Paddle for Pine Tree Camp

Join the nearly 150 paddlers, from beginner to expert, who have registered to participate in the 12th annual Paddle for Pine Tree Camp. The event will benefit the summer camp for Maine children and adults with disabilities.

Two trips on the Kennebec River will be featured, including:

. Friday, June 6, a peaceful sunset paddle from Bingham to Solon, with a pizza party afterward.

. Saturday, June 7, morning paddle from Solon to North Anson, with a celebratory barbecue afterward.

A shuttle service will be provided at both locations. Maine Guides and expert volunteers will act as escorts on both trips that are approximately 6 1/2 miles long and will take about 21/2 hours to complete. Paddle sites are accessible and are appropriate for paddlers of all skill levels.

Paddlers raise money for Pine Tree Camp by collecting pledges per mile or accepting straight contributions. All the money raised will go directly to the camp.

To register or for information, visit www.pinetreesociety.org, call 443-3341 or e-mail info@pinetreesociety.org.

The event is made possible with the support of B98.5, 92 Moose, Central Maine Vending, Central Maine Power, Maine Oxy, Hammond Lumber and New England Outdoor Center.

Spring Running Festival

The third annual Spring Running Festival, a celebration of life in, on and along the Kennebec River, will take place Friday and Saturday, June 13-14, at Mill Park and Old Fort Western on the riverfront in Augusta.

Among those participating will be Penobscot Indian Nation drummers and educator James Francis.

The festival is named for the annual Kennebec River “run” of fish that return from the sea to freshwater spawning grounds each spring.

Activities will get under way at 3 p.m. Friday when festival vendors will offer locally handcrafted jewelry, jams and jellies, handmade games, photography, tole paintings and much more.

At approximately 6 p.m. that evening, the new Kennebec River Initiative video will be shown in the education tent at the park. The film traces the history and traditions of the river and reminds the public of the stake they have in caring for the river.

After the film, Penobscot Nation educator James Francis will talk about American Indian naming practices and how they represent the links between people and places in Maine.

Festival-goers looking for a seafood meal with music and dancing afterward will want to be at the Calumet Club, 334 West River Road in Augusta, at 5 p.m. Friday. The club will serve fish chowder in honor of the festival.

Nate Gray, Kennebec River Restoration leader for the Maine Department of Marine Resources, will talk about efforts to improve access to and to protect the Kennebec watershed area. Entertainment will follow.

Activities get under way again at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 14, at Mill Park and in the Old Fort Western-East Side Boat Landing neighborhood.

The rain date is 10 a.m. Sunday, June 15.

The education tent at Mill Park will feature a full schedule of interesting and engaging exhibits where the public can learn about alewives and how they are transported for restocking, the insects of the Kennebec, the activities and locations of area land trusts, green energy production, how to make a Japanese fish print, how to tie and cast a fly, and how fishing rods are built. Smoked alewives, a Maine tradition, will be available to sample.

At Old Fort Western, which will open at 10 a.m., festival-goers will be treated to historical displays and demonstrations, including the making of barrels, the packing of fish, canoe building and other old-time crafts.

New this year, the fort’s ninth annual Fort to Fort Canoe and Kayak Expedition will take place in association with the festival. Bring your canoe or kayak to Fort Halifax in Winslow at 8 a.m. and float the 17 miles down to Old Fort Western. It’s a great trip, and you’ll see how beautiful the Kennebec is, right in your backyard. A shuttle service will bring expedition participants back to their cars in Winslow as necessary. Boat transportation will not be available.

Visit the fort, take a free trolley ride over to the rest of The Spring Running at Mill Park and return to the fort for the trip home.

Entertainment will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday at Mill Park. Penobscot Indian Nation drummers and singers will offer their timeless songs and rhythms so central to modern native culture. Bagpiper Jeff Herbster will perform throughout the afternoon at Mill Park and at Old Fort Western.

Crafters also will be present all day. And since a festival is not a festival without good things to eat, food vendors will also be present at all Spring Running locations. Other presenters and demonstrators will participate in the festival.

Admission to The Spring Running is free. Visit www.springrunning.com for information. The festival ends at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Lung association golf card

Father’s day is nearly here. Celebrate Dad with the 2008 Golf Privilege Card from the American Lung Association of Maine. With the Golf Privilege Card, Dad can save at more than 100 golf courses in Maine, New Hampshire, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

The Golf Privilege Card provides free or reduced rates from greens fees to cart rentals and clubhouse food at your favorite local clubs and ranges. The card may be purchased for $ 70 at Play It Again Sports in Auburn, Augusta and Portland; at as Golf Country USA in Bangor; Harris Golf Shop in South Portland, Joseph’s Sporting Goods of Fairfield or online at www.lungme.org.

Every card purchase will aid in the fight against lung disease in Maine by helping fund research, programs and advocacy. For information about the 2008 Maine Golf Privilege Card or the American Lung Association, visit www.lungme.org or call 800-LUNG-USA.