Fourth of July

Mother Nature almost stole the show this Fourth by providing a fantastic light and sound show of her own late in the afternoon. I had a view of Brandy Pond while praying this, too, would pass, and it was spectacular. Not to mention that everyone in the group I was with agreed that they had just heard THE loudest thunder of their entire, long lives! The Naples fireworks did manage to go off without a hitch, although I don’t think the causeway was as crowded as usual, which is not a bad thing. I did notice a very strong police presence, which added to the sense of order down there. Great job by Naples.

Bear-ly There?

Yes, there is a bear there! Or here. In Naples there is a particularly friendly bear that Jack Knight, local animal damage control officer, wants to catch and relocate for the well-being of all. Friendliness in a bear is not a good quality. It means they have no fear when it comes to approaching your house, bird feeders, garbage, grills, maybe even you. This bear has been spotted in Naples anywhere from Route 114 to Lake House Road. What can you do to prevent meeting this 2-year-old troublemaker? Put your bird feeders away, keep trash in a bin, keep your grill in your garage if you can. If you are at a campground, Mr. Knight recommends hanging your food from a tree branch! For all you bird lovers out there, Mr. Knight wanted to let you know that many times those bird feeders get moldy and that bacteria can actually kill the birds you are trying to help. If you do see the bear, don’t approach or corner it. Just call Mr. Knight at 647-3454. If he knows where the bear has been he has a better chance of tracking it and where it will go next. If he can get a step ahead of him, he has a chance to capture it and bring it up north.

Boat show

The 19th Annual Mountain View Woodies Antique and Classic Boat show is sailing into town Saturday, Aug. 4. The show is a “fun” (non-judged) show, open to all owners of antique and classic boats including those of wood, aluminum, and fiberglass construction, power, sail, or paddle. It’s a lot of fun, and a great way to spend a week’s vacation in the beautiful Long Lake region of Maine. The club hosts several events leading up to the show. One very special thing they do is provide rides to campers at Camp Sunshine. Boaters arrive at the camp on Sebago Lake to give rides to at least 100 campers. This is something they do yearly and is much appreciated by the campers. The show runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is always a fun thing to do with kids of all ages.

Lions cruise

Speaking of fun on boats, why not head on down to the Songo Queen and dance the night away. Their annual ’50s Cruise is always a good time, especially for those who grew up with that music. The Lions support many great causes including local fuel assistance programs, eyeglasses to the needy, the Fidelco Guide Dog Program and the Lake Region High School Skills Program. The cruise is always the last Saturday in July, this year falling on July 28. Contact the Songo River Queen for tickets and cruise time at www.songoriverqueen.net.

Community meal

I love to help plan your Saturday nights! Before you go to the Lion’s cruise on July 28 you could enjoy a complimentary dinner and fellowship at Christ Chapel located at 37 Northern Pines Road off of Route 85 near Crescent Lake. They offer these meals year-round to surrounding communities. The menu this time around is the perfect summertime meal: chicken barbecue, lobster stew and salads. It all sounds great. The meal is served continually buffet style from 4:30-6 p.m.

Naples’ New Museum, Info Center

The wait is over. All year we have been watching the construction as we went about our business at the post office or town hall. The spacious new building, completed this year, combines the Naples Information Center, the Historical Society Offices, and the Museum. My family enjoyed our recent visit to the museum. There are many unexpected treasure of the past and the present. If you are looking for information about the town of Naples or the surrounding area? You can now call the facility at 693-3103 or stop by during open hours of operation. You can email the information center and Historical Society at nhs@fairpoint.net or call at 693-3500.

There is also a very nice and much needed Public Bathroom facility available. The hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and during holidays, and holiday weekends. If you are a local business, and would like your business flyers or information included at the information center, you can call the Historical Society offices at 693-3500. Rack fees apply. This charge goes 100 percent toward the operations of the Historical Society Information Center and Museum. Soon, your business or attraction will also be listed on their website as a Friend of the Museum and Information Center, with a link to your business.

Library update

That pretty white building in the center of town is full of life and activities! We are lucky to have a resource such as this one. They are hosting a wonderful children’s reading program, and they have plenty of great cheap books for sale or even cheaper if you borrow one. The library also hosts some great fundraising events. You won’t want to miss their yard sale held this year at the Naples Town Gym on Saturday, July 28. Every year I snag a treasure at that one. The famous House Tour is coming up on Thursday, Aug. 2. There is also a raffle going on to benefit a storage shed purchase for the library. You can win one of three prizes donated by local artists: a cross-stitch farm scene, a framed watercolor lighthouse scene, or a kokopelli figure (Google it!). The drawing will be held Friday, Aug. 31.