To foster and promote the enjoyment and preservation of our natural resources and the creation of recreational opportunities for its members in the Carrabassett Valley region, in the State of Maine, and elsewhere.

 

That is our Mission Statement.  And it is what I look to as 2017 planning begins.

 

We certainly "foster and promote the enjoyment ..... of our natural resources ....." with the energy investment of our activities committee.  This group under the current guidance of Betsy Chapman has set a schedule of hikes, sails, canoes, and bikes "in the Carrabassett Valley region, in the State of Maine, and elsewhere."  There has been a great range of participation from our membership in age, ability, and what they took from the weekend meeting.  I look forward to the continued participation of all of you.  Remember, your ideas help.  Send thoughts on what you would like 2017 to offer to cvoa.adventures@gmail.com.

The "preservation of our natural resources" is an area I see growth possibilities in.  A respect and caring for the natural world around us seems to be a characteristic we share.  The simple things like packing out our trash do matter and I have confidence that everyone reading this doesn't give such action a second thought ... it's just what we do.  But, I'd like us to look for more visible statements.  Actions that show the community our Mission though participation in larger projects.  There have been successful efforts in the past and I would like to see more in the future.  I'm guessing that many of you have seen, wondered about, or participated in an activity that preserves our natural resources.  Please, send your ideas to cvoa.president@gmail.com .

My last thought is the area we enjoy.  "... the Carrabassett Valley Region, in the State of Maine, and elsewhere."  Maine is going though change as our paper companies move and land is sold.  I believe a group such as ours can effect this change by active dialog.  It isn't our purpose to take a political stand, but we can be a center of conversation for our membership.  Let's make the future of this state and the recreational land within a topic of our conversations to guide us in 2017.

 

Thanks and send ideas!

~ John

 

Those of us that want a bit of outdoor exercise before eating we will meet at Campbell Field at 1 p.m. to hike/snowshoe along the Narrow Gauge.  This is a very easy, walking path along the Carrabassett River. Great for beginners. Come dressed appropriately. This is a weather dependent activity; it will be canceled in case of rain, sleet or extreme wind and cold.  

 

The cookie swap is at 3 p.m. at the Adaptive Outdoor Education Center, 3000 Outdoor Center Road. Bring COOKIES, an appetizer to share and your beverage of choice.

 

Hope you can join us.

 

 Any questions? Email Gail Miller at treasurer.cvoa@gmail.com

 

~ Gail Miller, hiker and cookie maker

 

Save the date! The event will be similar to the 2016 dinner and meeting at the Sugarloaf Inn on Saturday evening, March 18. We will have a fixed price dinner, paid by attendees, a short meeting, and a guest speaker as yet to be determined.

 

~ Cindy Foster, Dinner Manager and Joe Loughran, Meeting Manager

The Range has had a busy fall, and we continue to hold organized Trap Shoots on Saturday and Sunday from 9 am -12 pm, weather permitting. 

 

Check out and "like" our new Facebook page, CVOA Shooting Range.  We will provide the latest updates on Shoots, including weather conditions.  We all know the weather in Carrabassett can vary dramatically just a few miles away.  A rainy day where you are might be a sunny one at the Range!

 

We started off the fall season with a Trap Shoot to benefit the Franklin County Animal Shelter.  Between the Range and our generous participants we raised $180.00 to help save pets in Franklin County!

 

Over the Homecoming Weekend we held a Turkey Shoot, where individuals and teams competed for gift certificates to Hannaford's.  The competitors ranged in age from 12 to 80!  Despite the misty, cool start to the day, the atmosphere was sunny for a very successful shoot with many spectators cheering on the competitors.

 

We ask for your help and participation with our yearly Raffle.  We will be sending out tickets to our members as well as selling tickets at CVOA events.  Prizes will include a 2017-18 Sugarloaf Season Pass, Sugarloaf Golf 2 days play, Cabela's $200.00 gift certificate, and a hand crafted bench. 

 

We hope you all enjoy the remainder of your fall!

