A FREE publication about living in the Bethel, Maine area. Articles, events, upcoming festivals and more! Produced by Laurie K Herron, and Royal River Graphics.
Bethel FREE • Issue 9 WINTER 2015 Updates at the Sunday River Brewing Co. We talked with Ron Savage about the Savage Companies, and the importance of Community & Family Mt Abram Using less power to make more snow New technology for playground sustainability PLUS a Listing of Local Events From the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce LIVING Maine Moose Lottery & Festival RIGHT HERE!! In Bethel, Maine June 12-14, 2015 Bethel Bait, Tackel & More With Sarah Lane and Jeremy Fredette Guns, ammo, fishing gear and more! Maine Mineral & Gem Museum Plans for expansion are in the works!
Transcript
BethelFREE • Issue 9 WINTER 2015
Updates at the Sunday River Brewing Co.
We talked with Ron Savage about
the Savage Companies, and the
importance of Community & Family
Mt AbramUsing less power to make more snow
New technology for playground sustainability
PLUS a Listing of Local Events
From the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce
LIVING
Maine Moose Lottery & FestivalRIGHT HERE!! In Bethel, Maine
June 12-14, 2015
Bethel Bait, Tackel & MoreWith Sarah Lane and Jeremy Fredette
Guns, ammo, fishing gear and more!
Maine Mineral & Gem MuseumPlans for expansion are in the works!
2 Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
Now is the time to buy.Take advantage of historically low interest rates combined with a great selection of properties.
Visit mahoosucrealty.com or stop by our office at 16 Parkway in Bethel to view all listings.
Outstanding Mtn Estate$1,590,000
Log Cabin - 20 Acres$499,000
Spacious Log Home$399,000
Log Home - 18 Acres$400,000
New Ski House$319,900
Private Custom Home$275,000
Visit mahoosucrealty.com or stop by our office at 16 Parkway in Bethel to view all listings.
Sunday River Inn$850,000
Lake Christopher$435,000
New Construction!$389,500
Hutchinson Pond Cabin$319,000
Country Colonial$280,000
Mountainside Home$725,000
Outstanding Ski House$476,000
Restaurant - Bethel$459,000
Spectacular Views & Home$384,900
South Pond Shores$309,000
Home & Apartment$280,000
Waterfront Contemporary$735,000
Antique Barn House$525,000
New Chalet! Views$339,000
New Ski Chalet$299,900
Paradise Road Home$500,000
Log Cabin - Mountain Views$499,000
Lincoln Log Home$469,000
Birch Woods Cabin$329,000
Private 4 Bedroom$299,000
Ideal Vacation Home$279,000
Fantastic Ski House$659,000
Beautiful Waterfront Home$419,000
Great Location, Will View$329,000
Route 2 - Residence$299,000
Sunday River Road$270,000
Mountain Vista Condo$308,000
Commercial - Bethel$549,000
6 Unit - Bethel$599,000
Private 4 Bedroom$319,000
3Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
mahoosucrentals.com | 888-310-2771
BOOK YOUR NEXT VACATIONMahoosuc Rentals offers seasonal rentals, short-term vacation rentalsand long-term housing. From village town houses to private luxuryhomes. Call now to book the 2014-15 ski season.
Country Contemporary$269,900
New Chalet ~ Views!$269,900
So. Exposure 4Bdrm$249,000
Village Area - New!$229,000
Pond Access - Log Cabin$245,000
Bethel Chalet$239,900
4 Bedroom Riverfront$229,900
3 Bedroom Cape$195,000
Bethel Village Home$239,000
4 Season Retreat$217,000
Rocky Lane Cabin$185,000
New Chalet!$219,900
4Bed/2Bath Home$229,000
3 Bed Chalet$179,000
Mt Abram Condo$125,000
Affordable Ski Cabin$154,900
1880’s Victorian/1.5+- Acres$262,500
Passive Solar Home$155,000
Affordable Log Cabin$110,000
Private Chalet$239,000
Bethel Village$149,900
Ski & Boat Waterfront$209,000
Vintage Renovated Cape$249,900
Log Cabin ~ 14+- Acres$198,000
Visit mahoosucrealty.com or stop by our office at 16 Parkway in Bethel to view all listings.
Eagle Ridge3 Bedroom/3 BathSleeps: 12Weekday $350Weekend $50010 minutes to Sunday River
Mt Abram Ski House3 Bedroom/2 BathWeekday $275Weekend $35015 minutes to Sunday River
Stunning Contemporary3 Bedroom/2 BathSleeps: 8Weekday $700Weekend $70010 minutes to Sunday River
Round Pond Home3 Bedroom/2 BathSleeps: 8Night $500Season $9,00012 minutes to Sunday River
Bethel Village Home3 Bedroom/2 BathSleeps: 8Season $6,000 7 Minutes to Sunday River
Awesome Log Sided Chalet3 Bedroom/2 BathSleeps: 10 • Hot Tub Weekday Night $350Weekend Night $4507 Minutes to Sunday River
Sunday Dream3 Bedroom/2 Bath • Sleeps: 8 Weekday Night $400Weekend Night $4502 Minutes to Sunday River
Laurie K. Herron • 207.838.4447Laurie K. Herron • 207.838.4447
Publisher’s NoteThank you for checking out the new Winter Issue of Bethel Living Magazine! There’s so much going on in and around Bethel this winter - be sure to browse the Bethel Area Chamber’s event listings and make note on your calendar to attend the fireworks, performances, full moon hikes, sleigh rides, Red Bull Frozen RUSH, auctions, dinners, skiing events, torchlight parades, downhill derbies and more! We know how to pack in an enormous amount of fun here in the Western Hills of Maine and New Hampshire. This is the place to be!
