We made it! Ellis Pond Sidekicks was able to meet its 4th of July goal of 550 members with a few days to spare. As I write this, the ticker shows 552 members. New members are always welcome. Our next goal is 600 by Labor Day. If one in ten of our members finds a friend or family member who is interested, we’re there. Here’s a link to the public Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/280021862441984/.

Thanks goes out to the Rumford Falls Times for running our story about the four students we are sponsoring to go to the UMaine 4-H Camp & Learning Center at Bryant Pond. Our first camper checks in on Sunday, July 7. Check out the clipping on the next page. It’s from the June 26 edition of the Times.

Due to recent donations, especially a generous one from the camp owners association, we are within spitting distance of having enough money to send two lucky students to the camp in 2020. The donations deadline of October 1, 2019, is less than three months away. At that time we’ll decide how many scholarships to offer based on the amount raised. We’re budgeting $700 per camper. If you would like to help keep the ball rolling on fundraising, you may send a check made out to me with an Ellis Pond Sidekicks memo. Checks may be sent to 416 East Andover Rd, East Andover, ME 04226. Eighty percent of your donation will go towards the scholarships and 20% will be set aside for other projects/expenses. There is also a donation jug at Baker’s Country Store. Another option for you is using our gofundme campaign, DO Meter & Beyond, at this link, https://www.gofundme.com/DOMeter-Beyond?fbclid=IwAR2-JOYrBGq7D005U7cIdU7_iqAEGZboNyReJ9tQvH5cFUeSrL585IdWeY4 Donation levels at gofundme start at $5. Please keep in mind that approximately 10% of your donation will stay with gofundme.

The camp owners association will be having their annual meeting on Saturday, July 6, at St. Mary’s Chapel at the pond. Social time is scheduled from 8 to 10 am with the meeting starting at 10 am. Even if you aren’t a camp owner, you may become a non-voting member of the association. There are more details at their web site http://slcoa.org/. A few weeks ago, I decided to create an unofficial hazards map of the pond. Since I had many of the hazards logged into my GPS, I thought it would be helpful come up with a way to share the info. My most recent draft is on Page 3. An 11 x 14 hard copy of a slightly older, but similar draft will be posted at Baker’s Country Store before Saturday, July 6. I will be taking orders in case anyone would like a copy of the next draft. The 11 x 14 maps are available for a donation of $15 and the 16 x 20 are $20. I order them through Walmart Photo Center. Framed copies are also available through Walmart Photo. The 11 x 14 framed maps are $40 and 16 x 20 are $65. Details can be found at Ellis Pond Sidekicks.

And last, but certainly not least by a long shot, Lake Stewards of Maine will be having their annual conference on Saturday, July 27, at The Great Outdoors in Turner. You do not need to be a member of LSM to attend. Details are at this link https://www.lakestewardsofmaine.org/lake-monitoring-conference-2/.