Children explore a vernal pool on Sears Island.
Friends of Sears Island (FOSI) recently received a $1457 grant from the Maine Community Foundation to expand educational programs on the island. It was made from the Waldo County Fund and the Emily and William Muir Community Fund. This grant will enable FOSI to offer a summer workshop series for children ages 4-10 and their families, which will include creating outdoor art, exploring animal habitats, caring for the environment, map making, and geocaching. In addition, FOSI is planning to host some winter workshops and begin adding at least one wellness program, like yoga or tai chi, per season to the events line-up. The 601-acre conservation area on the island is an ideal location for low-impact outdoor recreation, and FOSI hopes to encourage more people to visit the island for both education and exercise and to become involved in their programs.
FOSI was founded in 2006 with a mission to support the permanent protection of Sears Island’s environmental and cultural resources; preserve its marine, shoreline, and forest ecosystems; and encourage educational and low-impact recreational uses of the island. Friends of Sears Island has been designated the official land manager of the conservation area on the island. For more information about upcoming programs on Sears Island, please visit www.friendsofsearsisland.org, facebook.com/friendsofsearsisland, or call Ashley at (207) 975-3878.
With offices in Ellsworth and Portland, the Maine Community Foundation works with donors and other partners to improve the quality of life for all Maine people. To learn more about the foundation, visit www.mainecf.org