Snow will be falling regularly and l can’t wait to jump on my five pairs of various types of skis, two differing sizes of snowshoes, freshly sharped skates and all the waxed up sleds I can find. I’m gonna gleefully ski, slide, skate, ride and shoe through this season of white.
In this issue BL reports on next summer’s amazing new Moose Lottery Festival, right here in Bethel. We profile a couple of local entrepreneurs -- Sarah Lane and Jeremy Fredette of Bethel Bait, Tackle & More -- and Ron Savage provides an update on the Sunday River Brewpub. We have news from the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum and share what we’ve learned from Mt Abram, where they’re setting the bar for sustainable playgrounds.
Welcome to the busiest season in our beautiful mountain town!
Laurie Knowles HerronPublisher
Bethel Living is trademarked and owned byLaurie K Herron. All rights reserved. Repro-duction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Bethel Living is made possible by the participation of our advertis-ers. We offer them our thanks and ask you to consider them first when patronizing businesses in the Bethel,Maine area.
Cover Photo Credit: M Dirk MacKnight
Features Editor: Nate Scott
Graphic Design: Ben Bruno andLaurie Knowles Herron for Royal River Graphics www.royalrivergraphics.com
“Where To Eat”New York Times, January 2013
Pet-Friendly Rooms • Three Unique Dining Options
A Bethel Legend Since 1986Voted 2014 Best bar menu
and beer selection
At The Sudbury InnGreat Brasserie food plus Sudbury
Inn classics in our gorgeous bar room, fireside, or on our scenic porch
Open from 5 pm Tuesday – Saturday for dinner and cocktails
Open 11.30 daily for lunch, dinner and late night
Live MusicThursday-Saturday 8 pm
151 Main Street • Bethel • (207) 824-2174www.thesudburyinn.com
6 Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
The moose or Eurasian elk, Alces alces, is the largest species surviving in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males, which can eventually grow to a span of more than 6 feet.
7Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
Whether you are a regular hiker
in the Mahoosuc Mountains of
Western Maine or you just like to
take random drives into the puckies,
sooner or later you will come across
a moose. And it will be an awesome
experience because moose are
huge, majestic animals -- like bigger
than an SUV HUGE! But moose are
elusive and sighting one is a special
event. Fear not, from June 12-14 next
summer, Bethel will convene a moose stampede -- gathering all things
moose-related into a three day Alces alces extravaganza topped off by
the Annual Maine Moose Permit Lottery.
Moose, a name derived from the Eastern Abenaki word mos (twig
eater), number approximately 60 to 70 thousand head in the state,
according to Maine wildlife biologists. Each June, as a part of a tightly
controlled management plan, a few thousand moose hunting permits
are awarded by lottery. The original Moose Lottery drawing started
out in Augusta, then moved on to larger auditoriums at schools and
civic centers to seat the many folks who attend each year. Previous
hosts of the lottery include the towns of Rangeley, Greenville, Presque
Isle and Fort Kent, as well as retailers LL Bean and Cabela’s. The idea
to bring the drawing to Bethel started with the University of Maine’s
4-H Camp at Bryant Pond several years ago. The camp, in conjunction
with the Bethel Chamber of Commerce, formed a committee and
drafted a letter to the Commissioner of Maine’s Department of Inland
Fisheries and Wildlife. No luck that year, but the Committee pushed
ahead. After several years of perseverance and a deluge of letters to the
Commissioner, Bethel finally captured the event for 2015!
The Bethel Moose Lottery Festival will be packed with entertaining
events taking place on the Bethel Common, around the Bethel Inn and
at the 4H camp in Bryant Pond. There will be a sportsman’s expo with
booths and exhibits, a highly competitive moose calling contest and a
40’ x 160’ tent with seating for 800. Friday’s kickoff activities feature the
moose calling semifinals -- hosted by the Maine Professional Guides
Association and matching the best callers from around the state in
head to head competition -- followed by an evening concert with the
Mallett Brothers: “a wildly eclectic crew of genre rebels”. On Saturday,
attendees can browse booths featuring guides, taxidermists, crafters and
food -- with exhibits and seminars presented by outdoors professionals
such as NAVHDA, Mainely BASS, and others. The Department of Inland
Fisheries and Wildlife is bringing their Operation Game Thief trailer
with it’s display of first-class game mounts, and ATV Maine will have a
track set up for ATV demos. The final round of moose calling from 1 to
3 pm will crown the best moose caller in Maine, followed immediately
by the Moose Lottery drawing, which will wrap up sometime around
7 pm.
Saturday evening after the lottery, Team Zespy (Jerome Holt
and Jeremy Fredette) will put on an amazing 2-hour sharp-shooting
BEtHEL MAInE
& FEStIVAL
MOOSELOTTERY
June 12-14, 2015
8 Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
exhibition with many tricks and displays of firearms prowess. During the show
Team Zespy will encourage volunteers from the audience to join them on-stage to
participate in the fun. To watch an amazing video of Team Zespy in action, go to
http://youtu.be/FbudmIXc8AA
On Sunday, a golf tournament at the Bethel Inn will raise scholarship funds
for the University of Maine’s 4-H Camp at Bryant Pond. Also on Sunday, the 4-H
Camp will conduct it’s “Youth Field Day” offering family activities plus training
exercises in shooting sports, archery, nature programs and fishing. Local shops,
restaurants and lodging facilities will be offering specials, so book early to reserve a
room -- because like the Moose in Maine -- this is gonna be huge!
About a year and a half ago Jeremy Fredette & Sarah Lane opened
the doors of Bethel Bait, Tackle & More at 7 Mechanic Street
and the new undertaking has been extremely busy no matter the
season. In autumn, it is hunting supplies, gun and ammo sales that
keep the shopkeepers jumping. They recently became Bethel’s
first tagging station to tag a moose, registering over 110 deer this
past hunting season. While registering 110 deer this past hunting
season, BBT&M also documented the first moose ever tagged in
Bethel, weighing in at 717 pounds.
