~ April 2025 ~

Hello CVOA,

Greetings CVOA members,



March was an exciting month for CVOA. The calendar was full of events including socials, ski trips, and meetings. Some of the best ski days under the higher sun angle and moderating temperatures are posted in March. Had the temperature inched a few degrees cooler, that rainstorm would have been a 10-20 inch snowfall. As it was, our home mountain went to work with snowmaking and groomers to give us skiers good though sometimes limited skiing. I think we’ll make it to Reggae.

CVOA is an organization that uses its resources to benefit its members. For the IRS, an appropriate time of the year to recognize April 15, CVOA is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(7) which is for social and recreational clubs. This is not the more familiar Section 501(c)(3) charity. This classifiaction makes sense, since most of our effort and expenditures are for the benefit of our members. However, CVOA does perform some charitable and community work and makes some donations. The reason for pointing this out to members is that the Board just voted to donate $600 to the Adaptive Outdoor Education Center for their summer retreat program. This organization has a facility, the “Yurt” on the Outdoor Center Road. You can view its activities and purpose at: https://www.adaptiveoutdooreducationcenter.org  From our total budget of $30,000 for this year, we have designated $1,500 for charitable donations. Your officers and board are careful stewards of your money and recognize that our primary purpose is not to redirect your fees to charitable causes. But a few, modest investments in our community is good for all of us. 

You’ll see elsewhere is this Newsletter, a notice to attend the Ski Trip Picture Party on Friday April 4. It’s a good occasion to relive the CVOA ski trips of the past few months and to hear about plans for 2026 and beyond. The Trip Leaders and Activities Committee need your input to design and budget trips that our members want. Whether you favor a repeat trip or a new venue, please join the Party and offer your suggestions and opinions about the future of CVOA travel.  

The Annual Meeting was held March 29. All of CVOA gives a great big "THANK YOU" to Jeannette Parker for planning and arranging this important event and so many others during the year.

New Board Members and Officers were elected at the meeting.

Board Members:

Jayne Giles

Mark Green

Gerry Michaud

Officers:

Co-Presidents-Thom Johnston & Steve Smith

Vice President-Tom Augat

Secretary-Tracy Goller

Treasurer-Sam Hudspath

Lexi Godin, Jeannette Parker and Val Hudspath are retiring from the Board. CVOA thanks them for serving, wishes them well and hopes they will continue to participate in CVOA events and activities.

Thom Johnston

IT’S A WRAP!! The CVOA Annual Meeting and Dinner held at the Shipyard Brew Haus was attended by more than 90 members. Thankfully, the weather wasn’t as bad as predicted. Another lively event where members met and made new friends. At the reservation table, Elaine Smith, Jeannette Parker and Bonnie Farrar were consistently thanked for the many events CVOA has throughout the year especially during ski season. It was wonderful to have so many new members attending for the first time. We look forward to seeing them at future events.

Following dinner Steve Smith presented the Nominations Committee report with recommendations for new Board Members and Officers. These were voted upon and approved by the membership. The names are included in this Newsletter President’s Report.

Mike Parker introduced guest speaker, Andy Vietze, writer and Baxter State Park Ranger. He spoke about his most recent book, This Wild Land; Two Decades of Adventure as a Park Ranger in the Shadow of Katahdin. He was surprised by the number of CVOA members that have been to the park. He was even more surprised by the number of members that had summited the Mount Katahdin. He told of his multiple duties as a Park Ranger from clearing trees and trails, responding to emergencies, fire fighting and routine duties including paperwork and cleaning outhouses! He appreciated the many questions and comments from the audience. He greatly appreciated all of you that purchased his books.

Ten door prizes, $25 Tufulio gift cards, generously provided by CVOA were awarded to very happy recipients! I did not record the names of the winners, but if you were sitting at the last table to be invited to the buffet line, your table was rewarded with 5 of the 10 gift card winners 🎟️🎟️🎟️🎟️🎟️! 

Can you ever say “Thank You” too much?! Again this year, a big shout-out to Elaine Smith for managing reservations and payments and Patti Johnston, Elaine Smith and Bonnie Farrar for helping with setting up the room.

Jeannette Parker

To see more photos of the Annual Meeting Click Here

We sincerely appreciate the attendance and support of CVOA events by all members. Our members make our efforts worthwhile! Contact us if you have an ideas and suggestions for a social event. If you are looking for something to do and people to do it with always check the CVOA Calendar of Events.

Bonnie Farrar and Jeannette Parker

April 2025

April 4 - Ski Trips Picture Party CV Library 5-7

April 6 - Bowling SugarBowl 2-4

April 13 - Bowling SugarBowl 2-4

Click here: 2025 CVOA Calendar

Thank you to everyone who has renewed membership for 2025. If you are receiving this Newsletter your membership is up to date. Anytime you have a question about your membership, please feel free to contact me. Joining twice creates problems for you and us!

