22nd Annual Auction and Yard Sale a Huge Success

August 25, 2015

Hundreds of generous donors and buyers turned out this year to help raise a near-record amount of money at the 22nd annual Orr’s and Bailey Islands Fire Department auction and yard sale.

Crowds hunt for bargains at the Saturday yard sale

More than $53,000 was raised at the August 8 and 9 event to support the non-profit fire and rescue department. The total was slightly less than two years ago, when several high-priced items drove the tally to record levels.

“We were able to raise a near-record amount of much-needed money thanks to both our donors and those who turned out for the auction and bid generously,” said Mike Helfgott, president of the OBIFD Board of Directors.

“The generosity and community spirit we see continues to amaze and humble all of us at the department,” Helfgott said. “Each and every year, this event is a testament to our wonderful community and the people who live and visit here.”

Bidders at the Sunday auction.

The highest-priced item this year was a 31-foot power boat, which sold for the minimum bid of $15,000. Other big-ticket sales included a Mazda pickup truck with plow for $2,350; a set of soda shop style stools for $500; a large sign from a former Orr’s Island hotel for $500; and a handmade, king-size quilt for $400.

In addition, more than 100 other pieces were auctioned on Sunday, with many people taking home genuine bargains. A homemade dollhouse, complete with furniture, went for $250; An antique chest with a mirror sold for $150, a grandfather clock went for $200, an oak dining room table sold for $35; and numerous antique chairs and small tables sold for prices ranging from $5 to $100.

Shoppers check out boats at the yard sale.

Meanwhile, the two-day yard sale on the fire station grounds and in the adjacent old Orr’s Island Schoolhouse featured a wide variety of furniture, household items, sporting goods, tools and more, with costs ranging from a few cents to a few dollars. Many terrific bargains were had because the large number of quality items at the auction meant more things were sold at the yard sale for less.

“Our two tents, which were bigger than ever, and the schoolhouse, were totally packed with some great donations this year,” Helfgott said. “Lots of people were able to find some real bargains on the yard sale tables.”

Bargain hunters in the old Orr's Island Schoolhouse

Over the years, the event has grown from a modest fundraising idea which raised about $350 in 1993 to a highly anticipated community event which has provided thousands of dollars to help equip and train members of islands’ fire and rescue squads.

Fire Chief Walter Johnson said some of the money raised this year will go toward new back-up cameras for the department’s trucks and help pay some of the costs for state-required improvements to the station and equipment.

“The money we make helps us keep up with all the rising costs,” Johnson said. “We really appreciate everyone’s support.”

Johnson and Helfgott also thanked the many volunteers needed to put on the event.

 

Auctioneer Malcolm McFarland at work.

“We could not do this without all volunteers who work year-round to make this a fun and successful weekend,” Helfgott said. “We all owe a debt of gratitude to all of them, whether they are active fire and rescue responders, members of our Board of Directors, or the many other people from the community -- and even summer visitors -- who turn out to give us a hand.”

Volunteers have already begun working on next year’s auction and sale, which is scheduled for August 13 and 14, 2016, including collecting donations, which are accepted year-round.

Buyers at the yard sale

All money raised helps fund the operation of the all-volunteer department, which provides fire and rescue services for Orr's and Bailey Islands and portions of Great Island east of the Mountain Road bridge and south of Stevens Corner Road on Route 24.

For more information about OBIFD, volunteering, or contributing, please visit the department's web site at www.obifd.org or call 207-833-5405. 

OBI Community Mourns Death of Longtime Rescue Volunteer

July 15, 2015

We have lost one of our real heroes.

Ed Sparks, 59, a former longtime first responder with the Orr’s and Bailey Islands Fire Department, passed away suddenly July 8 at his Bailey Island home.

Edward M. Sparks

Sparks, a carpenter, was a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician for more than two decades and served for several years as the OBIFD rescue captain.

During his time in the department, Sparks and his wife, Colette, were known as tireless volunteers, responding to hundreds of medical rescue calls day and night. Over the years, they treated hundreds of island residents and visitors, comforting them and their loved ones in times of distress and saving lives.

Both Ed and Colette Sparks retired from OBIFD at the end of 2013.

