3rd Annual Herb Noble Memorial Charity Ride

ARUNDEL—
The 3rd Annual Herb Noble Memorial Charity Motorcycle Ride will be held Saturday, July 23 at Bentley’s Saloon in Arundel. The day will start at 8:30 a.m. with a breakfast buffet and sign-in. Those who register ahead of time will have T-shirts waiting at the registration desk. Motorcycles will leave Bentley’s at 10:30 a.m. cruising back roads, with one stop before circling back to Bentley’s by early afternoon. The Bentley’s half bus will be available to transport non-riders who want to participate. After returning to Bentley’s there will be live music by The Alan Roux Band and The Dirty 3rds. The registration fee is $25 per person with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center. Funds will be used to provide food vouchers, gas cards, transportation costs, housing expenses, etc. to help ease the burden that the families often face while going through treatment along side their child. Anyone who wishes to attend the event, help out or contribute (you do not have to own a motorcycle or be a rider to take part) may contact Bob Noble at 985-6002 or Tom Noble at 632-7602. For more information visit www.herbnoble.com or www.bentleyssaloon.com. (Courtesy photo)

Book Review: ‘Maine’s Museums’

By Chip Schrader
Book Review Editor
“Maine Museums: Art Oddities & Artifacts” by Maine author Janet Mendelsohn is a compilation of entries about the many museums that Maine has to offer. For the reader’s convenience, each chapter is divided into the 7 regions of the state: Southern Maine, Casco Bay and Portland, Midcoast, Down East, the Western Mountain and Lakes Region, Kennebec Valley and Northern Maine.
Attractions within York county include the Automotive Museum of Wells, the Trolley Museum in Kennebunk, and the Naval Museum in Kittery, to name just a few. Mendelsohn begins each entry by covering the address, hours of operation, and contact information followed by a single paragraph summary of what visitors will find at each of these sites.
For the impatient searcher, this paragraph sufficiently pulls out the vital data without committing the reader to a full description. The fuller descriptions follow the heading “Why Go,” and is intended for those who prefer a good story or some background information, including interviews with the curators of each of these museums, who are typically experts within their field, and specific pieces to look for within the exhibits.
The “Why Go” segment also includes an historical backdrop of the collection. One of the more intriguing entries describes the controversial psychological theories and popular culture influence of Wilhelm Reich, M.D., in relation to his former laboratory “Ogonon” in Rangeley. This “mountainside retreat” was partially designed by the Austrian physician, and has been converted to become the Wilhelm Reich Museum.
A most peculiar museum features umbrella covers in Peaks Island. While even an umbrella museum seems far-fetched, a museum for umbrella covers seems to push beyond what we would normally find interesting.
The most fascinating entry for Southern Maine is the International Cryptozoology Museum located in Portland. The exhibits include information about the Loch Ness Monster, Yeti, and the numerous unidentified species that have been sighted throughout Maine. The curator and Cryptozoological expert, Loren Coleman, states that many of these sightings are errors and hoaxes, but there are still many instances that are worthy of scientific evaluation.
The handiest aspect of this guide lies in the fact that it is so specialized. Within any generic travel guide, museums are often buried between oceans of information, and the casual reader will likely glaze over most of its contents. Being so specific in topic, each entry gets sufficient space to shine. There are also tables, graphs and pictures to pull highlighted content from the page to the reader’s attention.
Janet Mendelsohn’s approach to this guide transcends the mere goal of attracting visitors to a hope of raising awareness to many resources that are often hidden from the allure of beachfronts and big marquis attractions. From the introduction on, her purpose is to save museums from a dwindling economy and increasingly apathetic budgeting. Paperback: 240 pages. Publisher: Countryman Press (June 6, 2011).
Photo caption: Maine Museums: Art Oddities & Artifacts by Janet Mendelsohn book cover (Courtesy photo)

