RANGELEY — In 2014 the number of businesses and individuals who made significant contributions toward Maine Forestry Museum projects and events by providing time, talent and/or finances were numerous.
Below are some of the highlights.
MFM’s first primary fundraising event, an auction held on the first Saturday of July, raises money to help with operational expenses. The two-hour live-bidding auction raised $3,000-plus this year.
In 2015, the auction will be held Saturday, July 4.
The 34th annual Logging Festival & Parade requires a large number of volunteers to plan and organize, plus financial and “in-kind” donations from the community. In 2014, there were more than 70 volunteers helping out, including: MFM Secretary June Aleck, who headed up general festival organization; Linda Sikes, who organized the parade; Homer Everhard, the mastermind behind the food and beverages; Peggy Yocom, former museum curator, folklorist and archivist who organized the exhibit inside the museum; Treasurer Carolyn Nobbs, who organized gate and food sales; Liz Pimental, who spearheaded the wood chip contest; and Sonja Johnson, RLRS art teacher who organized the annual student art contest.
In addition, town employees volunteered to help, and the town of Rangeley, plus the plantations of Rangeley, Sandy River and Dallas, all contributed parade funds.
The museum’s fairgrounds are available to local nonprofit organizations at no charge. The fairgrounds are also available to rent for weddings, family reunions, Scout jamborees, etc.
MFM continues to improve its museum and fairgrounds with a weekly Tuesday morning work crew on the job. In particular, Terry Morgan, aka “The Dallas Cowboy,” is one of the regular volunteers.
This year, M & H Logging and Construction helped MFM create an additional parking area adjacent to the museum’s fairgrounds for large equipment and trucks to be safely displayed during the logging festival.
This year’s parade theme is “Forestry, Then and Now,” which will be held Saturday, July 25. For more details, contact Linda Sikes at 491-6566.
For more information about MFM, go to MaineForestryMuseum.org or call 864-5368.
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