“Ed was the face of medical rescue on the islands for many years and saved countless lives during his time,” said Mike Helfgott, president of the OBIFD Board of Directors. “He left a huge void in the department when he retired and his passing leaves an even bigger hole in the entire community. He was a real treasure and will be missed terribly by all who knew him and benefitted from his selfless dedication to serving his neighbors.”

Many current OBIFD members formed an honor guard at his funeral on July 15 in Brunswick, saluting Ed and his family as they entered and left the services. They were joined by volunteers from the Cundy’s Harbor and Harpswell Neck fire and rescue departments, along with members of the Brunswick and Bath departments, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Navy.

Rescue 3, the OBIFD ambulance, was draped in black bunting and posted outside the church during the funeral.

Ed and Colette Sparks

“It was an honor to salute Ed one more time,” said OBIFD Fire Chief Walter Johnson. “He meant so much to the department and the community for so long. He will be missed very, very much.”

Ed was born on November 4, 1955 in Springfield, MA, the son of Alfred and Frances Hamel Sparks.  A graduate of Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham, MA, he met his future wife, Colette Protzenko, as part of a regional singing group, Sing Out Springfield, whose mission was to bring people together and improve human relations within the community. They were married on November 23, 1974, in Springfield and were together for more than 40 years.

He was a U.S. Navy veteran, serving in Okinawa, Japan, and Australia, then  moved to Maine in the mid 1970s as a reservist at the Brunswick Naval Air Station. The couple soon began spending summer vacations on Bailey Island and moved there full time in 1994. Ed, who had experience in medical rescue, joined OBIFD soon after moving to the community.

He is predeceased by his father, Alfred, and a brother-in-law, Paul Protzenko.

In addition to Colette, he is survived by his mother, Fran Sparks of Auburn, MA; a brother, Tom Sparks of Auburn, MA; two sisters, Peg Sparks of Auburn, MA and Mary Ellen Sparks of Florida; a sister-in-law, Traci Protzenko and her husband, Guy Silvester, of Chester, MA; his Father-in-law, Harry Prozenko and his wife Beverly of Agawam, MA; several nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles; and his four Labrador retrievers, Rose, Ella, Reme and Caramia.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be sent to Guiding Eyes for the Blind, 611 Granite Springs Road, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598, www.guidingeyes.org, or the Orr's & Bailey Islands Fire Department, P.O. Box 177, Orr's Island, ME 04066, www.obifd.org.

Schoolhouse Art Auction Draws Big Crowd

July 15, 2015

A record crowd turned out this year for the fourth annual art auction to benefit the historic Orr’s Island Schoolhouse.

Dozens of works of art, ranging from paintings and photographs to carvings and jewelry, were sold at the July 11 event, which attracted a near-capacity crowd at the schoolhouse on Harpswell Islands Road, Route 24.

“It was a big success We ran out of parking spaces and also ran out of bidder’s flags -- both good problems to have,” said Tim McCreight, who served as auctioneer for the first time. “The mood was buoyant and clearly there was a lot of support for the schoolhouse.”

Among the pieces sold this year were more than a dozen small birdhouses creatively reimagined by a variety of artists from the Harpswell area and beyond.

Unlike last year’s auction, which featured iconic lobster buoys transformed into a variety of artistic pieces that attracted large bids, the birdhouses sold for modest amounts.

“People were very happy that we had more affordable items this year,” said Mary Morgan, who chairs the committee which runs the schoolhouse, owned and managed by the adjacent Orr’s and Bailey Islands Fire Department.

“More people were able to get in on the bidding and take home some nice works of art,” Morgan said. “That made things a lot of fun.”

Birdhouse by Brad McFadden

Once again, one of the top-selling artists was Brad McFadden of Orr’s Island, whose birdhouse brought in the top bid of $450. Other birdhouse artists included McCreight, Doug Bane, Cindy Bessmer, Steve Black, Tom Brudzinski, Dan Dostie, Patricia Fuchs, Gloria Doughty, Robert Gibson, Karen Loftus, Steve Normand, John Wright and Sam Wright.

