From an 11-hour drive from Pennsylvania to soggy trails close to home, volunteers came together to care for the national park during its 34th annual Take Pride in Acadia Day.
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Open Table MDI.
BAR HARBOR—There are easier ways to spend a Saturday morning than standing in a cold Maine rainstorm with a rake in your hands and there are certainly easier ways to spend that Saturday rather than driving 11 hours from Pennsylvania.
Marlene Cosner had her reasons for ignoring the easier way.
For nearly 30 years, she and her husband have made their way to Mount Desert Island, returning to Acadia National Park, a place that has become part of their lives. On Saturday, she came back for something more than a visit. She came to help take care of it.
The wind gusted. The rain went from drizzle to downpour and back again.
The Air Force veteran and nurse opened her arms for a hug to a stranger, rake carefully managed as she laughed.
“I am so happy to be here,” she said as the rain soaked her raincoat’s hood and shoulders and washed over leaves.
“She drove hours,” said Friends of Acadia (FOA) Communications Director Perrin Doniger.
Hours is almost an understatement.
Cosner drove all the way from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, knowing it was going to rain—knowing it was likely going to rain a lot—just so she could help clean the trails at Acadia National Park in the place she loves, the place where she and her husband have been visiting ever since their honeymoon.
They’ll be back in June for their anniversary trip.
“Of course I came,” she said.
She loves this national park, this island. She wants to do her part to help take care of it.
Cosner and 290 other volunteers braved the rain and wind and the slippery leaves to help FOA in its annual trail maintenance event. It’s been happening every year, but last year’s government shutdown meant that the event didn’t happen in 2025.
It was Take Pride in Acadia Day’s 34th year. Volunteers began at 8:30 a.m. and went until 11:30 or until their work was finished or they got a bit too tired. At 11:30 they were served chili, chowder, cider, and cake.
“The volunteer effort focuses on areas where clogged drainage ditches and culverts could result in significant damage to road surfaces during the freeze-and-thaw cycles of a coastal Maine winter,” FOA’s website explains.
It isn’t just raking. It’s about helping decrease the washouts that come from ice and rain.
On Saturday, as water built up in the ditch next to the carriage road, Doniger pointed out that the downpours actually helps them see where future problems might be.
“One of my favorite things about Take Pride in Acadia Day is seeing so many familiar faces, along with new ones, come together around our shared love for the park,” Friends of Acadia’s Vice President of Conservation Stephanie Clement said in a press release, Tuesday. “Even with the rain, there was such a wonderful spirit of camaraderie. We’re incredibly fortunate to have a community that cares so deeply about this park and is willing to pitch in to protect it.”
The day also is always a reminder of how many people care for the national park and are willing to pull out their raincoats, grab a rake, and head over to spend a morning (plus the 11 hours travel time one way for Cosner) to take care of it.
“It was incredible to see so many people willing to spend a rainy Saturday morning raking ditches and getting their hands dirty to help Acadia,” said Friends of Acadia’s Stewardship Manager Brian Sale in a press release, Tuesday. “The one upside of the rain was that we could see exactly where drainage was blocked and water was pooling. All the work people accomplished, raking the leaves to unclog the drainage, will make a real difference in keeping the carriage roads in good shape through the winter. We’re so grateful to everyone who came out.”
Friends of Acadia thanked its volunteers, Acadia National Park staff, and lead sponsor Chilton Trust, and it expressed gratitude to the following sponsors: Acadia Bike & Coastal Kayaking Tours, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, Bar Harbor Savings & Loan, Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company, Beal’s Lobster Pier, The Bluenose Inn – Lafayette Hotels, Burdick & Associates Landscape Design, Debbahs, Galyn’s Restaurant, Geddy’s, Gideon Asen, John Williams Boat Company, Jordan Pond House/ExplorUS, MDI Grows Landscape Services, Mount Desert Island Hospital, Nor’Easter Pound & Market, Peruvian Link Bar Harbor, Riverside Group, and Wright-Ryan Homes.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
More about the project connecting Cadillac Mountain’s lots.
Unless otherwise cited, photos: Carrie Jones/Shaun Farrar/BHS
RECENT PRESS RELEASES AND BRIEFS
To see all the press releases, click here. To see our news, click here. For the full archive, click here. All of these are on our dedicated website.
HELP SUPPORT THE BAR HARBOR STORY
When we started The Bar Harbor Story, we didn’t know if anyone would read it. But you showed up. You shared. You sent tips. Now—over 400,000 views every month later—it’s clear: people here care about their community and each other.
We’ve kept everything free because news should never be out of reach, but every one of our stories takes time to write, and your support keeps The Bar Harbor Story going.
If you value our work, please consider a paid subscription, a founding membership, or a sponsorship.
It truly helps us cover one more meeting, tell one more story, shine one more light.
Even $5 a month makes a difference. Click here to become a one-time supporter now.
Thank you so much for being here.
Founding member information can be found here.
Have questions about sponsorships? Just send Shaun an email at sfarrar86@gmail.com, he’d love to hear from you.
You can help us keep sharing local news for our community.
Make a monthly donation
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Discover more from Bar Harbor Story
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.