Regional Designers Transform Emerson House Inside and Out

By Larry Favinger
Staff Columnist
YORK—
The 22nd Decorator Show House of the Museums of Old York is a historic structure at 31 Long Sands Road in the center of York Village.
Situated in York’s Historic District, the Georgian Colonial house traces its beginning to circa 1719. Several structures, including a tavern have been on the site over the years and it is believed some of the old remains within the new. John Adams, the second president of the United States, is known to have stayed on the site.
The annual Show House celebration is a major project in the annual fundraising efforts of the museum. This year the event runs from Saturday, July 16, through Saturday, August 13 at the Emerson House.
It is sponsored by Maine Home and Design and will be open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursdays until 7 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. The house will be closed Tuesdays.
There will be a preview gala to celebrate the event on Friday, July 15, from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring a jazz ensemble and food by the Kitchen Chicks. Tickets for this gala are $50.
The funds raised by the exhibit support educational programs offered by the museum along with other exhibitions and preservation efforts.
Designers and artists from throughout New England vie for the job of decorating a room or area of the house. This year there are nearly 20 areas that have been assigned to designers for individual treatment within certain guidelines established.
Massachusetts designers and artists from Beverly, Beverly Farms, Boston, and North Andover are included this year as are New Hampshire firms from Rye, Hampton Falls, Barrington, Portsmouth, Hollis, North Hampton, Bedford, Rye, and Greenland.
Those participating from Maine come from Kittery, Wells, York, and York Harbor.
On four Wednesdays during the Show House celebration, there will be luncheon lectures at local sites.
These include the York Harbor Inn July 20, a Fashion Show at Stage Neck Inn July 27, Stonewall Kitchen Cooking School Aug. 3, and The York Harbor Reading Room Aug. 10. Tickets for the luncheons are $55.
Admission to the Show House is $20 and includes a free tour of the new exhibit at the Museum’s Visitor Center in the Remick Barn. It also offers a reduced ticket price of $5 to tour all the historic buildings at Museums of Old York.
Parking is available in village lots.
Many of the items used in decorating the various rooms are available for sale and others will available in a boutique in the garage on the property.
Additional information is available by calling 363-4974 or by visiting the museum’s website at www.oldyork.org.
Photo caption: Emerson House (pictured above) is the site of this year’s Decorator Show House of the Museum of Old York (Courtesy photo)

9th Annual Native American Pow-Wow

WELLS—
The Wells Chamber of Commerce and the New Hampshire Inter-Tribal Native American Council announce the 9th Annual Native American Pow-Wow to be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 16 and 17, 2011 at Wells Harbor Park, Wells, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.
The event will include dancing, drumming, flute music, vendors, storytelling, auction, and evening session. Host Drum-Walking Bear (Southern Drum), Guest Drums-Black Thunder (Northern Drum), Medicine Bear (Eastern Drum), Mountain Spirit (Eastern Drum). MC-Peter Newell. Flute Music by assorted musicians. The Grand Entry is at 12:00 noon sharp on Saturday. Admission is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 seniors, children under 6 are free. The public is cordially invited — no drugs or alcohol are allowed. For more information call 603-528-3005.
New for this year is an evening concert at 6:30 p.m. featuring Grammy award winner Flutist Joseph Firecrow. The concert is part of the Wells Harbor Park Concert Series and is free and open to the public. (Courtesy photo of Joseph Firecrow)

Registration Open for History Camp at Museum

KENNEBUNK—
Children entering grades 4 through 8 are invited to the Brick Store Museum for the 7th Annual History Camp program “Passport to Discovery 2”on Saturday, July 16 from 9:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Space is limited with pre-registration required by July 9. The registration fee of $25 per child ($20 for Museum members) includes a snack and all supplies. Participants must bring their own lunches. Registration forms are available at brickstoremuseum.org or by contacting the Museum at 207-985-4802.
This year’s History Camp ties in with the brand new exhibition “Impressions of a World Traveler: Early 20th Century Travel Through the Eyes of Edith Barry,” and is an extension of “Passport to Discovery,” the vacation workshop held in February. In “Passport to Discovery 2,” attendees will take an imaginary trip across the globe with their own personalized passports, following the travels of Edith Cleaves Barry, the Museum’s founder. As they “visit” Canada, Congo, and Ireland, they will hear about Miss Barry’s visit, create a representative craft, and learn a bit about each country. While in Canada, they will learn about Inuit inukshuks and make their own small models. They will create tribal masks in Congo, and in Ireland they will make replicas of the bodhran, an Irish percussion instrument. As the students work, snacks and music representing each country will be available.
The workshop concludes with family members and the general public invited to the Museum from 2:30 to 3 p.m. to view the kids’ projects and to tour the Museum’s exhibitions. As lasting memories of the day, children take home everything they have created.
History Camp is made possible by the Museum’s Education Committee and the Dorothy Fish Fund for Furthering Edith Barry’s Legacy.
Photo caption: Brick Store Museum will host “Passport to Discovery 2” on July 16. (Courtesy photo)

