on West Alna Road. As fans and drivers have come to expect the past few years, they'll be greeted once again by several upgrades and changes to Maine's fastest track. Most noticeably is the addition of a new retaining wall in turns 3 and 4, plus the long-awaited replacement of the aging front stretch wall. Final preparations are taking place in the days and hours leading up the season opener on Saturday, April 22 at 2 p.m. A new catch fence, flag stand, and Victory Lane area are also among the updates to the 3/8 mile oval. Under the nearly five-year ownership of Richard and Vanessa Jordan, the coastal Maine speed plant has quickly turned into a popular destination for racers and fans from around the state.

One item that is unique to Wiscasset Speedway is the split of the eight weekly divisions into two distinct groups that run an alternating schedule from mid-April through early October. Group 1 will hit the track first this weekend with the Serv Pro of Biddeford-Saco Prostocks, Super Streets, Thunder 4 Minis, and 4-cylinder Pros. The weekly “Flex” division, typically reserved for regional touring divisions or specialty races, will be the first of nine appearances for the Amsoil Nelcar Legends. Group 2, consisting of the Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman, Midcoast Region Napa Modifieds, Norms Used Cars Strictly Streets, and Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Minis will kick off their season on April 29.

Highlights of the upcoming season include the annual Coastal 200 on Memorial Day Weekend; the return of the NEMA Midgets and NEMA Lites; the 75-lap Outlaw Mini Madness; the 5th annual Top Gun Strictly Shootout; and a special double header weekend July 29-30 featuring the track's 48th Birthday Celebration and the Boss Hogg 150 Prostock Open. Once again, fans can see every race at Wiscasset Speedway for just $5 grandstand admission.

Pit gates will open at 9 a.m. on Saturday with cars practicing from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fans can enter the grandstands at noon and the green flag will fly on the opening day program at 2 p.m. For more information on opening day or the 2017 season, visit www.wiscassetspeedway.com.

There are a number of high hills along Maine’s Midcoast referred to as mountains. They include Mount Hunger in Edgecomb, Morse Mountain in Phippsburg and Higgins Mountain in Georgetown­ — all of which are on land preserves.

Higgins Mountain, just a few miles south of the Georgetown bridge, is among the properties managed by the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (KELT). It rises to the lofty height of 259 feet, and is said to be the highest point on Georgetown Island. As far as mountains go, that’s not very high, but it’s still fun to hike to the top. You’ll appreciate the view more this time of year before the leaves return to the trees.

A kiosk marks the preserve’s entrance where a short but challenging hike awaits. There were plenty of trail maps during my recent visit that include a brief history of the preserve. From it we learn Mathew McKinney, a Scottish immigrant and cobbler by trade, first settled near here around 1730 and took up farming. The hill got its name from a descendant, Jane McKinney Higgins, who was given the land in 1849.

There’s only one trail which snakes around the property. The shortest way to the top is to follow the route on the left. Be wary, both paths run uphill over mostly rocky terrain. I opted for the trail on the right, the longer route to the summit. Part of it is blazed white, but I soon lost sight of the markings and wandered off, doubled back, wandered off again and finally gave up. Following my own route, I was soon at the summit admiring the view.

A plaque pinioned to the rock ledge reads: “Lower Kennebec Region Land Trust - Donated in memory of Warren S. Todd by ‘Billie’ Todd & family November 2000.” A compass bearing from here indicated Route 127 (Five Islands Road) was 120 degrees eastward.

Stunted, wind-blown pitch pine, juniper bushes and wild blueberries surround the summit, which looks very similar to Bald Head in nearby Arrowsic. Looking east, you can see the ocean and, on a clear day, Hendricks Head lighthouse in Southport.

Piles of rocks have been set along the rocky portions of the trail for hikers to follow. It’s about a 10-minute climb to the top and some folks may find it challenging. Take care coming down — I discovered a few stretches of the rock-strewn path slippery following the recent wet weather.

Higgins Mountain is about 17 miles from Wiscasset. From Route 1 south, take the exit at the Woolwich Dairy Queen for Arrowsic and follow the road (Route 127) east to Georgetown. Just past the Smokey the Bear sign on the right, you’ll pass a quirky landmark aptly named “Turtle Rock.” The entrance to the preserve will be on your right and includes a small parking area.

Dogs are not permitted. For more information on the preserve and other properties managed by KELT, visit: www.kennebecestuary.org

On the return trip you might consider stopping to explore Schoener Preserve. The 154-acre wooded parcel is owned by the University of Maine with an easement to KELT. It’s about a mile west of Higgins Mountain and just past a cemetery on the right. There’s room on the shoulder to pull off Route 127 and park. A small white sign marks the trail entrance, which is alongside an old logging road.

The trail is wide, blazed in yellow and easily followed. It carries you through a forest of mostly new growth running gradually downhill most of the way alongside a stone boundary line. Along the way, you’ll pass a small bog on the right. It’s loaded with frogs, a sign spring has finally returned.

The 10-minute walk brings you out to a secluded inlet along the shore of Robinhood Cove, where you’ll see a small rushing brook. I caught sight of two mallards, both drakes that heard my approach and took off across the water.

