Beautiful central Maine is a destination vacation spot for many families who own second homes and spend part of the year in the region. But for those who live here year-round — such as in the small communities of Canaan and Skowhegan — there’s full-time family fun to be found in all seasons at Lake George Regional Park.
The park offers everything from winter festivals and events — including a kids’ box sled derby, downhill kayak races and an ice fishing derby — to free or reduced-cost summer camps for kids. Families can hike, picnic, fish, boat and more.
“I see this park as our community’s vacation home,” says JP Kennedy, GIS analyst at our Fairfield timberlands office. “My family spent a lot of time here when my girls were young, so I have a strong emotional tie to it.”
JP has served on the board of directors for the Lake George Regional Park for six years and is currently board president. Last year, he put in more than 200 hours, helping steer the park’s operations with a goal of balancing the budget. His tireless work earned him a 2021 Volunteer of the Year Award and a $5,000 grant to the park.
“JP has been an inspirational, business-savvy, roll-up-your-sleeves member of the Lake George Corporation Board since 2016, and a forward-thinking board chair since 2020,” says his nominator John Ackley, New England silviculture manager. “The park is managed using principles of safety, stewardship and service learning, and offers recreational, educational and social opportunities for visitors. JP puts in countless volunteer hours, brings positive energy to every project, and inspires others to get involved in the park, too.”
“There are a lot of people here who don’t have the privilege of owning a second home where they can gather as a family,” JP says. “The park is a place for them to go and just be together.”
JP takes advantage of nearly everything the park offers. “I enjoy kayaking, mountain biking, open water swimming and running, and my wife and I also cross-country ski and snowshoe in the winter,” he says.
MEET JP
Tell us a bit about your day job
I maintain the GIS systems for our Northern Hardwoods operations. These systems allow the company to make better strategic and operational plans because the data gives foresters insights into inventory, whether a stand is ready for harvest, and all kinds of downstream business-related decisions like state reporting, Sustainable Forestry Initiative certification, conservation easements and more. My work covers about 950,000 acres across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. I spend 95 percent of my time on the computer, but I’m a forester by trade. The technology aspects of what I do are self-taught.
What did you think when you found out about the award?
I was a little bit shocked and quite humbled, but then a big smile came to my face because I know what $5,000 means to the park. It’s a financial shot in the arm, which is great. It feels good to be an employee of a company that supports these types of endeavors.
Community members gather with Lake George staff for unveiling of new trail signage in the park. JP and his wife Kim are second and third on the right. A forester by trade, JP has been a GIS analyst since 2007.
What motivates you to volunteer?
My wife and I are both from Canada and came to the U.S. 20 years ago. We lived in various communities before Skowhegan, and when we first arrived here we saw a lot of potential. It was an old, run-down textile town, but we saw energy and possibilities. We volunteered with various community efforts over the years, then the park became my focus. I wanted to develop what we refer to as progressional programming, where the park offers something for every age demographic in the community — from summer camps for kids to yoga for senior citizens.
What are the community challenges you see that you're trying to address with this work?
This part of Maine has a lower socio-economic demographic, and many of the kids qualify for free school lunches. One of the primary objectives of the park is to give families a low-cost option for winter and summertime recreation, so the board focuses on maintaining the park sustainably without high fees.
What's your favorite part of this work?
Seeing people enjoy the park and knowing there are community members who went through our programs as kids and then came back years later to volunteer. It’s a pleasure to watch others become engaged and invest in their community like this.
The community gathers for the winter sled box race. “I’m an analyst — that’s just how I operate,” JP says. "So I’ve worked on a strategic plan for the park’s operations and capital improvements. So far, we’ve been pretty successful in closing the budget gap.”
What advice would you give to someone who wants to give back but doesn't know how/where?
First, get boots on the ground to learn about the organization. This helps you get to know the people before you really commit your time and efforts. Get your feet wet to see if it’s the right match for you. If it is, then start to take on more roles.
What’s next in your volunteer plans?
I’m going into my third year as president of the board and we’re kicking off a million-dollar capital improvement program to revitalize many of the structures that need updating. It’s going to be a terrific year for the park!
