Keep The Scene Clean

The spring sun has done its part to make that wicked winter a mere memory, but it also exposed a mess in its wake. The last of the snow should be gone by the time you finish reading this column, revealing the detritus of the season. All of the garbage and clutter that was on the ground at the first snow is still there, just soggier and dirtier than it was then.

Fortunately, Earth Day is on Tuesday, April 22, and with enough people pitching in we can get the town sparkling again in no time. Join volunteers at the Bridgton Community Center any time between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. where we’ll fan out to clean up the roadways, streams and sidewalks of town. There will be a few rakes and garbage bags on hand but feel free to bring your own, and be sure to bring good gloves and muck boots if you’re planning on getting in the creek. You never know what awaits, because one year we fished a shopping cart out of Stevens Brook. Classy.

Love Your Mother

In conjunction with the BCC festivities, there are other fun events going on around town to celebrate Earth Day. Join master kite maker John Martin at the Community Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for kite-flying demonstrations and kite-making. Martin is well-known around the Lakes Region for flying his huge, stunning kites against the backdrop of Long Lake, and he will share tips on construction and flying.

The changing season reveals a wealth of wildlife in and around Pondicherry Park, both in and out of the water. The naturalists of the Lakes Environmental Association will host an Aquatic Life Seminar in Stevens Brook from 10-11 a.m., where they will show guests the abundance of the water and its inhabitants.

Finally, after your day of cleaning up downtown please join Loon Echo Land Trust for a hike up to the top of Bald Pate. This lovely mountain is the jewel of South Bridgton, and it offers stunning panoramic views of the foothills and mountains that surround us. The hike starts in the parking lot right on Route 107 at 3 p.m., and will take 90 minutes. It is a fairly easy hike but dress appropriately with sensible shoes; there are a few steep sections.

Pitch In

It is always a beautiful sight to see families, Boy Scouts, Rotarians, Good Neighbors and everyone else join in the townwide Earth Day clean-up, and is a reminder that our town is only as strong as her citizens. Bridgton is full of people who understand that many hands make for light work, and if we all work together we can make it better for everybody.

April is National Volunteer Month, and a great time to recognize and thank the wonderful volunteers around us. Whether it is the revolving cast of chefs who cook free dinners at the Community Kettle every Thursday (I’m thinking of the Chalmers Agency and NAGHA, Bridgton Lions and Rotarians, Chickadee Quilters, various church ladies, Anne Kreig and Chief Schofield, and uber-volunteer Grace Keef), the women of the Bridgton Hospital Guild, the tireless givers at the Bridgton Food Pantry, and many others who work so hard behind the scenes and never expect any recognition… Thank you for all of your hard work and selfless giving. Bridgton is the best because of you!

Puppy Love

I watch the Westminster Dog Show like some people watch the Masters, and think that fluffy, fuzzy pups are way cuter than most men swinging a club at a little ball. If you agree with me, you’ll want to scamper over to the Bridgton Veterinary Hospital’s annual Meet The Breeds party on Sunday, April 27, from noon-2 p.m.

This food drive for the Harvest Hills Animal Shelter is a great way to support a wonderful local nonprofit while being surrounded by puppies. Admission is free but attendees are asked to bring a donation of cat or dog food. While you’re doing a good deed for the awesome no-kill shelter you can check out a dozen different breeds like Vizslas, Weimeraners, Bloodhounds, Boston Terriers and Leonbergers. The vet hospital is on Route 117 (Harrison Road) just before the Pond Road intersection.

Expose Yourself…

…On social media! The Internet is an invaluable way to market your business, reconnect with long-lost friends, and spy on old boyfriends without their knowledge (or so I’ve been told).

The Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce will be having an after-work class to learn the basics of Facebook on April 29. Led by new chamber employee Ree Gonzalez, participants will learn the ins and outs of creating and maintaining a page. She will help you set up a new site, learn how to outreach for a business and connect with family and friends on a more personal level. You will learn how to post pictures, select who you want to share things with, update all on your daily activities and build relationships along the way.

Classes are $20 for two hours. Please call to pre-register as the class is limited to 10 spaces.

Bring your laptops and/or notepads and she can get you set up on the spot! Classes are open to all. Call Ree at 647-3472 for more information.

From left, volunteers Nick Klimek, Nancy Kluck, Carrye Castleman-Ross and Ken Murphy in the midst of mucking it up last Earth Day in downtown Bridgton.