~ June 2021 ~
Message from our president . . . . .
Hello Members,

It feels so nice to be coming out of the pandemic and to be able to return to more normal activities. CVOA activities are picking up steam, and I expect this will be an active year as we reconnect in person allowing the social and personal interactions most of us missed so much.

My wife and I participated in the Range Cleanup, and we were able to meet many Range Members. A very big thank you to all the volunteers who made that morning so successful. The Range opened as planned, looking as good as it has ever looked.

Ski trip interest is strong with the Big Sky trip filling up almost immediately. Aspen/Snowmass is nearly full, and the Utah trip has a solid contingent. Summer outdoor activities have begun with a Memorial Day Hike and more will be added to the calendar in the near future. If you have ideas for group activities, please contact our Adventure Coordinator Patti Johnson, or any CVOA Officer.

I encourage everyone to attend Board Meetings to learn more about the Association. I hope to see many of you at our upcoming meeting on June 19th.

STEVE
Your membership is valid through Dec. 31, 2021
Thank you for being a member of CVOA.
Recreation, Lunch, Board/Member Meeting
Saturday, June 19 in Belgrade

Val and Sam Hudspath have generously offered to be our hosts for the June 19 Board/Member meeting. Their address is 40 Abena Shores Drive, Belgrade 04917, on the shores of Great Pond.

There are many opportunities for activities in the Belgrade Lakes area. Plan to meet at their home around 10 am, and engage in whatever adventure you wish. Activities could include:
  • Paddling – The lawn at the Hudspath’s is flat with a sandy beach from which you can launch canoes or kayaks. They have 3 single kayaks and 1 tandem kayak (or you can bring your own). You can paddle Great Pond and its islands or paddle to the Post Office in Belgrade Lakes, pull up and enjoy a walk around town.
  • Motor boating – You can launch your own craft from a nearby public boat launch. The Hudspaths also have a pontoon boat.
  • Biking – Rt. 27 has a wide shoulder in the area and many locals bike on it.
  • Hiking – There are some easy to moderate trails in the area. Check out www.7lakesalliance.org for descriptions of hikes and maps. Click on “Land” at the top menu bar. The hikes are 2-6 miles away from the Hudspath’s house.

Lunch at 1pm – We'll enjoy CVOA-funded sandwich platters instead of our usual pot luck format. Please bring your own beverages.

Please contact Val at pvsam1@twc.com to let her know if you are coming for lunch, so we can order the appropriate amount of food, and in what morning activity you might be participating.

Board/Member meeting at 2pm, we hope you will stay for the meeting.
An agenda will be included in a reminder email on June 15.

Hope you can join us!!
Val and Sam
207-495-9199

Directions to the Hudspaths’: If coming from Augusta take Rt. 27 North. At Carter Marine in Belgrade take a sharp right onto Sahagian Road, a paved road. After about 1/3 of a mile turn left at Abena Shores Drive. They are the 3rd house on the left. Park in the driveway or on the lawn. If you are coming from Rt. 2, take Rt. 27 south to Belgrade Lakes. About 1 mile south of the town, Sahagian will be on your left at Carter Marine.
Masks Off!! Let the Adventures Begin - Again!!
The summer is nearly upon us, and the masks are coming off and vaccinations are accomplished for nearly all who want them. It’s time to plan some adventures. Here is a collage of pictures of past events to help jog our memories of the good times CVOA has had: kayaking, golf, biking, hiking, and trips to various Maine attractions. Hopefully, that will spur some of us on to organizing some adventures this summer. See the notes regarding our upcoming Board Meeting at Val and Sam’s for a starter!

Please feel free to contact me cvoa.adventures@gmail.com with your ideas and we can get the ball rolling again.

~ Patti Johnston, Adventure Coordinator
Memorial Day Hike Meaningful and a success . . .
Memorial Day Hike at Bald Mountain

Our May 30th Memorial Day Hike went well. The weather co-operated with temps in the 50’s and minimal breezes. It was cloudy most of the day with sun breaking out during our Memorial Day remembrance moment. My hike was “one” of the The Summit Project’s “many” hikes throughout Maine and New England to Honor the Fallen so they will not be forgotten. The stones TSP teams carried are stones that Gold Star families have selected from each soldier’s favorite place to visit. I carried the stone to remember Sgt. Joel A. House, born in Lee, ME, in 1984 and died from injuries sustained when an IED hit his vehicle in Taji, Iraq on June 23, 2007. We had a moment to reflect on his life and the many sacrifices the brave members of the Armed Services have given so we may all be Free and safe in this great country. There were many hikers on the trail Sunday – and a few that were on the Summit joined us in remembering.