If that sounds like a bit much to handle perhaps a visit to the
seafood counter is in order. Jeremy and Sarah provide many local
restaurants with fresh, live lobster from the Pemaquid Lobster
Coop in Bristol, Maine -- utilizing a tank that holds 360 pounds at
peak season. In addition to the iconic Maine crustacean, BBT&M
also carries a wide variety of local fish and shellfish, such as
haddock, hake, swordfish, scallops, oysters, clams and occasionally
mussels -- whatever is fresh and available at the time. Other seafood
options are sourced from all parts of the world. Their salmon are
flown in fresh from Scotland, where they are farm-raised without
growth hormones or antibiotics. Fresh Arctic Char hails from the
coastal waters of Iceland.
During the summer months Jeremy and Sarah serve lobster
dinners and lobster rolls on Saturdays right in downtown Bethel
with al fresco dining on the picnic tables next to their shop. They
offer frozen chowders and crab cakes to go, which are made at
Fishermen’s Catch in Damariscotta, and they feature the world’s
BEST oysters, still dripping water fresh from the Damariscotta
River.
The owners of BBT&M are buyers, brokers, traders and
merchants finding a way to keep busy during all four seasons of
the year here in the western mountains of Maine. After hunting
season they turn to ice fishing, selling bait, traps, fishing supplies
and licenses. Folks often come to BBT&M for leads on Registered
Maine Guides, and BBT&M work with Ron Fournier of Orion
Bethel Bait,Tackle & More!
One
11Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
Outfitter’s and Guide Service as well
as with other local Registered Maine
Guides.
Sarah and Jeremy have expansion
plans, hoping to open a new 14’ x 28’
addition by spring to provide room for
an expanded fish counter and a larger
lobster tank. In the shop you can also
find locally made knives with antler and
wooden handles -- some with snakeskin
inlay in the sheaths -- local maple syrup,
crafts and signs, Mary Harrington’s
soaps and scents, and Sarah’s custom
wood-burning decorations and
paintings on saw blades.
They are open seven days a week
from 7:30am to 6pm and are located
at 7 Mechanic Street. www.bethelbait.
com 207-824-4868.
One
12 Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
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SUNDAY RIVER RESORT
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stor-a-ski.com 802.343.5423P.O. BOX 54 • Bethel, ME 04217
NO LUGGING. MORE SKIING.
Leave your gear with us.It’ll be ready when you are.
STOR-A-SKI SLOPESIDESKI & SNOWBOARD STORAGE
Leave your equipment right on the hill. No need to lug your skis, poles and snowboards back andforth every day! Day checking also available toprotect your valuable equipment from theft.
SUNDAY RIVER RESORT
• $2 UNLIMITED DAY CHECK• $4 OVERNIGHT STORAGELocated slopeside at the South Ridge Lodge
stor-a-ski.com 802.343.5423P.O. BOX 54 • Bethel, ME 04217
NO LUGGING. MORE SKIING.
Leave your gear with us.It’ll be ready when you are.
STOR-A-SKI SLOPESIDESKI & SNOWBOARD STORAGE
Leave your equipment right on the hill. No need to lug your skis, poles and snowboards back andforth every day! Day checking also available toprotect your valuable equipment from theft.
SUNDAY RIVER RESORT
• $2 UNLIMITED DAY CHECK• $4 OVERNIGHT STORAGELocated slopeside at the South Ridge Lodge
stor-a-ski.com 802.343.5423P.O. BOX 54 • Bethel, ME 04217
NO LUGGING. MORE SKIING.
Leave your gear with us.It’ll be ready when you are.
STOR-A-SKI SLOPESIDESKI & SNOWBOARD STORAGE
Leave your equipment right on the hill. No need to lug your skis, poles and snowboards back andforth every day! Day checking also available toprotect your valuable equipment from theft.
SUNDAY RIVER RESORT
• $2 UNLIMITED DAY CHECK• $4 OVERNIGHT STORAGELocated slopeside at the South Ridge Lodge
stor-a-ski.com 802.343.5423P.O. BOX 54 • Bethel, ME 04217
NO LUGGING. MORE SKIING.
Leave your gear with us.It’ll be ready when you are.
STOR-A-SKI SLOPESIDESKI & SNOWBOARD STORAGE
Leave your equipment right on the hill. No need to lug your skis, poles and snowboards back andforth every day! Day checking also available toprotect your valuable equipment from theft.
SUNDAY RIVER RESORT
• $2 UNLIMITED DAY CHECK• $4 OVERNIGHT STORAGELocated slopeside at the South Ridge Lodge
stor-a-ski.com 802.343.5423P.O. BOX 54 • Bethel, ME 04217
NO LUGGING. MORE SKIING.
Leave your gear with us.It’ll be ready when you are.
STOR-A-SKI SLOPESIDESKI & SNOWBOARD STORAGE
Leave your equipment right on the hill. No need to lug your skis, poles and snowboards back andforth every day! Day checking also available toprotect your valuable equipment from theft.
SUNDAY RIVER RESORT
• $2 UNLIMITED DAY CHECK• $4 OVERNIGHT STORAGELocated slopeside at the South Ridge Lodge
stor-a-ski.com 802.343.5423P.O. BOX 54 • Bethel, ME 04217
NO LUGGING. MORE SKIING.
Leave your gear with us.It’ll be ready when you are.
STOR-A-SKI SLOPESIDESKI & SNOWBOARD STORAGE
Leave your equipment right on the hill. No need to lug your skis, poles and snowboards back andforth every day! Day checking also available toprotect your valuable equipment from theft.
