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Trail Champions, Campaign for the Maine Trail Center Receives Transformational Gift to Begin Construction

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SKOWHEGAN, Maine – Family and friends of the late Mark Andrew McAuliffe joined the Maine Appalachian Trail Club today in announcing a transformational bequest to Trail Champions, the Campaign for the Maine Trail Center, in fulfillment of Mark’s wishes. The bequest, which will likely exceed $1 million when finalized, has enabled the MATC to commence construction on the Maine Trail Center in Skowhegan, while it continues to fundraise to close in on the $3.2 million goal.

L.L.Bean Gifts $200,000 to Trail Champions

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SKOWHEGAN, Maine (May 24, 2022) – The Maine Appalachian Trail Club (MATC) announced it has received a $200,000 gift from L.L.Bean for Trail Champions, the Campaign for the Maine Trail Center, a forthcoming multi-use trail maintenance and training facility in Skowhegan centrally located to Maine’s Appalachian Trail (AT) footpath.

Bangor Daily News Article: For the 1st time in years, MATC volunteers will be able to shower on their days off.

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by Pete WarnerDecember 18, 2021 – Bangor Daily News For the first time in seven years, the volunteers who maintain the Appalachian Trail in Maine will soon have a modern, comfortable and permanent place to spend their days off. Each year, crews from the Maine Appalachian Trail Club head into the woods to perform maintenance and repairs …

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Dave Startzell

Honorary Committee / By

Trail Champions Honorary Committee Former long-term Appalachian Trail Conservancy Executive Director David Startzell, retired in 2012 after more than 25 years as executive director of Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC). He served the longest tenure of any executive director of ATC, as well as the longest of any officer of the organization, having joined ATC in …

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Mike Blais

Executive Committee, Manager / By

Bigelow District ManagerNew Gloucester, MEMike is a foundry man and business owner of the Auburn Stove Foundry Company, Inc., in New Gloucester. Mike served as the Maintainer for Frye Notch, in the Baldpate District, for ten years, one of the most difficult sections to access and maintain. Prior to becoming at maintainer for MATC he …

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Ryan Linn

Executive Committee / By

Director Ryan hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2007. He later worked for several Appalachian Mountain Club camps and as Group Outreach Coordinator for the Green Mountain Club. Eventually, he created the Guthook Guides app for various trails, including the AT, and continues to work on that from his home in Portland. He’s been the volunteer …

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WABI Channel 5 Feature on Trail Champions Featuring Mike Stillman and Lester Kenway

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Yesterday, Trail Champions Chair/MATC President Lester Kenway and MATC Director Mike Stillman spoke with WABI Channel 5 Bangor’s Owen Kingsley about Trail Champions, the Campaign for the Maine Trail Center. Said Mike, “I think sometimes we can take for granted that these things just exist, that they’re just there for everybody, and they’ll just continue …

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