KELT lists the trail as .75 miles. It ends at the cove; you return the way you came in. Leased dogs are permitted here. The land was a gift of Jason and Virginia Schoener in 1996. You can send your comments on this and other Discover the Midcoast stories to pdivece@roadrunner.com.

On Saturday, June 3 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Midcoast Conservancy will be hosting the annual Hooked on Fishing event, where kids get out on the water and experience the fun of fishing! Children of all experience levels are welcome; each child gets an hour of fishing in prime fishing spots on Damariscotta Lake with experienced volunteer boaters as their personal guides. Mentors will be onshore to assist young anglers with equipment and to answer their questions about fishing.

Midcoast Conservancy will provide all of the kids’ equipment (fishing poles, bait, boats and life jackets) and the Whitefield Lions Club will cook up delicious food — all for free! Sign up today; one fishing rod will be given away, and admission to the park is free for everyone coming to this event, compliments of Midcoast Conservancy.

Participants will meet at Damariscotta Lake State Park, Jefferson, and head out onto the lake from there. Register to choose a time slot; boats will leave hourly. Go to https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/hooked-fishing-day/. Call (207) 389-5150 for more information or with any questions.

The event is co-sponsored by Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, and the Whitefield Lions Club.

The Boothbay Region YMCA, in partnership with the Central Lincoln County (CLC) YMCA, are offering a combined and expanded summer camp experience – with transportation – to give kids and teens in Lincoln County an adventurous, active and healthy summer!

Camp Knickerbocker on beautiful Knickerbocker Lake in Boothbay. What better way to explore and enjoy the outdoors but at summer adventure camp! For Maine Explorers, ages 8-14, four unique camp opportunities are offered:

Outdoor Adventure: Fishing, Boating and Blazing Trails from June 26-30 or August 21-25, where campers spend their days hiking trails, fishing and boating at Camp K and various other locations, including a sleepover with their counselors, experiencing the best our wilderness has to offer in a safe and supportive environment.

Survivor Camp from July 10-14 is designed for kids who like challenge and adventure through games, team building and basic survival skills. This camp includes an overnight at Camp K and structured time at the Baldwin Adventure Center.

Aqua Adventure from July 24-28 is for kids who love water play! Field trips include Aquaboggan, Maine Wildlife Park, DEW Haven and various other regional swimming holes.

Lighthouse & Beach Exploration from August 7-11 offers a fun week of field trips to regional lighthouses and swimming at various beach locations, from Reid State Park to the Pemaquid Lighthouse.

Boothbay Sports Camps this summer will feature Football Camp for ages 8-12, July 11-14; Basketball Camp for ages 5-8, July 31-August 4; Pee Wee and Rookies Basketball Camp for K-2 the week of July 24 and grades 3-5 the week of July 17; Tennis Camp for ages 7-14, August 14-17; and Soccer Camp for grades Pre K-8 July 31-August 4.

CLC Y Sports Camps include Tennis Camp for ages 7-14, July 10-13; Cheerleading for grades 1-6, July 17-21; Baseball for grades 3-9, July 17-21; Gymnastics for grades 1-6, July 31-August 4; Golf Camp at Wawenock for ages 8-14, July 24-28 or August 14-18; Football Camp for grades 1-8, July 31-August 4; Soccer Camp for grades Pre K-8, August 7-11; and Preseason Conditioning Camp for grades 6-9, August 14-18.

Download the 2017 Summer Camp Guide at your Y’s website or call for more information: clcymca.org/563-9622 or boothbayregionymca.org/633-2855.

Wiscasset Speedway has had more than its share of good luck when it comes to weather over the past few years. As a matter of fact, the track hadn't lost a full program to rain since June of 2014. The luck ran out Saturday afternoon as a cold steady mist hung over the region for much of the day, forcing track management to pull the plug, sending a group of hearty race fans and drivers home without the racing fix they had waited all winter to cure.

"It's frustrating," said track announcer/promoter Ken Minott. "The radar and forecast looked like we had a real window of opportunity. We wanted to get the race in as badly as they did. We know our drivers want to race, so we make every effort to get the show in. This time it just didn't happen."

Saturday's show was meant to be the season opener for the 2017 season and the unveiling of the latest round of improvements to the facility, including a new wall in turns 3 and 4 and a new front stretch retaining wall and victory lane area. No makeup has been scheduled for Saturday's rainout. The track will take another shot at opening its season Saturday, April 29 at 2 p.m with Group 2, which includes The Wood Pellet Warehouse Late Model Sportsman; Midcoast Region Napa Modifieds; Kennebec Equipment Rental Outlaw Minis; and Norms Used Cars Strictly Streets. The flex division will be the Wicked Good Vintage Racers. Pit gates will open at 9 a.m., Practice from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The grandstand gate will open at noon and the green flag flys on the program at 2 p.m. For more information, go to www.wiscassetspeedway.com.

Midcoast Conservancy will be offering a Stand Up Paddleboard and Canoe Camp on Damariscotta Lake Tuesday, June 20 through Thursday, June 22. The camp, for kids 9-14 years old, is free. The program will focus on skills and safety; Maine Sport Outfitters of Rockport will be providing expert instruction.