SUNDAY RIVER RESORT
• $2 UNLIMITED DAY CHECK• $4 OVERNIGHT STORAGELocated slopeside at the South Ridge Lodge
stor-a-ski.com 802.343.5423P.O. BOX 54 • Bethel, ME 04217
NO LUGGING. MORE SKIING.
Leave your gear with us.It’ll be ready when you are.
STOR-A-SKI SLOPESIDESKI & SNOWBOARD STORAGE
Leave your equipment right on the hill. No need to lug your skis, poles and snowboards back andforth every day! Day checking also available toprotect your valuable equipment from theft.
SUNDAY RIVER RESORT
• $2 UNLIMITED DAY CHECK• $4 OVERNIGHT STORAGELocated slopeside at the South Ridge Lodge
stor-a-ski.com 802.343.5423P.O. BOX 54 • Bethel, ME 04217
NO LUGGING. MORE SKIING.
Leave your gear with us.It’ll be ready when you are.
STOR-A-SKI SLOPESIDESKI & SNOWBOARD STORAGE
Leave your equipment right on the hill. No need to lug your skis, poles and snowboards back andforth every day! Day checking also available toprotect your valuable equipment from theft.
SUNDAY RIVER RESORT
• $2 UNLIMITED DAY CHECK• $4 OVERNIGHT STORAGELocated slopeside at the South Ridge Lodge
stor-a-ski.com 802.343.5423P.O. BOX 54 • Bethel, ME 04217
Seasonal Storage Packages Available
stor-a-ski.com 207.357.8110
Your Four-Season Playground
BethelMaine.com or call 800-442-5826
Maine’s Most Beautiful Mountain Village
13Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
Serving Lunch and Dinner • 43 Main Street, Bethel • 207-824-2589
Whatever the Reason for Your Vis i t to the Western Mountains,treat Yoursel f to One Vis i t to S.S. Mi l ton!
The Mountains Seafood Restaurant!S.S. Mi l ton offers a wide select ion of entrées with an emphasis
on fresh seafood from the coast of Maine.
Lobster Stew ~ Steamed Mussels ~ Fresh Maine Lobster ~ SteaksOur Award-Winning Boothbay Fettuccine and Scallops Nantucket
14 Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
15Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
Known for its charming New England countryside, quaint shops on Main Street and an array of bed and breakfasts, Bethel, Maine has always been a famous visiting spot for locals and tourists alike. Soon, it will be famous for another reason; the opening of the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum (MMGM).
“Originally, the plan was to add a one room addition onto the Bethel Historical Society” said Barbra Barrett, Executive Director for the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum. “Our project, today, is so much greater than the original idea.”
The project is well underway with the construction and renovation efforts to link two existing buildings on Main Street. A creative architectural design by Jim Reuter, has kept the visual and historic elements of the two buildings intact.
“You can’t make a museum overnight,” says Barrett. “There
are so many details to make a first class facility. Every step brings us closer to opening the facility.”
“This is where we will display a 4,000 pound section of a beryl crystal from the nearby Bumpus Mine” she said, as she points to the entrance of the museum.
And then there’s a familiar sign that simply says, “Perham”, paying homage to the gem and mineral store and museum that stood in West Paris, Maine for 90 years. “This area will house the famous collection that was at ‘Perham’s of West Paris’ until its closure of the store in 2009,” explains Barrett. “The Perham Collection was the largest and best collection of Maine minerals on public display in its time.”
The upper level that will present truly impressive rocks;
meteorites which are rocks that have fallen to the earth from the Moon, Mars and the Asteroid belt.
“There are only a few museums in the country that allow visitors actually to touch Moon meteorites,” said Barrett. “Our museum will be one of them.”
“The Maine Mineral and Gem Museum promises to deliver an immersive, well-rounded, and active educational component,” said Barrett.
Founders Dr. Larry T.P. Stifler and his wife Mary McFadden of Albany have assembled a large and comprehensive collection of Maine gem and mineral materials, purchased from miners, collectors and even science museums.
“Our collection is truly extraordinary,” said Barrett, whose enthusiasm for completing the museum remains strong. “We look forward to introducing visitors to a wonderful part of Maine and influence the next generation of rock collectors, gemologists or intergalactic rock enthusiasts.”
While earlier plans targeted a museum opening in 2013, it proved impossible given the additional scope of the project. Today, Barrett is cautiously optimistic for the doors to open by the end of 2015 or early in 2016.
“We have already seen great interest in what the museum will have to offer, so once it is open, I am sure it will be worth the wait,” said Jessie Seymour Perkins, Events & Marketing Manager for the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce. “We believe the museum will give Bethel and the surrounding area something to be proud of.” FMI visit MaineMineralMuseum.org or call (207) 824-3036
The Maine Mineral and Gem MuseumA One of a Kind Venture in Bethel, Maine By Dan Marois
Barbra Barrett, Museum Director, with CJ Steven, gold hunter, as he presents his nug-
gets to museum founder Dr. Lawrence Stifler
Curator Dr. Carl Francis describing future exhibits
16 Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
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17Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
www.FranklinSavings.comRiver Valley Branch: 364-7866 n 800-287-0752
Why would anyone bank anywhere else?
I BANK FRANK w
ith
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Stop by any location and find out how easy it is to Bank with Frank!
Jim Nicols has been Banking with Frank for more than three decades. While initially, his busi-ness was exclusively logging, he’s diversified to create the luxury home community of Locke Sum-mit in Bethel.
“We didn’t hit it at the best of times for real estate. But it’s bet-ter now,” says Jim. “Franklin has always stuck with us, in good times and bad times. That is why this project is still going.”
“They’ve always supported us and believed in what we do.”
Locke Summit ownerJim Nicols, with FSB’s
Rich Allen and Diane Perry.
