By Kate Williams
To paraphrase western novelist Ivan Doig, we count our lives by years but live by moments. Last weekend, NFCT celebrated ten years with an event that featured numerous moments that will be the juice that keeps us going for the next ten. It was truly an incredible coming together of partners, good spirit, and a whole lot of fun.
I can think of no better way to share the event with you than to describe a few of these moments:
- Exhibitors bearing everything from live raptors to wood strip canoes to colorful displays transforming Pond Street into an enticing, festive venue the passersby couldn’t resist.
- The spanking new Haley Pond Park gazebo providing a centerpiece, and an indication of the vision the town of Rangeley has for public open space and access.
- Gil Whitney grinning in surprise and then launching the first lap of our 740-Mile Challenge in the yellow kayak donated to him by Old Town Canoes and Kayaks.
- Our intern crew winning the crowd over with their parade float…and later winning “Most Entertaining.”
- Six through paddlers joining the festivities, and representing the best of the trail in all of their interactions.
- The partnership between NFCT and the Rangeley Lakes Region Logging Museum leading to the creation of a new trail from the museum down to Haley Pond, and to all kinds of new collaborative vision for how we can jointly serve paddlers in the area.
- NFCT friends new and old… and young and old sharing a meal and conversation and dancing at the evening event at Saddleback, and embodying the diversity of connections and spirit of fun that define NFCT.
Hundreds of people passed through Rangeley last Saturday, and more than 100 joined us at the evening event at Saddleback. Our thanks to all for engaging in the event, learning about NFCT and our partners, and helping us to celebrate ten with more fine moments than we can possibly count!
The canoes came to town….
The info booth was a hub of activity!
