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Acadia National Park
New Heavy Equipment for Acadia Thanks to 35th Annual Benefit
400 gathered under the tent to celebrate and support the park
August 15th, 2024
Attendees walk through the garden during the cocktail hour of the 35th annual benefit on Aug. 10, 2024 at Cover Farm in Bar Harbor , M.E. (Evie Linantud/Friends of Acadia)
HULLS COVE— The stars aligned and the rain clouds parted for a celebratory summer evening to support Acadia National Park. Four hundred people joined together under the tents at beautiful Cover Farm in Hulls Cove on Saturday, August 10 for Friends of Acadia’s 35th Annual Benefit.
A highlight of the evening was raising more than $300K to refresh the park’s aging fleet of heavy equipment.
The regular care and maintenance of Acadia National Park demands significant effort and heavy equipment such as dump trucks, excavators, graders, and loaders. Much of the current fleet of heavy machinery was acquired in the early to mid-90s as a part of the Carriage Road Campaign and is nearing the end of its useful life. This year’s paddle raise will fund the purchase of equipment that will last for the next 30 years.
Check out the Paddle Raise video:
“Thanks to many generous donors and our hosts, Friends of Acadia’s paddle raise secured over $300K to replace aging heavy equipment at Acadia National Park,” said Eric Stiles, Friends of Acadia CEO and president. “The machinery is essential for maintaining Acadia’s beloved carriage roads and trails, as well as responding to and recovering from damage caused by more frequent and intense storms, as we saw this past winter.”
The Benefit evening began with a cocktail hour and silent auction, where guests bid on 65 items including original art, unique experiences, one-of-kind jewelry, and beautiful items for the home. Following an elegant dinner catered by Bar Harbor Catering Company, auctioneer Lydia Fenet led a spirited live auction that included a three-night stay at Canyon Ranch, a one-week Antarctica expedition, and a week-long Caribbean charter. Local Tim Harrington offered the highest bid on a 2003 Morgan Plus 8 Special Edition.
Attendees talk during the cocktail hour of The Friends of Acadia 35th Annual Benefit, held on Saturday, August 10th, 2024 at Cover Farm in Hulls Cove, ME. (Photo: Julia Walker Thomas/Friends of Acadia)
Attendees discuss the 2003 Morgan Plus 8 that was offered as part of the live auction portion of the event. One of only 100 produced for the US market, the British sports car was a popular item. (Julia Walker Thomas/Friends of Acadia)
Designer Lesea Berry greets 2023 auction co-chair Kathleen McIntyre during the cocktail hour at the 35th annual benefit on Aug. 10, 2024 at Cover Farm in Bar Harbor, M.E. Berry donated a custom dress design experience as an auction item. (Evie Linantud/Friends of Acadia)
Friends of Acadia Members gather at the 35th annual benefit on Aug. 10, 2024 at Cover Farm in Bar Harbor , M.E. (Evie Linantud/Friends of Acadia)
Benefit Committee Co-chairs (L-R) Jill Hinckley, Lydia Kimball, and Anne Green pose for a photo with Friends of Acadia Special Events Coordinator Jen Byer (second from right) before the start of the Friends of Acadia 35th Annual Benefit on Saturday, August 10th, 2024 at Cover Farm in Hulls Cove, ME. (Photo: Julia Walker Thomas/Friends of Acadia)
Another evening highlight was the enthusiastic live auction for a custom dress by New York-based designer Lesea Berry, which raised more than $14,000 toward the paddle raise.
The lively evening was closed out with dancing to the Sultans of Swing band.
Dinner tables featured special FIORE Olive Oil created for the Friends of Acadia 35th Annual Benefit on Saturday, August 10th, 2024 at Cover Farm in Hulls Cove, ME. (Photo: Julia Walker Thomas/Friends of Acadia)
Tablescape in the dinner tent of the Friends of Acadia 35th Annual Benefit, held on Saturday, August 10th, 2024 at Cover Farm in Hulls Cove, ME. (Photo: Julia Walker Thomas/Friends of Acadia)
Auction attendeers raise their paddles at the 35th annual benefit on Aug. 10, 2024 at Cover Farm in Bar Harbor , M.E. (Evie Linantud/Friends of Acadia)
Members of the “Sultans” band perform at the 35th annual benefit on Aug. 10, 2024 at Cover Farm in Bar Harbor , M.E. (Evie Linantud/Friends of Acadia)
Volunteer Docents pose for a photo before the start of the Friends of Acadia 35th Annual Benefit on Saturday, August 10th, 2024 at Cover Farm in Hulls Cove, ME. (Photo: Julia Walker Thomas/Friends of Acadia)
The sun sets over Cover Farm during the 2024 Annual Benefit. (Photo: Kip Wing/Aerial Aesthetic/Friends of Acadia)
