Maine Seacoast Mission contributors lauded

BAR HARBOR – Friday night was spangled with smiles and stars as several hundred people gathered at the Bar Harbor Club for the Maine Seacoast Mission’s second Sunbeam Awards Gala.

The event was held to honor three important contributors to the nonprofit organization which serves Maine’s island and coastal communities and to raise money to continue its philanthropic efforts.

“All of us work together in so many ways,” the Rev. Gary DeLong, the mission’s executive director, said. “This [event] represents the spirit of reaching out for others on the islands.”

Myron “Sonny” Sprague Jr. of Swans Island was one honoree. He has worked for 25 years helping his small island community in various ways. He has served as a selectman, an early supporter of lobster-trap limits and an advocate for the island’s less well-off residents.

His dedication to the community has been noteworthy, Philip Conkling, executive director of the Island Institute, said.

“He’s the most community-minded guy you’d ever want to meet,” Conkling said. “He’s a fierce advocate for Swans Island.”

Sprague succinctly summed up his dedication.

“There’s things to be done, and I did them, that’s all. Someone had to do them,” he said.

The evening’s two other honorees were local philanthropists and summer Bar Harbor residents Ruth and Tristram Colket Jr. The Colkets have committed $3.5 million to the mission’s continuing $12 million centennial campaign, on which they are serving as honorary co-chairmen.

“We feel that by supporting the mission, we can support people on the outer islands and Washington County,” Ruth Colket said.

The mission’s work, which was begun in 1905, continues today in many forms, DeLong said. It provides health care services for many islanders and others, a floating ministry on the mission boat Sunbeam, scholarships and the Washington County after school EdGE program.

In the future, the nonprofit organization aims to provide preventative health care, treatment programs for drug and alcohol abuse and medical testing for women living in its coverage range.

“We’ve had a long history of providing direct services – food and clothing,” DeLong said. “We’re also committed to systemic change and getting to the root causes of problems that exist.”