PRESQUE ISLE – The Central Aroostook Mentoring Program (CAMP) sponsored its annual picnic/barbecue Aug. 23 at Portage Lake. Twenty-nine community-based and school-based mentors, mentees and friends of mentoring enjoyed swimming, a barbecue, outdoor games and a program on drug awareness presented by Stephanie Stiles from Aroostook Substance Abuse and Prevention (ASAP).
Three community-based mentors, Alton and Sylvia Dean of Fort Fairfield and Bill Desjardins of Easton, were honored for six years’ of continuous volunteer service as a mentor to a child. A certificate and a perennial plant, donated by Phil’s Garden Center, were presented to them.
A quilt made by the Crown of Maine quilters of the Pine Tree Quilt Guild was presented to raffle winner Arlene Plourde of Westmanland Sept. 1. CAMP netted $673 in proceeds from the raffle. Two other items drawn in the raffle were a reproduction porcelain German doll made by Marie Ashby of Presque Isle and won by Emma Jandreau of Caribou, and a chirping sparrow woodcarving made by Leo Flewelling of Washburn and won by Hilda Walton of Presque Isle.
CAMP continues to serve children ages 7-18 throughout central Aroostook through United Way funding and generous gifts of raffle items, corporate and personal monetary donations and the annual CAMP Bowl-A-Thon held in March at Northern Lanes in Presque Isle. CAMP is deeply grateful for all support!
In the seven years since CAMP’s inception, over 380 children have been looking, waiting and hoping for a mentor. The community-based program has seen only 124 mentors in that same time period. That leaves a 3-to-1 ratio of mentees to mentors. It also leaves many children without that role model and friend they really want and need. If you find that you have something to share with a child and 3-5 hours of time to give as a mentor, please call 764-3721, Ext. 610. Being a mentor can be a lot of fun for both the mentee and the mentor.
Contributed photo
THE CENTRAL AROOSTOOK MENTORING PROGRAM (CAMP) hosted its annual picnic/barbecue Aug. 23 at Portage Lake. During the event, from left: Bill Desjardins, Sylvia Dean and Alton Dean were honored for six years’ of continuous community-based mentoring of a child.
Contributed photo
STEPHANIE STILES, second from left, from Aroostook Substance Abuse and Prevention, presented a program on drug awareness to interested adults and children during the Central Aroostook Mentoring Program picnic Aug. 23 at Portage Lake.
