Take Pride In Acadia Day will fall on November 3 this year/FOA

Each year, hundreds of people turn out on a fall day to clean up Acadia National Park's carriage roads. This year the Take Pride In Acadia Day falls on Saturday, November 3, and upwards of 500 volunteers are expected to head to the park on the coast of Maine.

Take Pride in Acadia Day attracts hundreds of enthusiastic volunteers of all ages to rake leaves and clear drainage ditches along miles of carriage roads in preparation for the cold weather. The well-coordinated volunteer effort, now in its 27th year, focuses on areas where clogged drainage ditches and culverts could result in significant damage to road surfaces during the freeze-and-thaw cycles of a coastal Maine winter.

Perhaps the most important volunteer opportunity of the year in Acadia, Take Pride in Acadia Day is vital to the park’s ability to keep the carriage roads in pristine condition. The event begins at park headquarters on the Eagle Lake Road in Bar Harbor at 8 a.m. and runs until noon. After the morning’s work, crews will return to park headquarters for a hot lunch — the event’s traditional “CCC” meal of chili, cornbread, and cider (plus an extra “C” of cake).

Volunteers should dress for the weather and in outdoor work clothes. Tools and gloves are provided. Because of the size of this event, registration is required. Only groups that register together can be assigned to the same work site. Up to 10 individuals can register together online at www. http://friendsofacadia.org/events/take-pride-in-acadia-day/; larger groups should contact Dana Petersen at [email protected] or 207-288-3934.

This event typically fills to capacity, so advance registration ends October 26. This year’s local sponsors include: Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, Bar Harbor Savings and Loan, The Bluenose Inn, Burdick & Associates Landscape Design, Dawnland LLC, EverGreen Home & Hearth, Fiore Artisan Olive Oils & Vinegars, First National Bank, Gallery at Somes Sound, Galyn’s, John Williams Boat Company, The Knowles Company, The Lynam Agencies, Machias Savings Bank, MDI Hospital, Pedego Acadia, VHB, Window Panes, and Witham Family Limited Partnership.

Friends of Acadia preserves, protects, and promotes stewardship of the outstanding natural beauty, ecological vitality, and distinctive cultural resources of Acadia National Park and surrounding communities for the inspiration and enjoyment of current and future generations. For more information visit friendsofacadia.org