4th Annual Nicole’s Run/Walk to Benefit Caring Unlimited

KENNEBUNK—
The 4th Annual Nicole’s Run and Walk to benefit Caring Unlimited, York County’s Domestic Violence Program, will be held on Saturday, July 16, 2011 at Lord’s Point, Kennebunk Beach. The 5k run and walk, presented in part by 2011 Event Sponsor: Kennebunk Savings Bank, will begin at 9:00 a.m., with registration opening at 6:45 a.m. Registration fees are $20 in advance, $25 on race-day.
Nicole’s Run/Walk was first organized by friends and family of Nicole Oliver, a 24-year old mother of two from Wells, Maine who was killed by her husband in 2007. Nicole had recently left her abusive husband and was working to rebuild a safe and secure life for herself and her two young sons. She was attending York County Community College, taking courses that would help her achieve her goal of becoming a registered nurse, when she was killed.
“If these walks raise awareness and can save one person’s life, or help one person free themselves from a domestic violence situation, then our efforts are not in vane, and it is worth every ounce of energy,” states Nicole’s mother, Holly Dee. The 4th Annual Nicole’s Run will coincide with the fifth anniversary of Nicole’s death.
Each year, Caring Unlimited serves approximately 3,000 individuals whose lives are affected by domestic abuse through support and safety planning services including: 24-hour confidential hotline, emergency shelter, transitional housing, support and education groups, legal advocacy, school-based education and advocacy and community education. Money raised by Nicole’s Run goes to support Caring Unlimited’s programs and allows the organization to continue to offer critical, life-saving safety planning services to victims of domestic violence.
For more information and to register online for the 4th Annual Nicole’s Run, visit www.nicolesrun.org.
Participants are also encouraged to raise additional funds by collecting pledges from family and friends. For every $100 raised in pledges, participants will receive a chance to win an LL Bean tent. In addition, the highest fundraiser will receive a one-year membership to Quest Fitness in Kennebunk!
Volunteers are needed to make Nicole’s Run/Walk a success. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering email nicolesrun@gmail.com.
Photo caption: Pictured is the start of the 3rd Annual Nicole’s 5k Run/Walk last year. (Courtesy photo)

Wells Resident Donates $20,000 Grant to Preserve Lands

WELLS/ NORTH BERWICK—
Howard Hall, a prominent Wells businessman, has donated $20,000 in the form of a challenge grant to Great Works Regional Land Trust for the purchase and preservation of 288 forested acres in Wells and North Berwick.
Hall’s match for every donation up to $20,000 will help Great Works and local volunteers to raise the remaining $40,000 to fulfill the purchase and sale agreement with Unitil, the current owner of the property. It is the former “Granite State” lands that were slated for a huge natural gas facility, and will soon be conserved forever for community enjoyment and conservation.
“Howard Hall’s generous offer to match donations means that the Town of Wells and Great Works Regional Land Trust can finally acquire and preserve this wonderful property for low-impact recreation and wildlife habitat,” said Owen Grumbling, Wells Conservation Commission Chair, who has worked closely with Great Works on the project.
The land contains wetlands, vernal pools, and a mile of shoreline on West and Perkins Brooks, both headwater streams for the Great Works River. The property is located off the Perry Oliver and Quarry roads in western Wells and is crossed on its southern boundary by a portion of the woodland Eastern Trail that will run from Kittery to South Portland.
Hall was inspired to make the donation, he said, because it means everybody can participate in the challenge. He has lived and worked in Wells for over 25 years and served on the Planning Board for many years. This is not his first contribution to conservation causes.
“While I am a developer, I believe it is important for land be set aside for future generations. This land will be open to use. The Eastern Trail runs through it. People can stop and picnic,” said Hall. He also noted the significance of diminishing cottontail rabbits and native brook trout that will be protected, along with other species, on the property.
Great Works, its collaborators and a committee of local residents are seeking donations of $20,000 from individuals and organizations to match the Hall gift and enable the $425,000 acquisition within the coming months.
Thus far, the Town of Wells has contributed $200,000 through the Wells Land Bank. In addition, Maine Nature Resource Conservation Program has awarded a $100,000 grant and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has awarded a $75,000 grant, the latter for the cottontail habitat creation. Local donors have contributed more than $10,000. Other collaborators in the project include the Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge and the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve at Laudholm.
“Each organization is contributing what they can to move the project forward,” said Grumbling. And many individuals have stepped up. Susan Cox, a Wells’ resident and a major organizer for the project, has met the Hall Challenge, doubling her $1,000 donation. She and others have generously given before in this community-inspired effort.
The property had been permitted in 1999 as the site for the nation’s largest liquefied natural gas storage facility over the objections of the Town of Wells and area residents. It can still be developed for industrial use should this acquisition not be completed.
Great Works Regional Land Trust is a non-profit organization founded in 1986 to provide conservation options to the landowners of Eliot, South Berwick, Berwick, North Berwick, Wells and Ogunquit. Great Works Regional Land Trust is committed to saving the best of our region by protecting working landscapes and wildlife lands for current and future generations. In 25 years the organization has completed 94 projects conserving 4,338 acres.
Contributions can be sent directly to GWRLT, PO Box 151, South Berwick, ME 03908. For more information or to join in this community effort, call Anne Gamble, Development Coordinator for Great Works, at (207) 646-3604 or visit www.gwrlt.org.
Photo caption: Howard Hall and Susan Cox. (Courtesy photo)