18 Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
Savage Contracting PO Box 358, Bethel, ME 04217 207-357-1093 www.savagecontracting.com
Located only minutes from the Bethel village, Timber Creek Subdivision has mountain views of Sunday River Ski Resort and the White Mountains. Lots range in size from 1.47 acres to 3.37 acres. Lot boundaries were strategically placed to provide privacy to each homesite. Driveways are roughed in, building envelopes have been cleared, lots have been surveyed and soil tested.
Nice neighborhood with underground power, paved roads, stone walls, split rail fencing. Direct snowmobile access – close to ski resorts, golfing and all area recreation.
Build PackagesBuilder packages available in a wide price range. We’d be happy to meet with you to discuss building possibilities.
207-824-2771 | MahoosucRealty.com16 Parkway, Bethel ME 04217
For More Information call Savage Contracting 207-357-1093
TIMBER CREEK VILLAGE
TIMBER CREEK VILLAGE
19Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
On some days the world is a savage place, and that makes life difficult. But Bethel is different, because here, when you go to a Savage place, your life is about to get much easier. Hungry? Drop into the Black Diamond Steakhouse or the all new Sunday River Brewpub -- Rick will be in one kitchen or the other. Car troubles? Swing by Savage Auto so
Keith and his twin son mechanics can diagnose the problem. Need a place to hang your hat? If Ron and the terrific staff at Mahoosuc Realty and Rentals can’t find the perfect match for you, then the gang from Savage Construction will build exactly what you want. How about heating that new place? Savage Firewood will come right over with a couple cords of quality hardwood. Welcome to the world of the Savage Family -- one of Bethel’s hardest working entrepreneurial clans. Rick and Ron Savage started out as builders and excavators, moved into realty, then branched into the food service industry. What’s next? A rocket launching pad down by the airport? With the crew of skilled workers that the Savages have created don’t be surprised!
Seriously, the Savages have built several interlocking companies that support the greater goal of growth for themselves and the surrounding area. The grease that makes this machine function is simple: loyalty. The lessons learned growing up in a family of seven have been extended to the 60 or 70 workers that prepare the food and pound the nails and show the houses for the Savage’s many businesses. The average tenure of their employees is 23 years, many having spent their entire working life with Rick and Ron. And Ron leads the way, often with his crew, for community volunteerism, by offering manpower and services for so many community and Chamber events. He is an active Chamber Board member, and sits on several community committees.
The Savage brother’s most recent acquisition and rebuilding project is the lease/purchase of the Sunday River Brewing
Company. Ron and Rick are refurbishing the outdoor fire pit, replacing the entire kitchen, refinishing the bar, dining and brewing areas and prepping a new menu. New beers will be complimented by new food choices of “Up-scaled Pub food” featuring gourmet burgers, innovative pizza, crisp salads and satisfying soups. Lunch and dinner will be served every day of the week all year round and they will offer a food delivery service. Weekends are going to hop with dancing and live music. Eventually, the front deck on the side closest to the Androscoggin River will be enclosed with post and beam construction to allow for an expanded entertainment space. Rick and Ron are planning a spectacular Grand Re-opening around mid-December, so keep your eyes open for the date. In the meantime the Black Diamond Steak House -- already an area favorite -- is right around the corner, offering it’s own great food, staff and entertainment.
On the construction front, Rick and Ron completed about twenty homes over this past summer and still have nine currently under construction. Look for their most recent work just below the Barker Lodge, down on South Pond Shores, up in Timber Creek Village as well as at Birch Woods, the Great Brook Preserve, the Olde Mt Will Subdivision, up on Swan Hill and a final one on Powder Ridge. They are also completing a 5-unit condo project -- each with 3-bedrooms/two and a half-baths -- on the Sunday River Road, which will expand to 8 buildings/38 units with free shuttle bus transportation to and from the Sunday River ski area.
Down at Mahoosuc Realty (which they own with Cindy Hiebert), sales have been brisk and winter usually brings in many potential buyers looking to set down roots in either a primary or secondary home. The Savages also offer road and driveway work, plowing and earth moving. As you can tell, the Savages, and their dedicated employees, know there will be plenty of time to sit still when the snows of age slow them down. Until then, they will be plowing this winter’s offerings and making the most of the opportunities the Bethel area provides. FMI and to contact Ron and Rick Savage, call Mahoosuc Realty at 207-824-2771
A Visit with Ron SavageUpdates at the Sunday River Brewing Co., the Savage Companies, and the Importance of Community & Family
The Savage Family
20 Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
Lobsters * Seafood * Steaks * Pasta * PizzaPub Fare * Full Bar * TV’s * Cold Draft Beers
½ Pound Burgers * Catering Available
Present this Coupon for$5 OFF the purchase of $25 or more!
Dine In only. Limit one coupon per party per visit.
Looking for something to do?Fish, hike, swim, bike, paddle the river.For you History Buffs - follow the Civil War Trail through Maine and stop at the Bethel Historical Society
Offering Gluten-Free Pizza, As well as:Home-Made on Premises Daily Pizza DoughPizza Sauce • Lasagna • Eggplant or Chicken Parmesan
Cut out this ad to receive a FREE 9”
Breadstick and sauce with Purchase of $15
FREE 9” Breadstick
786 Intervale Road in Bethel, Maine420 Main Street, Route 26, Oxford, Maine
big sky, montana marcH 24-31, 2015$1,650 p/p double occupancyLone Peaks 11,166’ 400” annual snowfall 5,512 acres spanning three mountains is a magnet to all skiers/boarders. Trails run up to 6 miles long and at this time of year crowds
are nothing but a bad memory. Happy Time groups have been going to Big Sky this same week on our annual East meets West trip for 6 years and we have had snow every day. R/T Delta Air 7 nights Huntley Lodge 7 breakfasts private airport/resort transfers, tour escort. Anyone with a New England season pass can ski Big Sky complimentary. Check Boyne web site for details.
cortinavenice italyfeb 20-marcH 3,2015$1,899 p/p double occupancyHave you been dreaming of skiing the Italian Alps called Dolomites then staying three days for a little
apre ski in the magical city of Venice? This is your chance to check that off your bucket list. Cortina offers 375 miles of ski trails on one lift pass. Package includes R/T Swiss Air, free baggage along with skis, R/T private bus airport resort, 7 nights hotel Cortina 3 nights Venice 7 Dinners 10 breakfasts, tour escort.