The camp will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day, and will meet at 38 Lake Farm Circle in Jefferson, on Damariscotta Lake. Stand up paddleboards, canoes, paddles, and PFDs will all be provided. The itinerary includes: introduction to SUP and canoeing skills and safety, paddling games and rescue practice and on Thursday, a distance paddling adventure

Participants will need to come prepared each day dressed to be outside, with a swimsuit and towel, and a full water bottle. Previous experience in these activities is not required. Participants should be prepared to be physically active during camp.

To register, go to: https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/stand-paddle-board-camp/. For more information on Midcoast Conservancy, go to www.midcoastconservancy.org or call (207) 389-5150.

Mark your calendars for Sunday, May 21, 7:30-10:30 a.m., for Midcoast Conservancy’s Hidden Valley Nature Center annual Pancake Breakfast at the Alna General Store. Everyone is invited to attend; it is a great opportunity to meet other members of the outdoor education and recreation community.

A $10 donation gets you a stack of pancakes (blueberry or plain) with coffee and a side. But, more importantly, your donation will help sustain the recreational and educational programming that Midcoast Conservancy provides. Throughout the morning, Well Seasoned, featuring local musicians Dan Townsend and Pixie Lauer, will be playing some acoustic favorites. On hand will be a collection of handmade picnic tables and benches for sale, made of sustainably-harvested wood from Hidden Valley Nature Center. Each year staff and volunteers build creative, unique, and long-lasting outdoor furniture that are perfect for gardens, decks, and patios.

For more information about HVNC or Midcoast Conservancy, go to midcoastconservancy.org, or call (207) 389-5150.

For nine years, Kieve-Wavus has hosted veterans and their families who want to take a much needed respite from their daily lives and visit our residential camps on the shores of Damariscotta Lake, free of charge. Our veterans programs are an opportunity for service men and women, retired or still serving to relax, have fun and reconnect with other veterans and their families.

Kieve-Wavus’ Executive Director Henry Kennedy said, “We are honored to be able to offer these retreats to our brave veterans who gave so much in defense of our country.”

The latest family camp started on Monday, April 17 and concluded on Friday, April 21. A total of 45 veterans and their families visited us from Texas, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts and of course, Maine.

The week’s activities consisted of chapel services, pottery, pedicures, low impact exercise classes, haircutting, outdoor rock-climbing, high-ropes course, arts and crafts, jelly making, reflecting by the lake, quiet reading in the cabins, evening camp fires and lots of fantastic food.

None of this could not have been possible if not for the hard work of our many staff members and local volunteers including Marge Greenleaf, Mary Ellison, Annie Richardson, Taylor Boucher, Kasie Taylor, Nina Byers, Whitney Pander, Donna Begley, Rev. Tom Wages, John Romac and Bill Flood.

A few comments from our Veterans attending this week:

Ed, U.S. Marine Corps: “Family camp was wonderful and a great re-connect.”

Gwen, U.S. Army: “I’ve made lifelong friends here.”

Scott, U.S. Army: “This experience was way beyond my expectations. Thank you Kieve-Wavus!”

Veronica, FBI/DOJ: “What an amazing week. My family has loved being here. Thank you so much.”

As one of the few states with a dedicated recognition program, Maine takes every opportunity to celebrate the courage and sacrifice of our veterans. Maine has established the "Honoring a Veteran" recognition program to recognize our veterans for their military service. Deputy Director of the Maine Veterans Service, David Richmond visited with us and took the opportunity to honor our guests for their service by presenting them with a Certificates of Appreciation. The Certificates read:

“We the citizens of the State of Maine, express our sincere appreciation of your sacrifice, courage, and willingness to serve our great state and nation. We are proud of you and thank you for your contribution to the defense of Freedom.”

Kieve-Wavus hosts four family veterans’ camps at our Wavus campus in Jefferson and two veteran specialty camps; Vietnam only and Women’s Only; on our Kieve campus in Nobleboro each year. 

All camps are free of charge to the veterans and their families and are funded by Kieve-Wavus with the support of private donations and corporate grants made by those who deeply appreciate the service that all veterans provided to their country. Additional support is always welcome. For additional information on all of our veterans camps, please visit http://www.kievewavus.org/veterans/

Whether you have a small yard or acres of property, you can garden and landscape to entice many of your favorite birds to your home. Jody Telfair will help participants work to create a bird-friendly habitat around their homes. Through slides, discussion and handouts, the first of two classes will explore the elements and issues in creating a habitat that supports the diverse needs of a variety of bird species, as well as the importance of native plants and insects in developing healthy ecosystems for wildlife.

Between the first and second classes, participants will assess their own property (or a friend or family member’s) for bird-friendly elements that already exist, as well as for what aspects may be missing. Class members will then bring a plan for at least one aspect of bird-friendly gardening to the second class to share and discuss.

The class will meet Thursday, June 1 and Thursday, June 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Midcoast Conservancy, 36 Water Street, in Wiscasset. To register, go to https://www.midcoastconservancy.org/events/bird-friendly-gardening-course. For more information, go to midcoastconservancy.org, or call (207) 389-5150.