Foundation comes through

Summer camp now a reality for many SAD 46 youth

By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer

DEXTER — Thanks to the William and Joan Alfond Foundation, through a grant ranging from $12,000-$14,000, SAD 46 children entering grades 2 and 5 will have the opportunity to attend a summer camp offered through the town. The summer camp funding was formally accepted by the Dexter Town Council during its April 14 meeting.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

COVER ART — Dexter Town Clerk Kim Hughes shows the audience a cover design for one of several discs of town records designed by Arielle Carow, left, at the start of the April 14 town council meeting. Carlow, who is a senior at Dexter Regional High School and graphic design student at the Tri-County Technical Center, was presented with a framed certificate of appreciation for her artwork. Carlow’s cover designs include the town clock “Nancy” and a cannon for a disc featuring information from the Civil War-era.

“This started way back in January when the council decided to have a conversation on the beach area,” resident John Parola said. “There was some discussion on what could go there and I think you said you would like to have families go there.”

Parola said he talked with officials from the William and Joan Alfond Foundation and, to no surprise, they were interested in helping improve the space on Lake Wassookeag. Discussions with Town Manager Shelley Watson led to the concept of a summer camp for area children, which the foundation agreed to fund.

Should the program be successful in its first year, then Parola said, “The potential is greater a lot of other things will happen.”

“The summer camp is for kids going into grades 2 and 5 from all of SAD 46,” he said. He said the sessions would be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with athletic periods, free swim and time for arts and crafts.

The program will include a shared reading experience Parola called “One Camp, One Book” with campers and staff all reading the same selection. “That creates a community of being together and everybody talking about the same thing, older and younger people.”

Parola said the grant will fund four counselor positions — two male and two female — to be employed with Parola, who has served as a summer camp director for over 20 years, conducting the staff training. He said the town’s recreation director will serve as the summer camp director.

The Knights of Columbus have offered use of the organization’s building in the event of rain. Parola said some activities may also take place at the Dexter Town Hall and Ridge View Community School

“Lunch is provided free every day, it’s done free through the federal government,” Parola said. He said the Dexter Sunrise Kiwanis will be distributing food to campers on Friday through its Backpack Program.

“We are going to provide busing,” Parola said, with stops planned for the outlying SAD 46 communities of Garland, Exeter and Ripley.

“It is built around 40 children,” Parola said about a starting number. He said the process for filling the summer camp slots is still to be determined, as are some other camp details including the program dates, but “whatever we do we will do fairly and I wish we could do 100 kids.”

Parola joked that he wished he was 30 years younger so he could be more involved in the day-to-day operations of the summer camp. “A camp experience is really fun, it really lends itself to kids having a good time and doing different things,” he said. “I think it’s a good start to utilize that area.”

“It can grow, that’s the big thing you should know,” Parola added.

He said the William and Joan Alfond Foundation grant will also fund five new picnic tables for the beach area for the public to use. Foundation monies will also cover the cost of a new swimming line so the campers will be separated from the public.

“The amount of the grant they are giving us is stunning,” Councilor Marica Delaware said. Councillor Sharon Grant added the summer camp will not be operated just through the funds but through the volunteer efforts of many.

Councillor Ron Apel said Parola was one such volunteer, having contributed several hundred hours of his time to the summer camp.

In other business, the council approved several motions concerning summer events for all ages.

Several streets will be closed for the Fourth of July parade. The procession will start at 9:30 a.m. at the fire station and go to the light on Church Street, through Main Street to the Maine Highlands Federal Credit Union. From there the parade will travel down Lincoln Street and end at the Factory One parking lot. With inclement weather, the parade will be moved back from Independence Day to Tuesday, July 5.

Fireworks are scheduled for the Fourth of July. During the April 14 meeting the Dexter Fish and Game Association gave a $250 donation for the evening display.

The Dexter Historical Society will hold its annual Cruise-In on July 16 from 4-9 p.m. in the municipal parking lot behind Bangor Savings Bank. The council authorized the closure of the space for the car enthusiasts.

The inaugural Maine Red Hot Dog Festival will be Saturday, Aug. 13 with activities from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Councillors approved the closure of the parking lot and portions of Grove and Main streets for the event.

“Everybody’s worked up and excited for this,” Council Chair Michael Blake said about the Maine Red Hot Dog Festival. He said many volunteers have been involved already in planning the event.

In her report, Watson said, “We are getting close to the preliminary first part of our budget, the fire department is next.”

She said the council is scheduled to host a meeting with the Corinna town manager and selectboard on April 27. The session will be “to discuss some possible work sharing” as Watson said the neighboring communities may be able to find some ways to mutually reduce costs.

In March the councillors accepted a bid of just over $478,000 from B and B Paving of Hermon for the paving contracts for the Silvers Mills Road, Zions Hill Road and the Airport Road. The motion also included an expenditure of up to $12,000 for a project consultant.

Wasson said she has the names of four consultants, having already talked with two, and she hopes to bring a candidate for the position forward at the May meeting. A project consultant would be needed “in order to protect that investment of half a million dollars,” Watson said.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

COVER DESIGNER — Arielle Carlow, a senior at Dexter Regional High School and graphic design and communications student at the Tri-County Technical Center, was presented with a certificate of appreciation by the Dexter Town Council on April 14 for designing the covers of several discs of town records.