Among other art sold at the event was an acrylic painting by Doug Bane, which raised $300; a Caran d’ache by Margaret Leonard for $200; a carved pileated woodpecker for $250; a watercolor by Gloria Doughty for $170; an oil painting by Lauren Andreach for $150; a print by Tom Brudzinski for $140; and a set of porcelain bowls by Patricia Fuchs for $120.Numerous other items sold in the $100 range, while many others sold for less, some for as little as $25.

The auction items raised a total of more than $3,600, while the birdhouses brought in $2,575.

For the first time, the event featured a silent auction of several small paintings and prints, which raised $370. Another $60 came from the sale of jewelry made from wood and nails salvaged from the recently replaced old schoolhouse floor. 

After accounting for other donations and less commissions paid to some of the artists and other expenses, the auction raised about $5,600, slightly more than last year.

The money is used for maintenance and improvements to the building, such as the new floor and air conditioning.

An important part of Harpswell history, the building was originally a two-room school for island children. Now used for a variety of community, public and private events, the schoolhouse is self-supporting, depending on income from event rentals, fund raisers and donations to maintain the building and grounds. It is managed by the adjacent Orr’s and Bailey Islands Fire Department.

For more information about the schoolhouse, or to inquire about rentals, visit www.orrsislandschoolhouse.com.

OBIFD Hosts Community Meeting on Wildfire Dangers

June 10, 2015

The Orr's and Bailey Islands Fire Department is hosting a community meeting on Monday to educate residents about wildfire dangers and how to protect homes and property during the high-risk summer months.

The meeting will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, June 15, at the old Orr's Island Schoolhouse, located next to the Orr's Island fire station, 1600 Harpswell Islands Road, Route 24. People of all ages are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served.

According to the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) Firewise Communities Program, the summer of 2015 is likely to present extremely dry and windy conditions, increasing the risk of wildfire activity. Preparation by property owners can help prevent fires from starting or spreading.

The meeting will offer advice on how to protect land and buildings from the potential of spreading fires.

Some of the advice includes:

• Clear leaves and other debris from gutters, eaves, porches and decks
• Keep lawns hydrated and maintained. Dry grass and shrubs are fuel for wildfire. If it is brown, cut it down to reduce fire intensity.
• Remove dead vegetation within 30 to 100 feet of a structure.
• Remove fuel within 3 to 5 feet of a home's foundation and outbuildings.
• Wildfires can spread to tree tops. If there are large trees, prune them so the lowest branches are 6 to 10 feet high.
• Don't let debris and lawn cuttings linger. Dispose of these items quickly to reduce fuel for fire.
• When planting, choose slow-growing, carefully placed shrubs and trees so the area can be more easily maintained.

To help keep fires from starting on open land, tips include:

• Obey outdoor burning bans. Don't burn trash or debris when conditions are dry or windy. Unsafe burning of leaves, brush, household trash and other debris is a main cause of wildfires.
• If camping or hunting, check local restrictions on campfires. Use an approved gas stove as an alternative for heating and cooking. If charcoal grills are permitted, use them only over fireproof surfaces such as asphalt or bare mineral soil.
• Dispose of smoking materials properly. Don't throw them out a window.
• Avoid parking and idling in dry grass. Catalytic converters can get hot enough to ignite the grass.
• Keep water available when using welding equipment or cutting torches around grass and brush. A five-gallon bucket of water with a tote sack in it could prove valuable if sparks or hot pieces of metal catch nearby grass on fire.
• Avoid setting hot chainsaws or other gas-powered equipment in dry grass, which could ignite after coming into contact with hot mufflers.

More tips and information is available from the Firewise Communities Program at www.firewise.org.

OBIFD is an all-volunteer department which provides fire and medical rescue services for Orr's and Bailey Islands and portions of Great Island south of Stevens Corner Road on Route 24, including Long Point, and Mountain Road east of the Ewing Narrows bridge.

More information about the department is available at www.obifd.org.

Harpswell's other fire and rescue departments are the Cundy's Harbor Volunteer Fire Department, which serves all of Great Island from the Brunswick line to Stevens Corner Road on Route 24, and the Harpswell Neck Fire and Rescue, which serves all areas off of Route 123, including

Mountain Road west of the Ewing Narrows bridge.

More information about the three departments, including how to join as a volunteer, is available at www.harpswellfireandrescue.org.