Photos and text by Emily McDevitt

Sunday, April 30, was a breezy, partly cloudy, brisk day in midcoast Maine. My family had just arrived home the night before from a week of college visits in sunny California. Henry, my 17-year-old son, had National Honor Society volunteer hours to fulfill, and an opportunity had arisen that Sunday at MOFGA in Unity. He signed up!

We live in Camden, and Unity is about a 45-minute drive each way, so despite the fact that I’ve served on the Hills to Sea (H2S) Trail Blazers (now Steering) Committee since 2017, I had not spent the time I’d like on trails maintenance; I had to balance the drive to and from (negative impact to the environment) with time spent in the woods improving trails (positive impact to the environment). I asked Henry if I could tag along, and I’d work on trails for Hills to Sea while he helped prepare soup for the June 10 Empty Bowl Supper that the MOFGA-El Salvador Sistering Committee will hold at MOFGA’s Common Ground Education Center in Unity.

Brilliant! Two-for-one volunteering opportunities!

It was amazing. Henry was one of several, but definitely the youngest, volunteer cooks, and surprise to me, a fellow H2S Steering committee member, Jean, was among the cooks. I headed to the trail and spent two hours removing debris and logs that had overflowed Sandy Stream and been deposited onto the trail. I also temporarily fixed a bridge, and I had the fortuitous opportunity of meeting two other hikers, one of whom is among the approximately 60 landowners who willingly allow the trail to cross their property. We had a great chat, which resulted in two of my favorite aspects of volunteering: community building and collaboration.

So, the next time you find yourself wondering what to do on a Sunday afternoon in midcoast Maine, consider the possibility of a two-for-one deal when it comes to volunteering. The Hills to Sea Trail passes through so many communities with so many wonderful organizations that would benefit from a few hours of your time. And I promise, you will get as much, or more, than you give!