left to right,
Liz Petruska, Executive Director,
Katie Renwick, AmeriCorps Volunteer,
Liza Conry, Development Specialist,
and Charlotte Henderson,
Administrative Coordinator for Medomak
Valley Land Trust and Treasurer of the
Waldoboro Business Association
| The Waldoboro
Business Association
promotes mutual support for our
members, encourages business
growth in our community, and
recognizes the importance of the
quality of life in our community. |
Installing a weir net for
the alewife count as
part of the Alewife
Restoration Project.
Quarry Hill Farm
Havener Pond
Reef Point
|
WBA Business Profile of the Month
It's a hub of activity on Friendship Street in downtown Waldoboro. As you approach
the office of Medomak Valley Land Trust you'll find the door is nearly always
open and a variety of people are coming and going. Visitors are met with a
smile and a hearty greeting. It seems that everyone is welcome at the offices
of The Medomak Valley Land Trust.
"Non-profit organizations play a vital role in every community," says Charlotte
Henderson, Administrative Coordinator of Medomak Valley Land Trust. "That's why
I felt so strongly that MVLT should be a member of the Waldoboro Business
Association (WBA) and encouraged other non-profits to join as well. For MVLT
it is an opportunity to make sure that we incorporate and align our MVLT mission
and values with that of the overall communities that we serve. WBA is a place
where there are naturally a variety of viewpoints but everyone is working for the
betterment of the town. I wanted to be sure that we were a part of those positive
efforts. It may not always be obvious, but the mission of a land trust - to preserve
and protect special places – is at the heart of what makes any town special. Our
participation in WBA has made us more approachable and we've been able to become a
'go-to' resource for the community at large."
"Being a member of WBA has allowed everyone on the MVLT staff to come to know
many members of the local business community as individuals. And we've all benefited
from this interaction," said Liz Petruska, Executive Director of MVLT. "When MVLT
decided to stage the first ever River Festival in 2007, businesses quickly stepped
up and became sponsors and donors. Without a doubt, having an established
relationship with many of those businesses made it easier for them to want to
support our event." River Festival, in fact, is much larger than the local
Waldoboro community although the daylong events are focused in downtown Waldoboro
for logistical reasons. The Festival features support from businesses, artisans,
exhibitors and citizen volunteers from all across the watershed. This year River
Festival takes place on August 30th from 11 am to 4 pm. For a complete schedule
of events click here
"Being part of a team with people like Liz Petruska, Charlotte Henderson,
and Katie Renwick, our AmeriCorps Volunteer makes me feel like we can accomplish
anything we set our minds to," say Liza Conry, Development Specialist for MVLT.
"We are proof that the sum is greater than it's parts. Each of us has very
different skills, but working together it makes it possible for us to accomplish
so much more than we ever imagined. For example, Katie, who works for us as an
AmeriCorps Volunteer, has been incredible. She has taken on outreach projects
this year and has made school visits and presentations for many classes. In
addition, she coordinates the alewives count project as part of her work with the
Alewife Enhancement Project. And she's taken it upon herself to make sure our
website is totally up to date and all the River Festival information is available
on the web."
"It's true," says Charlotte. "These young women bring so many different skills
to our organization. I think we inspire each other to tackle things that we might
not have considered in the past. Liz is a true leader. She thinks big, and is
willing to do any job. She's a hands-on leader and wouldn't ask anyone to do
anything she wouldn't do herself. Liza is so organized, has tremendous expertise
and is so quietly confident and capable. And Katie is a fantastic asset to our staff.
Together we're unstoppable," Charlotte laughs.
Twice brought before the voters of Waldoboro and twice overwhelmingly approved,
the Quarry Hill Easement might be one of the defining easements for the organization
in 2007-2008 year. The property, owned by the Town of Waldoboro and now protected in
perpetuity with a conservation easement protecting that 320 acre parcel from
development. "The current blueberry fields, snowmobile trails, hiking trails and
quarry are for the citizens of Waldoboro. The vote showed that the citizens clearly
understood the issue: that a conservation easement is one tool that can be used to
serve the public at large and that open space, and many special places, are rapidly
disappearing from public use. By approving this easement, Waldoboro citizens made
certain that this important parcel of land remains open and accessible for the benefit
and enjoyment of all of its citizens. It's a gift to the present citizens, and even
more importantly, it's their gift to future generations of people who will live in
this town." says Liz.
|
WBA Profile:
Medomak Valley Land Trust
25 Friendship Street
P.O. Box 180
Waldoboro, ME 04572
Phone: (207) 832-5570
www.medomakvalley.org
For more information about this year’s River
Festival, click here
Talks and Treks
Paddle Trips
Kite Making
|
"The Medomak River watershed is an incredible treasure, " says Liz. "We want to make
sure that people recognize that and are able to participate in it's beauty at different
times and in different places throughout the area." To further that effort, the land
trust sponsors a variety of events. In 2008 they sponsored several outdoor programs
including a bike ride to Clarry Hill, kayak trips, and many other talks and treks.
The land trust also offers opportunities for volunteers to work on trail construction
and maintenance, to assist in monitoring existing easements, and working with the
Alewife Restoration project. "We're always looking to include people in what we are
doing. We need people that are interested in all kinds of things —photographers,
videographers, volunteers to staff our booth at various events around the watershed.
We've got something for everyone. Just contact us," Liz says.
When asked about the significance of the office's open door, Charlotte smiles broadly
and replies, " I think our open door says we've got an open mind to listen to all
kinds of ideas. It's great that so many people feel that they can stop in, say hello
and share with us what they are thinking. When people are sharing ideas, something
positive is going to come out of all that energy and enthusiasm."
MVLT is a 17 year old organization with 330 member families throughout the watershed
and ...and growing.
For more information about Medomak Valley Land Trust, go to www.medomakvalley.org
For more information about this year's River Festival, go to
www.medomakvalley.org/river_festival.html
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