As this challenging year draws to a close, we have learned a lot about both the importance of community and having a place where we can safely gather and recreate.
In the 18 months since we officially founded The Maine Outdoor Wellness Center in memory of Roy Varney, we have made a great deal of progress, despite the disruptions and challenges of the past year.
The donations and support of hundreds of people have made this possible.
- We have added several key members to the board: Thomas Rabon, Natasha Varney, and Justin Fereshetian – three very dedicated cross country skiers and coaches from the local community.
- We have purchased the trail grooming equipment necessary to begin providing access to a limited number of trails starting this coming January.
- We have begun to develop, cut, and map out several miles of trails for public skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, and biking.
- We have begun construction of a base lodge facility to host events, races, and public gatherings in the future.
We all know how important the outdoors is to ourselves and our community. We are grateful for the help that will allow us to open to the public for the first time in just a few weeks. But we still need to raise funds that will allow us to open more trails to the public and to complete our facilities.
Can we count on your support for our programs this year? A gift of $50 will help us open even more trails to the public and to complete Roy’s dream.
Your donation can be made via check and mail to the PO box. 634, Turner, ME 04282, or online at www.maineoutdoorwellnesscenter.org/donate/
Some key photos from 2020
Upcoming in 2021:
We are looking forward to ironing out the kinks of grooming and maintaining our ski trails this winter, as well as hosting our first high school ski races. It has also become clear that we will need to ramp up our fundraising efforts so that we can support more trail and facilities development in the coming years.
Once the ground dries in the spring, we will continue mapping out new mountain bike and ski terrain across the property. We hope to have a few mountain bike loops ready in the summer and a fully functional lodge and a public facility open by September.
Keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram feeds for information on a public opening and fundraising event in September, and more details on our long-term vision of having an Olympic-class biathlon facility completed within 3-5 years.
It’s going to take a lot of hard work, but we’re no strangers to the stuff. We’ve really enjoyed developing the center to date, and being able to work with so many talented and dedicated partners.
Thank you!
We thank you for your continued generosity and dedication towards supporting The Maine Outdoor Wellness Center and remembering the legacy of Roy Varney.
With gratitude,
Ben & Sam
Co-Chairs, MOWC Board of Directors
P.S. We need your help to spread the word to other people who can support our work, and enjoy the center. Please connect to @TheMOWC on Facebook and Instagram, and tell your friends about the great things happening in Turner!