Imagine seeing an eagle, kingfisher, snapping turtle, fish and pond flowers from a canoe for the first time, and you will understand what an incredible day Wednesday was for a half dozen teens from the Boys and Girls Club of Bangor.
Two of the teens participating were part of the club’s work-based learners summer jobs program and the rest were from its Gateway to Opportunity career exploration project. About half had never been in a canoe before.
Wednesday’s canoe outing on Hermon Pond was a chance for the two groups to get to know each other and use the communication skills they had been working on, according to Peyton Faulkner of the Boys and Girls Club.
“Today was icing on the cake for what we learned this summer,” Faulkner said.
The outing wouldn’t have been possible without Bangor Lodge of Elks No. 244, which raised the money for the registration fees paid to Bangor Recreation Department, said Jim Fahey, who organized the event.
Fees generally are $65 for Bangor residents and $75 for non-residents.
The Elks Lodge, which donates time and funding to several children’s programs in the area, also provided lunch at Vafiades Landing, where the kids had a noontime swim. It wasn’t their only swim of the day. They also swam at Jackson Beach after canoeing.
“We like to get kids involved because if they are here doing a function, they aren’t on the street,” said Shawn Stacey, Elks member who suggested providing scholarships for six teens and one worker from the Boys and Girls Club.
Annabelle Pierce, 16, said she had been canoeing before, but she enjoyed seeing turtles, fish and frog eggs and learning more about paddling.
The group was treated to watching an osprey catch a fish, Faulkner said.
Gavin Russel, 16, also had been in a canoe before, but he liked seeing the big snapping turtle they found and a bald eagle.
“I learned the joy of the simple things — scenery and looking at the environment. [There are] so many living things around you. It puts it in perspective,” Russel said.
He loves hiking and the views you see on high peaks.
He said canoeing relieves stress and helps your mental state. He thought everyone should experience it at least once.
One takeaway that everyone seemed to agree with — next time they would remember sunscreen.
