The Opening Party on Saturday, July 6th went off without a hitch, thankfully the predicted rain held off. Sprucewold residents came out in force and the cooks outdid themselves. Last year’s tasty selection of a large variety of  deviled eggs gave way this year to Vietnamese fresh rolls, shrimp in a variety of dishes, meatballs, chili, crudités and dip, charcuterie, and pasta salad among so many wonderful choices. The desserts were highlighted by an eclair cake, a blueberry pie and a peach pie, brownies, and a Reese’s crumble cake. Thank you one and all!  

Sprucewold Association President Annaliese Neff welcomed those in attendance and Past President Susan Goodall shared the news of Doug and Debbie Smith’s serious car accident in the Midwest while driving from California to Maine. They will be returning to California when they are well enough, if you did not sign their card at the party, please check the directory to send a card or an email. 

Co-Chairs of the Firewise Committee, Randy Lehman and Curt Audin made a presentation about Firewise. For those missed it, check out the state of Maine website https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mfs/forest_protection/firewise/index.html In addition, here is the original Firewise article about Sprucewold. Sprucewold, Boothbay Harbor, 2011 

“Located on a peninsula heavily forested with mature spruce, this community also faces challenges with vehicle access, limited freshwater for wildfire suppression and steep slopes where fire could spread rapidly. In addition, many of the cottages and homes are log cabins built decades ago and covered with creosote.

In 2014, the Sprucewold Firewise USA Community was awarded $900 from the National Fire Prevention Association to support activities to help reduce wildfire hazards. They were considered “runners up” in a national contest called “1000 safer places.”

Check the mailbox boards or your email for more information on the Firewise Program. This year, our annual Sprucewold Firewise Brush Chipping will be held on Tuesday, July 23rd, with a rain date to be held on or about the same date. Also, please contact Randy or Curt about an appointment with our forest ranger to explore what you can do to make your property more fire safe.