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Temps are dropping, the snow is flying and the world of winter sports is geared up for another fun-filled season. BL stopped in for a visit at one of the area’s most friendly ski mountains: Mt Abram in Greenwood. Co-owners Matt Hancock and Rob Lally, as well as General Manager Dave Scanlan, filled BL in on summer upgrades and winter season plans at this family oriented gem.
Bethel Living: There are so many big changes and cool things happening here. What was going on around here this summer?
Mt Abram: One initiative has been adding events to the
summer calendar to bring people here during the warmer months. We partnered up with Baxter Outdoors, the new outdoor adventure arm of Baxter Brewing Company, for the inaugural Mt Abram Ascent, a four mile race taking
runners up and over the summit. We hosted about 50 contestants and expect rapid growth next year as word gets out.
The big addition though, was the completion of our 803 panel solar array, a venture which has been in the works since 2009. It’s a utility-interfaced system featuring a net-metered contract with Central Maine Power Company. This plan allows us to stockpile power credits during the sunnier months for expenditure when we need it most:
snowmaking season. December through February are lower manufacture months, but March production is
strikingly high for power manufacture due to reflection from the snow as well as longer days and a higher sun. We can apply all of our solar power credits to offset our entire snowmaking cost, which is about ¾ of the ski area’s total energy draw. The time and effort to educate ourselves about the electric power market, grid linking, filing for permits, working with inspectors, obtaining financing and applying for grants was totally absorbing, but it’s going to pay off not only for us, but our partners in the Mountain Rider’s Alliance.
Mt. Abram Using LESS Power to Make MoRE Snow Setting the Bar for Playground Sustainabilitya
nd
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BL: That sounds fantastic! What other green initiatives have you undertaken?
MA: Well, there has been a complete overhaul of our snowmaking system. An Efficiency Maine grant helped to place variable speed drives onto our pumps, reducing the electrical draw and increasing the water flow. We can now move four times the amount of water up the hill for snowmaking purposes, while cutting electricity costs. This $300,000 investment will pay for itself quickly and provide better quality snow as well.
BL: That will make your customers happy.
MA: Yes it will. And the Mt Abram Ski Club (a 501c3) has pioneered a new program called “Give a Kid a Lift” to introduce more young skiers and riders to the sport. The ski club raised funds to enable 3rd and 4th graders from Oxford, Cumberland and Androscoggin Counties to receive a free lift ticket, lesson and rentals for a day. Discounts are offered for families if they come as a group, and some schools are booking a full day field trip for their 3rd and 4th grade classes. This is a push to establish alternative activities to electronics and television and get kids outside.
We’re trying to get the parents outdoors too. On January 8th we are hosting a Business After Hours for members of the Chambers of Commerce from Bethel, Oxford, Androscoggin and Freeport for an evening of networking and tubing.
BL: Count us in and thanks for the update!
Regular ticket prices at Mt Abram are Westside only $20 for a half day and $30 for full day, or $39 for kids and $49 for adults for full-mountain access. Mt Abram will continue to offer their $79 carload special on Fridays, so fill up your van or SUV and take a Friday to ski! There is also a $25 special on Thursdays, and night skiing is available Thursday and Friday evenings.
Another lane has been added to the Tubing Park, which is
open Friday from 3-7, Saturday from 11-7 and Sunday from 11-3. Tubing is $15 for all-day. And, of course, the Loose Boots Lounge will be offering entertainment and dining all season long. Mt Abram is an amazing mountain playground. It’s worth the time to go see it all for yourself ! Visit Mt Abram at www.mtabram.com, or call 207-875-5000.
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Sponsored By:
Donate to the Mt. Abram Ski Club and
Donations go directly to local students, covering the cost of lift, lesson and rental for a day (or days!) of skiing or riding at Mt. Abram, and provide local children with the opportunity to enjoy resources in their own back yard, supporting our local outdoor community and promoting healthy outdoor habits!
Giving is easy! Make your tax deductible donation on-line at: www.razoo.com/story/Give-A-Kid-A-Lift
Mt. Abram Ski Club is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization P.O. Box 211 • Greenwood, ME 04255 • [email protected]
this winter!
25Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
Davis Mountain BuildersCarpentry & General Contracting
Kevin LaRue ~ OWNER(207) 665-2348 • (207) 357-6160 CellMIL-TBP-41 compliant
Davis Mountain Builders
Kevin LaRue(207) 665-2348
(207) 357-6160 Cell
Carpentry & General ContractingMIL-TBP-41 compliant 3036 Main Street • Hanover, ME 04237
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28 Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
Black Diamond Entertainment Series – Family Fun at Sunday RiverAll shows at the Grand Summit Hotel’s Grand Ballroom at 7 pm unless otherwise noted. tickets available at the door, hotel front desks, South Ridge, or by calling 800-543-2754. Age 5 & under: Free, kids 12 & under: $5, Adults 13 & over: $8
Dec. 27: The Tardy Brothers - Maine’s Premiere Juggling ActDec. 30: Ian Stewart - Master HypnotistDec. 31: Cirque de Light - Fire Dancers (7:45 p.m. & 8:15 p.m.)*Jan. 13: Hoopalula’s Fire Gaia - Fire-Hooping troupe (6:45 p.m. & 7:15 p.m.)*Jan. 14: Rainforest Reptile Show - Interactive Reptile ExhibitJan. 16: Mad Science Workshop - Hands-on Science Discovery BoothJan. 18: Jason Bishop - America’s Hottest IllusionistFeb. 15: AudioBody - High-tech Comedy and MusicFeb. 18: Norman NG - the norman Magic ExperienceFeb. 20: Benjamin Reynolds - Fire Dancers*Feb. 25: Russell Roderick - Comedy HypnosisMar. 5: Hoopalula’s Fire Gaia - Fire Dancers (7:45 p.m. & 8:15 p.m.)*Mar. 12: Benjamin Reynolds - Fire Dancers (7:45 p.m. & 8:15 p.m.)*Mar. 19: Hoopalula’s Fire Gaia - Fire Dancers (7:45 p.m. & 8:15 p.m.)*
* Fire dancing shows take place outside at South Ridge and are free.
