Pine Tree Society

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11th Annual Southern Maine Autism Conference

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Pine Tree Society and Spurwink are pleased to announce the 11th annual Southern Maine Autism Conference! The conference is designed for parents and family members of children with autism spectrum disorders, as well as their educators and other service providers.

Save the date: Saturday, March 16, 2019

Requests for proposals to present as well as applications to exhibit are now available.

Visit www.maineautismconference.org for more information.

Questions? Contact Stevie Bonnevie by email or phone at 207-386-5915.

Local news station visits Pine Tree Camp

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Local news station WABI5 visited Pine Tree Camp during the final children’s session of the 2018 summer.

News anchor Emily Tadlock spoke with camper Casey and his mother Teena.

“He is packed about four days before we go,” Casey’s mother laughed.

Watch to hear the impact Pine Tree Camp has had on Casey and Teena’s lives here.

Local news coverage of Camp Communicate 2018

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FOX 22 ABC 7 Bangor and WABI5 both came to Pine Tree Camp on Thursday, July 5 to see what Camp Communicate is all about.

Linda Bonnar, Director of Communication Pathways at Pine Tree Society, founded Camp Communicate 14 years ago. It is a week of summer camp dedicated to non-verbal children who use augmentative and alternative communication devices.

FOX 22 ABC 7 interviewed Carolyn Sweet, the mother of camper Jaclyn. Listen to Carolyn and Jaclyn’s experience here.

WABI5 spoke with Wayne and Kathleen Parker, parents of camper Kaylie Parker, about the impact Camp Communicate has had on their daughter and family. Watch their story here.

Click here to learn more about Camp Communicate.

FOX 22 ABC 7 Bangor joined us for the Paddle for Pine Tree Camp

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On June 2, over 200 paddlers took to the Kennebec with their kayaks and canoes to raise money at our 22nd Annual Paddle for Pine Tree Camp.

FOX 22 ABC 7 Bangor interviewed camper Tristan Bouchard and Pine Tree Society’s Chief Development Officer Erin Rice.

“I really like Pine Tree Camp,” said camper Tristan Bouchard. “We do a lot of great stuff there.”

“That experience really impacted him in a big way so he got some friends together and they paddled down the Kennebec,” said Erin Rice, the chief development officer for Pine Tree Society. “It was super grassroots at that point – I think it was only like 10 people.”

Watch the full segment here.

Support Pine Tree Camp today! 

Media coverage is helping us gear up for Paddle for Pine Tree Camp

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Recently, camp director Dawn Willard-Robinson and Tyler Cary from Pine Tree Society sat down with Craig Colson on FOX 22 ABC 7 Bangor  to talk about the Paddle for Pine Tree Camp on June 2.

“Pine Tree Camp in Rome is really a magical place where children and adults with disabilities can get a great summer camp experience just like anyone else. But of course it takes money to run the camp and that’s why people will soon take to the water. They’re getting ready for the annual Paddle for Pine Tree Camp,” said Colson.

Watch the full segment here.

Get more information and register for the Paddle here.

Pine Tree Society appoints Joseph Drago to board of directors

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Pine Tree Society, a statewide organization serving Maine children and adults with disabilities, recently named Joseph Drago to its board of directors.

A native Vermonter, Drago graduated from The College of the Holy Cross with a BA in Political Science. and completed an MA in Political Science at Wichita State University.   He served six years as an Air Force officer and flight crew member. Following active duty, he completed the Professional Accounting Program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management and became a CPA. He spent eight years with Ernst and Young in Chicago and twenty years as a C-level corporate officer in a variety of growing firms and non-profits. He completed his career in the Air Force reserve as an Air Force Academy Admissions Officer.

His volunteer service includes positions on Boards of Directors of community service organizations, and as a volunteer to his local parish and alma mater. In 2017 he received a certificate in Philanthropy and Non-Profit Organizations from Northwestern University.  He is a member of The Union League Club, Council on Global Affairs (Chicago), the CFO roundtable and the AICPA.

Local stations cover Snowmobile Ride-in to benefit Pine Tree Camp

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Local television stations were on hand for the 2018 Dysart’s Snowmobile Ride-in and Q106.5 Egg Ride to benefit Pine Tree Camp took place on February 3.

The morning was sunny and cold, but the temperatures did not dampen the spirits of friends who came to support Pine Tree Camp. It all began with a benefit breakfast at the Hungry Hollows 76ers Snowmobile Club in Levant.   Egg Ride for Pine Tree Camp

After a hearty breakfast, the Q106.5 “Egg Riders” suited up for their ride to Newport. In an annual tradition that dates back more than 30 years, the riders stuffed raw eggs down their snowmobile suits before hitting the trail. Each egg represents a pledge of $50 to help send people to camp.  Eggs Riders this year included camp parent, Amy Judson along with Pine Tree Camp director, Dawn Willard-Robinson and Q106.5 personalities Scott Miller, Cindy Campbell, Paul Wolfe and Erik Owens. They left Levant with a collective total of 1,620 eggs stuffed in their snowsuits.

The Egg Riders arrived in Newport just in time for the benefit luncheon sponsored by Hannaford Supermarkets.  Community members enjoyed a delicious meal featuring pulled pork sandwiches and haddock chowder.

The Dysart’s Snowmobile Ride-in and Q106.5 Egg Ride would not be possible without the generous sponsors, donors and volunteers.  All funds raised go directly to fund tuition to Pine Tree Camp, so that no camper is turned away due to inability to pay tuition.

Local television stations came to Levant and Newport to cover the event. Watch those segments at the links below:

Fox 22 Bangor

WABI TV5

Pine Tree Society welcomes Belanger as new Finance Director

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James Belanger Finance DirectorPine Tree Society is pleased to announce that James Belanger has joined the team as the new Finance Director.

Belanger has worked with nonprofit organizations, including Head Start, in leadership positions for most of his career. He grew up in Maine and relishes the opportunity to return to his home state.  Belanger is a CPA licensed by the State of Maine.