After the ceremony we took turns enjoying the view from the fire tower before heading down the mountain. All in all a great day!!

It was good to catch up with some CVOA hikers who joined us – we had a group of 8, including Peggy Bickford, my grandson Caleb, Jim Lord, Michelle Dumont and her son Ryan, Zoanne and Christopher Paradis. I look forward to more CVOA gatherings as we become vaccinated and get out to enjoy summer outings.

Show & Go’s work great!

Susan Fraser
? Show 'N Go Events ?
Easy Peasy!

Aaahh, summer is unofficially here! Some beautiful sunny days ahead of us. Get outside. Visit with friends. Make new friends. This can happen now without restrictions outdoors. And Outdoors is what we are all about. How simple it is to think ahead a couple of days, when the weather looks promising, and plan an activity.

With short notice, Cindy will send your details to the entire membership via an email message. Fun, easy, and even if it the turnout is small, worthwhile.

Keep this in mind!
Ski Trips in 2022
Big Sky – January 22 to 29 – $2,290 pp/do 
Trip Leader: Mike Parker – phone: 207-649-7308

The Big Sky trip has been filled with the maximum 36 people. If you are interested in being placed on the waiting list, contact Mike.
Snowbird/Alta – February 26 to March 5 – $2,300 pp/do
Trip Leader: Bonnie Farrar – phone: 207.735.3984

With 20 people signed up, we have room for 16 more.

Click on the image for complete information.
Aspen/Snowmass – March 5 to 12, 2022 – $2,120 pp – 4 per 2BR/2bath condo
Trip Leaders: Lee & Jon Goss – phone: 207-542-9361

This trip appears to be full, although there is a single female looking for a roommate. If you are interested in going on the trip, or if you would like to be put on a waiting list, contact Lee.

Click on the image for complete information.
Route 27 Cleanup - Thanks, folks
Thank you Volunteers for the Rte 27 Clean Up

Thank you for helping us keep the scenic highway litter-free in Carrabassett Valley. Although the marathon was canceled, it has been nice to continue the tradition of annual litter patrol. There were over 60 volunteers who helped with this project throughout the week, and many bags of trash were collected and taken to the Transfer Station. So many people were involved in this clean up and each contributed in keeping this special place, Carrabassett Valley, looking natural and scenic to those passing through. Your efforts did not go unnoticed.

Thank you for your time and community involvement.

~ Al Sleight
Range News
Hello Range Members,

Our Range season started in May with a big clean-up day. Thank you to all who attended! Also a special thank you to Cindy Foster and Harvey Packard for setting up the to-do list and getting the word out! You all did an amazing job. We filled both dumpsters, painted, picked up brass for recycling, cleaned, set up the machines, picnic tables, targets, and a dozen other jobs. We then had lunch and some folks stuck around to learn how to operate the Trap Machine.

Our regular 5-Stand Shoot on Saturday and Trap Shoot on Sunday started up on May 15th. Both shoots start at 9am and go to noon, unless all shooters have finished early. This has not been an issue in the past, but this year there is a serious shortage of ammunition. That means shooters are shooting less rounds, or have no ammunition at all! At this time, we have no plans for Shooting classes, but we are always willing to give a new shooter a starter session during one of our regular shoots, including a personal shadow to insure a safe and fun shoot.

Our 50 Yard Range is nearly finished. We are still building the shooting stands and will then add a roof. This will add more opportunities for Rifle sighting, and other shooting needs.

We will be getting more fill to add a berm between the Trap Field and the Parking and Rifle/Pistol Ranges. The fill will also expand the length of the Archery Field to 40 Yards. Thank you to Pete Weston and Harvey for their planning and operational skills.

We hope to see you at the Range.

Diane Stone
Range Secretary
207-240-4752
How can You Help at the Range?
Here are some Ways:

Range Membership Assistant: Members who renew or join from now through the season are sent a Range ID Badge with their name hand-written, and the card is inserted into a plastic card pouch. Then it is mailed along with a welcome letter to the member. Last year there were 100 such members in 50 households. I would most appreciate having someone take on this task. Really appreciate! All materials will be provided. Call Cindy at 207-829-6110.