Fireworks at Sunday River Best viewing is slopeside at South Ridge Lodge or the Foggy Goggle deck. Fireworks go off at 8:30pm unless otherwise noted. nov. 29Dec. 13, 27, 31Jan. 9, 12, 17, 24Feb. 7, 14, 19, 25 Mar. 4, 11, 21
Mt. Abram’s Full Moon Hike & Ski Jan. 3, Feb. 7 & 28 – A Mt. Abram tradition. At 5pm, we’ll transport your skis to the top so you can enjoy the hike and then ski/ride to the bottom, all by the light of the moon. 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com.
Sleigh Rides The Bethel Inn Resort – A 1/2 hour trip on the beautiful trails behind the Bethel Inn Resort, every 1/2 hour, 5pm-7:30pm. $15 for ages 11 and up, $12 for ages 4-10, 3 and under free with an adult. 800-654-0125, www.bethelinn.com.Dec. 20, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31Feb. 7, 14, 17, 19, 21, 28Mar. 4, 14, 21
Weekends from Thanksgiving to Christmas – Country Christmas in Bethel. Horse-drawn wagon rides, shopping specials, open houses, the Living nativity, Christmas tree lighting, caroling - a fun country Christmas atmosphere. 207.824.2282. www.bethelmaine.com
Dec. 6: Christmas at the Mason House – Enjoy music and refresh-ments in the 1813 Mason House period rooms, decorated in traditional
mid-nineteenth century style and illuminated by candles! 3:30 to 6:00 PM. 207.824.2908, www.bethelhistorical.org Dec. 7: Santa Sunday at Sunday River – Dress in full Santa costume and ski or ride for free. Must pre-register. Benefits Sunday River Region Charitable Fund. 800-543-2754, www.sundayriver.com
Dec. 13: Opening Day and Toy Drive Mount Abram – Bring in a toy for charity and receive $5.00 off your ticket! 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com
Dec. 13: Après Kids Trim the Tree Party Mount Abram – tree lighting at 4 pm, lodge lighting at 6 pm. 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com
Dec. 25-31: Vacation Week Activities and New Year’s Eve Celebration The Bethel Inn Resort – Come celebrate the holidays with our family! Highlights include: Christmas Eve & Day Dinners - Special menus, served in our Main Dining Room from 5:30pm - 10pm. 800-654-0125, www.bethe-linn.com.
Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve Celebration at The Bethel Inn Resort – It’s the party of the year! A five course dinner followed by live music in the Millbrook tavern. 800-654-0125, www.bethelinn.com.
Dec. 27: Crime Scene Mount Abram – Classic rock with a twist. 8pm-12am, Loose Boots Lounge. 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com.
Dec. 31: Mt. Abram New Year’s Eve Party and Fireworks – Live music in the Loose Boots Lounge and spectacular fireworks display at 9:30 pm. 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com.
Jan. 1: 31st Carter’s Last Stand Carter’s XC Ski Center – Come celebrate with a new Year ski or snowshoe at Carter’s Bethel location at 786 Intervale Road. Potluck & BBQ lunch to follow. 207-824-3880, www.cartersxcski.com.
Jan. 5-9: College Week Sunday River – An entire week packed with world-class events and parties at the height of ski season, with special lodging and ticket deals for college students. 800-543-2754, www.sunday-river.com.
Jan. 9: Red Bull Frozen Rush Sunday River – the biggest, fastest event to ever hit Sunday River. Red Bull Frozen Rush will bring the only head-to-head offroad/on-snow truck racing to Sunday River for the second year in a row. 900-horsepower Pro4 trucks will defy wintry conditions and gravity as they rip figure eights, fly off jumps, and shred the snow on South Ridge. 800-543-2754, www.sundayriver.com.
Jan. 10: National Winter Trails Day Carter’s XC Ski Center, 786 Inter-vale Road Bethel. Free rentals & trail pass for beginners. 1pm. 207-824-3880, www.cartersxcski.com.
Jan. 12-16: Children’s Festival Week Sunday River – Children’s Festival
Bethel Area | Local Winter Events 2015
29Bethel LIVING | BethelLiving.com
Week is dedicated to families. Activities include scavenger hunts, live entertainment, movies, and themed Perfect turn kids’ clinics. Special evening performances are also scheduled and in the past have included fire dancers, a reptile show, and a mad science workshop. Kids can ski, snowboard, rent, learn, and stay for free! 800-543-2754, www.sundayriver.com.
Jan. 13: The Maine Frontier (film) – With oral histories, archived film, compelling music, and a collection of over 1500 never-before-seen photographs, the Maine Frontier illustrates the unique life, family, and work of Isaac Simpson & his photographic subjects, and of the culture of the Maine frontier at the turn of the century. Bingham Auditorium, Gould Academy. Doors open at 6:30pm Adults $15/Students 18 and under free. 207-824-3575, www.themainefrontier.com, www.mahoosucarts.org.Jan. 17: Ride and Ski Card Day Mount Abram – tina Kelly Band 8pm - 12am in the Loose Boots Lounge and apres ski festivities from 3:30-6pm sponsored by Harpoon Brewery. 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com
Jan. 17: First Annual Skee Spree & Auction Sunday River Resort – 1-7pm at White Cap Lodge. Benefits the Ski Museum of Maine. www.skimusemofmaine.org.
