New Trail and Bridge at Shaker Village

In July 2013, when Boy Scout Bryce Neal of New Gloucester was searching for an Eagle Scout project, he contacted the Sabbathday Lake Shakers to find out if they needed anything done. The suggestion made was to create a new segment of their trail system, which is used for nature hikes, to bypass a perennially wet section.

Neal said he assessed the topography and identified an area not naturally prone to erosion, which was occupied by an old stone wall. By that time, the ground was starting to freeze, so beginning the work of constructing a new trail had to wait until this summer. He added that because fellow members of Troop 86 pitched in to help blaze the trail, plus his father, who is a contractor by trade, designed and helped him construct the bridge, the project didn’t take very long to complete. He estimated the duration to be about four weekends and noted that planning the project was the time-consuming factor of the whole process.

Neal said that he has to fulfill certain requirements to earn his Eagle Scout rank. One is to submit the associated paperwork before his 18th birthday, which is Saturday, Aug. 23. He is planning to get his board of review done at the scout center in Portland in October, at which time his whole scouting career is reviewed. He added that the conference is more of a celebration than a decision-making process.

Neal will be starting his freshman year at the University of Maine in Farmington in late August.

Hike for Ike

Fifteen-year-old New Gloucester resident Isaac Blake lives with type 1 diabetes (T1D), and he is taking steps to fight this disease. Blake said, “A cure for me would mean not having to worry anymore about where my blood sugar is at. I could do anything I wanted to, I would feel free. A cure means being able to enjoy life.”

He invites people to donate to his “Hike for Ike” team and/or join the team in the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes on Sunday, Sept. 14, at Thornton Academy in Saco. He encourages each team member to raise at least $100 to produce a sizeable donation for T1D research. To donate or join the team, go to www2.jdrf.org, enter your zip code, click on Saco, ME, and search for the Hike for Ike team.

Veterans Fundraiser Run

Everyone is invited to participate in a Veterans Fundraiser Run on Sunday, Sept. 14, at Pineland Farms Campus, 15 Farm View Drive, New Gloucester. The choice of events are a 5K, 5-mile, kids fun run, and a fun adaptive wheelchair or hand cycle ride. Walkers are welcome.

The event features food, prizes and fun, and all proceeds will benefit Veterans Adaptive Sports and Training (VAST) programs at Pineland Farms. The course is a challenging blend of paved roads, grassy trails, and rolling hills. The check-in time is 7:30 a.m., and start times vary for each category.

Entry fees are $20 for the 5K and $25 for the 5-mile until Sunday, Sept. 7; add a $5 late fee for entries after that date. Free T-shirts will be given to those registering prior to midnight on Sunday, Aug. 31. Contact Kristina at 310-8694, or kristina@pinelandfarms.org, for more information.

Community Market at Thompson’s Orchard

The New Gloucester Community Market will be opening for the season on Sunday, Aug. 31, running 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays in September and Sundays only in October. The market will feature a variety of local agricultural goods and crafts including soap, fiber, meat, jewelry, hard cider and Shaker teas. The market will be located at Thompson’s Orchard, 276 Gloucester Hill Road in New Gloucester. Please visit their Facebook page, or email ngcommunitymarket@gmail.com, for more information.

Annual Open Range Day

The Royal River Rod and Gun Club Annual Open Range Day is set for Saturday, Aug. 30, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The range is located at 41 Fish Hatchery Road, New Gloucester. This event is open to the general public. Come sight in your hunting rifle or the new gun you just purchased.

Bryce Neal, of Boy Scout Troop 86 in Gray, stands on a bridge he built with the help of his father Scott Neal, at Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in New Gloucester. Bryce led a team of his fellow troop members in clearing a new trail, as well. The bypass he created was his Eagle Scout project.