Be “On Call” for mowing the lawn and Odd Jobs. (Riding mower, tools, supplies are on premise.) As you may know, a couple of years ago the Range hired Sherie Packard to keep the place looking great, which she does. Not only does she mow the lawn regularly, she cleans the bathroom, cleans flies from the buildings, keeps the flowers in the road-side planter watered, and more than you can imagine. Sherie would like to have a few people on call for the occasional times she might not be able to get the mowing done, in particular. And there are often Odd Jobs that do not fit in her repertoire. Call Sherie and Harvey if you might be able to help. 207-246-2339

Do some minor exterior painting and staining, a few items didn’t quite get done on the clean-up day. Call Harvey at 207-246-2339

Run the Saturday 5-stand shoots or the Sunday Trap shoots. Ray and Diane have been running these events for a few years now, and it is time to give them a few weekends off. Diane has written complete directions for each event, and they are more than willing to teach you what’s involved. (A benefit of learning to run a trap shoot is that you can use the range at any time with your friends or family – a private session!) Call Diane at 207-240-4752, or show up at one of the shoots to learn more.

Pitch in before and after the shoots – open up the 5-stand building, set up for trap; close up the 5-stand building, put away trap stations; fill the clay throwers at the end of the each shoot.

Become an NRA Range Safety Officer by taking a one-day course at Howell’s in Grey; CVOA pays the course fee. We would like to have 6 new officers, and Howell’s will set up a course just for us. Call Ray at 207-240-3591.

We look forward to hearing from you!
Call directly, or reply to this email and your reply will be forwarded to the appropriate person.
Trap Fees Due for Increase

For many years, our trap shooting fee has been $5 per round of 25. Clay prices have, of course, risen every year. Beginning on July 1st, the trap fee will be $6 per round. The cost of a punch card of 10 rounds will increase from $40 to $50. Any cards on file or purchased prior to July 1st will still be valid, so buy now and save some bucks.
Shooting Ranges at the Range
Just a Reminder:
Range Safety
Our Range has continued to grow and to provide a safe shooting environment for all:
  1. There are signs posted at the entrance and shooting venues; they provide sign in and safety instructions for Range use. Please take a moment to review these instructions.
  2. All guests and the general public are required to sign in at the gatehouse before proceeding to the shooting venue or clubhouse. Inside you will find Day Use Waiver Forms for guest shooters, and Guest Badges for Day Use visitors. Day Use fee is $5, and if no Range Officer is present, the fee is paid into the lock box on the honor system.
  3. First Aid/Trauma kits are located around the Range: one at the rifle range, one at the five stand range, and one at the club house. These include basic first aid items such as band aids and alcohol wipes, as well as advanced trauma equipment like tourniquets and quick clotting bandages. If you need to access the First Aid/Trauma Kit for any reason, please fill out an Incident Report. 
  4. The Range has created and adopted a Safety Operating Procedure, or SOP, which gives detailed rules and guidelines for Range Operations. The SOP is posted on the range web site, and is available for review in the club house. 
  5. Range Safety Officers are not on the Range during some of the operating hours. As such, during these Passive Range Operating times, it is the duty of all members to know and follow posted rules. The Range would like to invite members to become NRA certified Range Safety Officers. CVOA will pay for your training which will be invaluable to the Range. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Diane Stone at (207) 240-4752.
Other Activities
From DownEast Magazine:

Maine’s stay-at-home orders have been lifted, the state is gradually reopening, and Maine businesses and organizations are adapting to a summer like no other. We couldn’t be happier to get back out there and take advantage of what a Maine summer has to offer — even in this unusual time.

And so, the Mini-Maine Scavenger Hunt! We’ve pared back this year’s Great Maine Scavenger Hunt in light of cancellations and distancing requirements, keeping community health in mind. From now through September, there’s still plenty of time to check out some favorite summer sites and activities — from trails to tide pools, historic landmarks to roadside attractions.

Click the logo to go to Down East Magazine's Scavenger Hunt info.
How to Contact Us
  • President Steve Smith: 207.799.8254: cvoa.president@gmail.com
  • Vice President Thom Johnston: 207.852.3595: cvoa.vicepresident@gmail.com
  • Treasurer Sam Hudspath: 207.458.9138: cvoa.treasurership@gmail.com
  • Secretary Cindy Foster: 207.829.6110: cvoa.secretary@gmail.com
  • Adventure Coordinator Patti Johnston: 207.745.5815: cvoa.adventures@gmail.com
  • Range Secretary Diane Stone: 207.240.4752: cvoa.range@gmail.com
  • Range Chairman Neal Trask: 207.235.2732
Carrabassett Valley Outdoor Association
Valley Crossing #6
Carrabassett Valley, ME 04947
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