Jan. 18: Après Family Fun Winter Party Mount Abram – beginning at 4pm in the Loose Boots Lounge. 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com.
Jan. 21-23: Mono-Ski Camp Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation hosts a 3-day clinic for mono-skiers at Sunday River. Clinics are taught by skilled mono-skiers with the goal of improving individual skiing ability and comfort level in all aspects of the sport. 800-639-7770, www.maineadap-tive.org
Jan. 24: Woodstock Food Pantry Food Drive Mount Abram – Bring in 5 non-perishable goods and receive $5.00 off your full price lift ticket. 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com.
Jan. 26-30: Go50 Week Sunday River – Go50 Week activities include free Snowflake Factory tours, a wine dinner, moonlit snowshoeing, live entertainment, and special lodging packages for people 50 and up. 800-543-2754, www.sundayriver.com. Jan. 29-Feb 1: Veterans No Boundaries Sunday River – Maine Adap-tive brings together disabled veterans, active-duty personnel, plus their families and caregivers for a weekend of camaraderie and self-discovery. Open to wounded warriors, active-duty personnel, and other veterans with permanent disabilities from throughout the country. 800-639-7770, www.maineadaptive.org
Feb. TBA: Fat Bike Race Carter’s XC Ski Center – 207-539-4848, www.cartersxcski.com.
Feb. 1: Wood Ski Day Carter’s XC Ski Center – Free trail pass for folks on wood skis. 207-539-4848, www.cartersxcski.com.
Feb. 7: Maine Telemark Festival Mt. Abram – Free your heel and free your mind with fellow tele skiers from all over new England at the annual Maine telemark Festival. Demos, clinics, lessons, giveaways and live music all day. 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com.
Feb. 7: Maine State Whitegrass Festival Mt. Abram – the only blue-grass festival on snow in Maine! Expect to dance to some of the finest bluegrass in new England. 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com.
Feb. 6-8: White Out Weekend Sunday River – White Out Weekend (WOW) in association with OutRyders, new England’s largest GLBtQ ski and snowboard club. Formed in 2001, OutRyders is a non-profit, all volunteer-run organization. this weekend is full of special events and par-
ties, including a mid-mountain themed party, a zipline parade, fireworks, and après ski socials. 800-543-2754, www.sundayriver.com.
Feb. 8: Winter Kids Passport Day Mt. Abram – Winter Kids Passport holders ski free. Siblings and parents ski for just $20. 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com.
Feb. 9: Flying Moose Classic – Classic technique, mass start xc ski race at Gould Academy’s Pine Hill Competition trails. 7.5 km or 22km timed races. Youth/Bill Koch League events too. 207-824-4099, www.bethelouting.org.
Feb. 13-15: Great Maine Outdoor Weekend Events held all over Maine, with many in the Bethel area. Most events are free and family-oriented. www.greatmaineoutdoorweekend.org.
Feb. 14: Valentine’s Day Dinner Specials and live music with Denny Breau Mount Abram – Loose Boots Lounge, 6:30 – 9:30pm. 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com.
Feb. 14: Valentine’s Ski Date Carter’s XC Ski Center – Free chocolate for lovers of skiing. 207-824-3880, www.cartersxcski.com.
Feb. 15: Torchlight Parade and Spaghetti Dinner Mt. Abram – Start off vacation week with a torchlight parade and all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner fundraiser to benefit the charitable activities of the Mt. Abram Ski Club. Mt. Abram ski club, staff, and guests will gather together for a torchlight parade slope-side! 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com.
Feb. 18: Ice Cream Social Mount Abram – Fun for the whole family! 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com.
Feb. 21: Gilpatrick/Fitch Memorial Ski Race Mt. Abram – Alpine ski race and auction honoring dedicated patrollers and friends who em-bodied and created the family spirit of Mt. Abram. Proceeds benefit the charitable activities of the Mt. Abram Ski Club and the Maine Cancer Foundation. 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com.
Feb. 28: Skosh at Mount Abram – Live funk, rock, and blues in the Loose Boots Lounge. 8pm-midnight. 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com.
Mar. TBA: Women’s History Month Bethel Historical Society – Program tBD. 207-824-2908, www.bethelhistorical.org.
Mar. TBA: Carter’s Loppet Carter’s XC Ski Center – 420 Main Street, Oxford, Maine. 207-539-4848, www.cartersxcski.com.
Mar. 7-8: WinterKids Downhill Derby Mt. Abram – 24 hours of nonstop skiing and entertainment to raise money for WinterKids, an organization dedicated to getting Maine kids and their families outside in the winter. 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com, www.winterkids.org.
Mar. 14: Baxter Outdoors Mountain Race Mount Abram – Part of the Baxter Outdoors Mountain Race Series. 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com, www.baxteroutdoors.com.
Mar. 14: Wild West Festival Mt. Abram – Calling all cowboys and cow-girls! Back by popular demand, the Wild West Festival is a great way to celebrate spring skiing. Activities throughout the day include live music, BBQ, cowboy & cowgirl ski race, and a mechanical bull! 207-875-5000, www.mtabram.com.
Mar. 14: Lib Tech Near Canada Open Sunday River – the Lib tech near Canada Open returns to Sunday River Resort for a day of free, fun-filled snowboarder shenanigans. Perks and prizes for competitors. www.sundayriver.com.
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BIRD HILL FOREST 202 Acres in Bethel Hilltop forest with ME and
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