Range badges will be printed soon and mailed to Range members. Look for them near the beginning of May. 

Welcome to new members who have joined recently:

Danielle & Timothy Swain

Karen Maguire

David Martin

Caleb & Brianna Shuck

Patti Johnston, Membership Secretary

Cross Country Skiing in Austria

January 31 - February 7, 2026 

Group size 12-14

Discover some of Europe's best Nordic skiing in the stunning Leutasch Valley, situated northwest of Innsbruck in Austria's Tirol region. Surrounded by the Wetterstein and Karwendel Mountains, this area is part of the Olympia Region Seefeld, a place with a rich Olympic history, having hosted the Winter Games in 1956 and 1976, along with World Championships. With over 150 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails, and over 140 miles of cleared winter walking trails, it is a wonderful area to enjoy Nordic skiing at its best. There are trails for all levels of skiers with long flat valleys, or winding hills through the woods, including the 25-kilometer Olympic loop. Skiing to a cozy mountain hut, or to the busy ski town of Seefeld for lunch, are wonderful ways to spend a perfect winter day! Or take an afternoon hike and stop for some glühwein, a local specialty of warm spiced wine, or a fresh piece of apple strudel. Other activities in the area include rodeling (sledding), horse drawn sleigh rides, curling, or just relaxing after a day of skiing. The 3 star hotel is located in the small village of Obern, breakfast and dinner is included. The hotel offers a wellness room with saunas and steam rooms.

There will be more information, and photos, at the ski trip party and future Newsletters. 

Contact Pam Twaddel for more information

ptwaddel@gmail.com

207-542-7131

Ski Trips Annual Picture Party

Friday April 4, 5-7pm at the CV Library



Pictures, memories and stories of our three 2025 ski trips, as well as news about the 2026 trips, will be shared. 

Email your pictures to Sue Myers, CVOA ski trip videographer and travel guru, at ranger.sue.myers@gmail.com. Please just send a few of your best shots, not every one you've taken. 

Like many CVOA events, bring an appetizer or dessert to share and BYOB

Michael E. Parker

CVOA Sunday Afternoon Bowling SugarBowl

The SugarBowl reserves two lanes for CVOA members 2:00 - 4:00pm.

$10 includes shoes. Come join the fun Sunday afternoons!

April dates: 6, 13..SugarBowl closing after Reggae Weekend

Outdoor Center Fish Stocking

CVOA and the town of CV are looking for someone to help organize an effort to restock the fish in the pond at the Outdoor Center. CVOA has lead this program in the past but over the years it has fallen by the wayside. Please reach out to Tracy at CVOA.Secretary@gmail.com for details and background information if you can help us out. Thanks!

🏌️‍♀️🏌️‍♂️ Calling All Golfers 🏌️‍♀️🏌️‍♂️

Tuesday June 17

Diadema Golf Club, North Anson

Hi Fellow CVOA Golfers,

Dust off your clubs and buy a new sleeve of balls for our annual Golf outing at Diadema Golf Club, a beautiful 9 hole course. Tee times begin at 10am and end at 11am. There is space for 7 teams of 4. Don’t worry if you are a single or double, we can match you up. Prizes for closest to the pin and longest drive. AND let's hope Mother Nature does not give us another 105 degree temperature day. More info on lunch and sign ups in the May CVOA Newsletter. 

Valerie Hudspath

Raft Up Adventure at Holbrook Harbor

Saturday July 5

Let’s take CVOA to the water. A raft up is being planned in Holbrook Harbor on July 5, rain date of the 6th. Holbrook is located just south of Castine in Penobscot Bay. Anyone with a boat can join us there. If you don’t have a boat you can drive to the Holbrook Island Sanctuary and boaters can pick you up or you can tag along with a boater to join the fun. Holbrook Sanctuary has wonderful hiking trails, beautiful beaches and is a great harbor for anchoring. Holbrook Island is also accessible by boat, dinghy, kayak or canoe. If you are interested please contact Dan Hitchcock or Tracy Goller at CVOA.Secretary@gmail.com and we’ll start a list of those attending to help match up boaters with landlubbers. If you are joining with a boat, let us know if you can take others aboard and how many.

Learn more about Holbrook here:

https://www.friendsofholbrookisland.org/

Stonington Outing

September 9, 10 & 11



CVOA is having an outing this September in Stonington, ME (not CT!). More details will follow in the coming months. There will be a number of activities that members can enjoy, including golf, tennis, hiking, biking, boating, exploring Isle au Haut, beautiful beaches and much more. 

