By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — “Aroostook State Park — Maine’s First,” the last documentary to be produced by Viking Video Productions, will air on MPBN Saturday, Oct. 23, at 11 a.m. and again on Monday, Oct. 25, at 10:30 p.m.
“This half-hour show stars dozens of County folk against the backdrop of Aroostook State Park over the four seasons,” said Brenda Nasberg Jepson, instructor of the former Caribou Tech Center program.
Jepson said she and her students spent many school days and weekends documenting several of the exciting events held in the park, from the Haunted Woods Walk at Halloween to the Winter Fun Day and Boy Scout Winterama, as well as the annual emergence of the dragonflies along the edge of Echo Lake earlier this year.
“It was a wonderful project to work on,” said Jepson. “I will never forget the fun camping trip my husband Alan and I had with my students over Labor Day weekend last year, filming hiking, canoeing, swimming and kayaking.”
Park officials are anxiously awaiting the broadcast.
“I haven’t been this excited about a film being released since ‘Star Wars’ came out,” said Scott Thompson, ASP manager.
Thompson provides two enlightening interviews in the show and there is a segment with Phil McGlauflin, an early park ranger whose family’s land was taken by eminent domain in order to establish the park for the enjoyment of all.
Aroostook State Park is 75 years old this year and that is one reason why MPBN especially wanted to air the show, said Jepson.
“We are very pleased to be able to offer this show in the 75th anniversary year of the founding of the Maine State Park system,” said Laura Schenck, programming director for MPBN. “It’s one of the reasons why we are airing the show.”
For former Viking Video students and their instructor, the showing of “Aroostook State Park — Maine’s First” is bittersweet. Jeff Johnson, a Presque Isle High School graduate of 2010, said, “Our success can’t be judged by how many DVDs were sold or awards won.”
“We became one of Maine’s foremost film companies by touching the hearts and minds of our viewers. It isn’t fame or money that made the productions, it’s the people of Maine, who for 15 years, provided entertainment and education for us, that gave us the reason to do what we did. I only hope people in the future will follow our example and think of the future, by preserving the past,” said Jepson.