 

~ Diane Stone, Range Secretary 

Our Five Stand Range facility is progressing.  We have purchased the new clay machines and have set up temporary shooting stands to test out the course.  The official opening of the Five Stand Range will be Spring 2017.  If you come out on one of our remaining weekend shoots, you may be asked to help beta test our new course.  So bring your favorite shotgun and chokes.  We expect to shoot through November.

 

For those who don't know what Five Stand is, read this piece taken from Wikipedia: Five Stand is a type of shotgun sport shooting similar to sporting clays, trap and skeet. There are five stations, or stands and six to eighteen strategically placed clay target throwers (called traps). Shooters shoot in turn at various combinations of clay birds. Each station will have a menu card that lets the shooter know the sequence of clay birds he or she will be shooting at (i.e. which trap the clay bird will be coming from). The shooter is presented with 5 targets at each station, first a single bird followed by two pairs. Pairs can be either "report pairs," in which the second bird will be launched after the shooter fires at the first; or "true pairs" when both birds launch at the same time. After shooting at the 5 birds on the menu at that station, the shooter proceeds to the next stand, where they find a new menu of 5 targets. 

 

Typical five stand targets are a rabbit, chandelle, overhead, standard skeet high house and low house shots, teal (launched straight up into the air), trap (straight ahead from ground level), and an incoming bird.

 

If you would like to know even more, see the official rules at the National Sporting Clays Association:   CLICK HERE

 

~ Diane Stone, Range Secretary

Beautiful colors at the range, and the small building was moved to its new location to clear space for the Five Stand.

The 2016 CVOA display at Sugarloaf's Homecoming Weekend was, by all accounts, a fun and successful event. The display was colorful, informative and caught the attention of many Homecoming attendees. A new "Thanks For Joining" package was provided to the 15 new members. The package included the new CVOA logo magnet, a list of planned recreational activities for 2017 and a CVOA sticker.

We added 15 new Family and Individual CVOA memberships, had 37 renewals and had numerous visitors leave with membership and activities information. In addition to basic memberships, 32 new and renewed range memberships were received.

CVOA merchandise sales were brisk with over $220.00 in new revenue. We sold out of ball caps, aprons and cookbooks. In addition to the CVOA gear, we were recipients of 40 autographed copies of the book "Winning Silver" from its author Mr. Donald Francis Whiston. Mr. Whiston was a Collegiate All American hockey player at Brown University in 1951. He was the Goalie on the USA's 1952 Olympic Hockey Team which won the Silver Medal at the Sunval Games in Sweden. We sold 14 of Mr. Whiston's books and will be offering more copies at future CVOA events.

CVOA received a very nice gift from Mr. Bill Swain and his daughter Maggie in appreciation for receiving the CVOA scholarship to Camp North Woods. The Swains presented CVOA with two full size flags: a State of Maine and a United States flag. Camp North Woods is sponsored by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. All of us working the CVOA display extend our sincere thanks to Mr. Whiston and the Swains for their generosity.

The combination of new memberships, membership renewals, CVOA gear and Mr. Whiston's book added $1,587.00 to the CVOA coffers.

I wish to thank the CVOA members that helped make our Homecoming Weekend such a success by donating their time and talents. Thanks to Betsy Chapman, Gail Miller, Cindy Foster, Mike & Jeannette Parker, Mark Curtis, John Morey and Kathy Gagne.

Well done, folks!

	Joe created this display board with lots of info about CVOA and how to join.

~ Joe Loughran, CVOA Vice President

 

[editor's note: Joe did a tremendous job putting together our presence in the Base Lodge worthy of CVOA and its members. On behalf of us all - Thanks, Joe.]

Dog Not Gone, manufacturer of 

visibility products, insect repellent apparel, and US and Maine flags, is a Carrabassett Valley  company  owned and  operated by Julie and Bill Swain. They are offering a  CVOA  member 

discount of  20%  off all  online orders in the  month of November. 

Use the  code "CVOA".

Check out their products at www.dognotgone.com.

Maine Huts and Trails offers a $10 discount on the cost of an annual Maine Huts & Trails membership to all CVOA members. Use the code "CVOA" online, or contact MH&T.

Feel free to ask friends or businesses, and have them send the information to Cindy Foster at cvoa.secretary@gmail.com.