Sept. 1-30: “ I’s the By: The Beloved Folk Song” StoryWalk™ for children on Sears Island
Carver Memorial Library and Friends of Sears Island are collaborating on a fall StoryWalk® for children to enjoy along the Homestead Trail on Sears Island. As families walk along the woods path, they will find display boards with pages of the book “I’s the By: The Beloved Folk Song” illustrated by Lauren Soloy. This lovely book is written to appeal to kids ages 3-8, but will be enjoyed by all. “I’s the B’y” is a popular folk song from Newfoundland that honors maritime traditions. The book includes beautiful illustrations of boat building, stormy seas, whales, fishing, and people dancing. A QR code will be posted at the first sign of the StoryWalk® that will allow you to listen to the tune of the “I’s the B’y” on your smartphone so you and your family can sing along to the illustrated pictures of the song as you hike!
The StoryWalk® will be available Sept. 1-30, and directions to the start of the story can be found by the kiosk just beyond the island gate. From start to finish, the story will cover approximately a half mile of the trail. Sears Island is located off of Route 1 on Sears Island Road, just east of downtown Searsport. To learn more about Friends of Sears Island check out www.friendsofsearsisland.org or facebook.com/friendsofsearsisland. For more information on the Carver Memorial Library, visit www.carverlibrary.org. The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont and developed in collaboration with the Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition and the Kellogg Hubbard Library.
Sept. 13: Making Art in the Wild Workshop on Sears Island
Join artist Ashley Megquier for “Making Art in the Wild,” a workshop on Sears Island on Sunday Sept. 13 from 1 to 3 p.m. We will be exploring several methods of printmaking that can easily be done out in nature, whether you are inspired to make art in your backyard garden, a city park, on the trail or at the beach! Creatively preserving memories of plants, textures, and other interesting elements encountered in the wild can be a very rewarding experience. Additionally, combining art making with time spent outdoors has numerous benefits to our health and wellbeing. Ashley will walk attendees through the process of making small cyanotypes and methods to achieve various print effects, as well as how to turn any interesting textured surface into a stamp and the fun practice of creating a texture journal. Lastly, we will explore making simple but very detailed prints of plants with just an ink pad. After a demonstration, there will be time for exploring, gathering natural items for printing, and trying out these techniques together.
Each participant will receive a travel printmaking kit to use during the workshop and then take home. A $15 per person materials fee will be collected at the beginning of the workshop to offset the cost of the kits, cash or check is welcome. A sliding fee scale is available if cost is a barrier. This event is geared toward adults but older attentive children are welcome to attend with their grown ups too. In the event of rain, this program will be canceled. Space is limited and pre-registration is required for the workshop.
Sign up at https://tinyurl.com/art-in-the-wild.
Ashley Megquier is a mixed-media artist and muralist, as well as FOSI’s Outreach Coordinator. You can learn more about her creative work at www.ashleyalice.art.
Sept. 19: Fall Cleanup Day on Sears Island
We are looking for volunteers willing to help us do a fall cleanup of the island on the morning of Saturday, Sept. 19 from 9 a.m. to noon. If you are interested in helping us with some island stewardship we would be most grateful!
Sign up at: https://tinyurl.com/sears-island-cleanup
Sept. 30: Anglers Restaurant Dine-to-Donate Fundraiser to Support Friends of Sears Island
Friends of Sears Island invites you to join us for a dine-to-donate meal at Anglers Restaurant in Searsport, Wednesday, Sept. 30. Eat out at Anglers for dinner or place a takeout order, and they will graciously donate 10% of the evening’s sales to Friends of Sears Island to support conservation and education programs. To place a takeout order or make a reservation for a party of seven or more, call 207-548-2405. This is a great opportunity to support a local business and a local nonprofit!
Anglers is located at 215 East Main St. in Searsport. A menu and more information about the restaurant can be found at www.anglersseafoodrestaurant.com. To learn more about Friends of Sears Island, visit www.friendsofsearsisland.org.