At this time we are letting members know of this event because there are limited options for people to stay. The number of nights that you want to stay is up to you. Stonington and Deer Isle have become a popular destination for weddings, reunions and vacations, especially throughout the summer and fall. 

You might want to consider making your reservations soon. If you do so, be sure to verify the property’s cancellation policy, should your plans change.

HERE IS A LIST OF MOTELS, B & B’s, CAMPGROUNDS, RV PARKS and ONLINE OPTIONS: 

Boyce’s Motel http://boycesmotel.com-neat and clean motel in downtown Stonington 

Inn on the Harbor http://innontheharbor.com-also in downtown Stonington, right across the street from Boyce’s Motel, rooms are literally “on the harbor”

The Pilgrims Inn http://pilgrimsinn.com-a classic New England B&B in downtown Deer Isle

Greenlaws RV Park & Campground http://greenlawscampground.com-well established RV park a short 5 minute drive from downtown Stonington 

Four Acre Woods Hip Campground http://fouracrewoods.com-located in Deer Isle, on the water, about a 15 minute drive to Stonington 

Air B&B-there are many online booking options for Deer Isle, Little Deer Isle and Stonington 

Look for more detailed information in the May newsletter.

Trip leaders

Mike & Jeannette Parker and other CVOA members that reside in the area. 

Spring is Approaching

Winter continues, but we are starting to look toward a new shooting season and shooting programs. If you have not yet renewed for 2025, please do so soon. Badges will be mailed out in mid April, and the new gate code will be in effect. If you are unsure about your renewal status, feel free to send me an email. You can renew on line at cvoarange.com.

Our first programs for the shooting season will be Introduction to Basic Handguns Saturday, June 28th and NRA Range Safety Officer Certification Sunday, June 29th.The classes are open to both members and non-members. The cost is $150 and will be taught by our own CVOA member and Certified Instructors Tammy Acker and Deb Shilling, of Howell's Gun Club in Windham, ME. CVOA is in need of more Range Safety Officers and will pay the first $100 toward the course for any CVOA member. This is a vital service you can provide to any club, so if you are a member of more than one gun club, you may be able to have the additional $50 fee fronted by them. Sign up by emailing Diane Stone at CVOA.range@gmail.com.

Pistol and Rifle Ranges will remain open and plowed throughout the winter as well as the heated bathroom. Remember to have your range badge or a copy of your membership verification letter on you when using the range. A copy on your phone is acceptable. Make sure you take a photo of both sides of your badge, as the back has the Gate Code. Though Range Officers are not in frequent attendance during the Winter, you may still be asked for membership verification.

As a range member, your guests are welcome. Shooting guests should sign the green Day Use waiver form and pay $10/day. Non shooting guests need not sign in, but it is the responsibility of the member to ensure all posted rules are followed. Any questions, please contact me.

I hope to see our Range Members enjoying our other CVOA events. Come meet old friends and make new ones. CVOA folks know how to have fun any time of year.

Enjoy your Winter at our beautiful Range and be safe!

Diane Stone

Range Secretary

CVOA.range@gmail.com

207-240-4752

The last 3rd Thursday Social of the Season

……and fun continued from beginning to the end!! Key ingredients were friends and laughter, both in abundance!!!

Assisted by CVOA member, Donna Donnelly, 72 name tags and door prize tickets were given to members as they arrived. A few members just returning from Mont Tremblant came in time to join us. Members again enjoyed Shipyard’s great pizzas and wings as trivia teams were formed. The coveted treat bags containing sweet treats you would never buy for yourself were awarded to the winners. Kelly Dooling was the winner of the $25 Shipyard Gift Card.

The 3rd Thursday Socials held December thru March are CVOAs most popular events. No need to sign up….just show up and enjoy friends, food and fun. Attendance increased at each one this season.

The tremendous success of CVOA social events is the result of so many members attending. THANK YOU for putting these events on your calendar, attending as often as possible and encouraging your friends to become members.

Be sure to check out the CVOA Events Calendar and Event Announcements in the Monthly Newsletters.

The More You Come, The More You’ll Come…Fun & ADVENTURE AWAITS!

Jeannette Parker & Bonnie Farrar

Social Activities

Moonlight Cross-Country Ski and Snow Shoe

On Flagstaff Lake

On a balmy, March 14th, sixteen CVOA members gathered for a Moonlight Cross-Country ski on Flagstaff lake. We traded our cross-country skis for crampons and snowshoes due to the warm weather. Everyone waited patiently for the moon to rise over Nubble. It was a beautiful view when it crested the peak. We then ventured back to the trailhead with the guidance of Jeannette’s blinking disco ring attached to a tree and enjoyed refreshments.

Susan Fraser and Zoey Paradis

To foster and promote the conservation of our natural resources

and the creation of recreational opportunities in our region.