Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas, and are looking forward to a peaceful and healthy New Year. It’s a pretty slow week in town as everyone recovers from the holiday overload, so I thought this would be a great chance for me to reflect on the past year.

I love year-end lists. I’ll read any of them, from the Five Most Influential People on the Planet to the 10 Worst-Dressed Celebrity Pets. This was a big year out here in the Lakes Region, and there has certainly been some positive progress in Bridgton. So here’s my totally unscientific, completely unauthorized and definitely not definitive list of my “Top Seven Highlights of 2007:”

7) Kayaking Long Lake in January

What a difference a year makes! In what was certainly one of the stranger weather moments of 2007, on Jan. 6 Patricia Murphy and I put our kayaks in at the landing in Harrison for an afternoon of balmy, completely surreal paddling. It was 64 degrees out, and the lake was nowhere near frozen. The water was cold, and the heat of the day created a dreamy fog bank that floated in and out of the harbor.

We had the lake to ourselves except for the local bald eagle, which took advantage of the open water to fish and fly curious circles overhead. We took pictures of him while someone else took pictures of us from shore, as we made the cover of the next month’s Lakes Environmental Association newsletter, offering sound proof to both of us that it wasn’t just a midwinter day’s dream.

6) Getting my own column in the expanded Lakes Region Weekly.

It’s been a year of deadlines and discipline, two things I’ve always had a problem with, so trying to compile a readable and informative weekly overview of what’s happening in Bridgton has been a fun challenge. I’ve met wonderful people who truly love Bridgton and are trying to make it the best town around, and I really appreciate getting news and ideas from all of you. I’ve gotten great feedback about the paper and the column, and as a reader I think the paper has offered a fresh take on news and views from the whole area. Now if I could just get the editor to send me “on-assignment” to St. Maarten for a few weeks…

5) Freezin’ For A Reason

After a late start, Highland Lake finally froze enough for dozens of amazing (insane?) animal lovers to take a dip at the town beach for Harvest Hill’s annual fundraiser. A wicked wind was blowing, and it was in the teens outside, but that didn’t stop the committed swimmers from taking the plunge.

For many of them this has become a yearly tradition, including Patti McBride Murphy, who not only jumps in every year but continues to set the bar, singlehandledly raising thousands of dollars for the shelter. The event is part of the Winter Carnival, and if (like me) you don’t have the guts to take a dip, it’s easy to donate to someone who will. All proceeds go to Harvest Hills and help feed the many cats and dogs they shelter there. The 2008 Winter Carnival runs from Jan. 19-27, and is a great time to celebrate the beauty of Bridgton in winter.

4) Four On the Fourth

This year’s 31st annual Independence Day road race was a highlight of my year, because my friends and I in “Team Black Horse” ran in it for charity. It was my first race, and I was just happy to complete it. There were a few moments on the steeper hills that I had my doubts, but the finish line came sooner than I’d expected, thank God. We raised almost $3,000 for the Love Grace Society, a Maine-based charity that provides support for children facing life-threatening illnesses, and were overwhelmed by the generosity of all the Bridgtonians who donated. The Four on the Fourth is a huge fundraiser for the Bridgton Library, who received a check for $19,000 from race organizers this year. Summer may seem far off, but we’ll be lacing up our running shoes in no time- See you there!

3) Pondicherry Park

The efforts of the Lakes Environmental Association and Loon Echo Land Trust to preserve open spaces really shone this year, with the donation of Pondicherry Park to the people of Bridgton. The 40-acre park in the heart of town is full of winding trails, rushing streams and ancient trees. As the town continues to grow, this wild space will offer peace and quiet for nature lovers to enjoy forever.

Trailheads connect to it throughout town, and the park’s entrance on Depot Street will be accessible from the new parking lot behind the Magic Lantern. The Lakes Environmental Association will lead guided hikes through the park, and it will be a perfect place to introduce school students to the wonders that await them in their own backyards. The visionary work of Lakes Environmental Association and Loon Echo to save greens space in the Lakes Region is priceless, and they deserve thanks from all of us.

2) Lakes Region BrewFest

Nothing says summer like cold beer and hot blues. On Saturday, Sept. 29, the place to be was on the beach at Point Sebago, sipping on a tasty brew and soaking up the summer sun. The Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce threw the party of the year on a hot, sunny afternoon, and 2,000 people came from far and wide to sample local beer, food, and blues. It was the perfect way to celebrate the area, and the consensus was that it beat the Portland Brewfest hands-down. How can you top live music and microbrewed beer on a beautiful cove on Sebago Lake? Mike McClellan and his horde of volunteers did a great job keeping things cool, and they’ll be back next year with what promises to be an even bigger and better BrewFest. And why should they have all the fun…mark your calendars for Saturday, Sept. 27 and join the festivities.

1) Main Street Revitalization

Who could drive through Bridgton this year and not be amazed by all the digging, building and heavy machinery? It’s great to see downtown get a big makeover, with new public parking lots for all the shoppers who will inevitably be coming to visit next year.

The Reny’s expansion will be a major attraction for shoppers when it opens next month, with 30,000 more square feet of floor space. And the rebirth of the Magic Lantern is colossally exciting for movie lovers, with its four state-of-the-art screening rooms and vintage-themed decor. These two projects will be boons for all the businesses in town, with spenders coming from all over.

Buying locally (ok, Reny’s is Maine-based so I’m counting that), and supporting those people who run their own businesses is the best way to keep money flowing in town. It trickles down and helps everybody, and is the best way to keep the “big box” stores from ruining the character of small towns. We have so much to be proud of here, and the future is looking bright for Bridgton. Here’s to an even better 2008, and I’ll see you at the Lantern!