As the pandemic continues to take hold on our state, more and more we are looking for opportunities to follow guidelines but remain active at the same time. Jason Tanguay, GHS teacher and coach, found himself considering how to keep his distance runners active this winter without access to the facilities to train properly. Through his deliberation and thought process, the idea for the Gorham Outdoors Club was born. Tanguay’s idea is to organize for the community, a variety of outdoor activities like trail walks, snowshoeing, and bike riding, along with many other events to encourage individuals and families to get outside.
The first thing he did was assemble a very large group of volunteers. The group has met through Zoom to create the mission statement for the group, discuss ideas, form a board (Tanguay is the newly elected President) and grow the already sizable group of volunteers. Along with the individual volunteers, the Gorham Recreation Department, Gorham School Department, Gorham Conservation Commission, USM Outdoor Adventure as well as many Gorham citizens and businesses are involved in getting the group up and running.
JMG (Jobs for Maine Grads), a student group from Gorham High School, is significantly involved in the Gorham Outdoors Program. Tanguay said “JMG programs are hosted within Maine’s public schools, and classes and year-round activities are led by JMG Specialists who serve as mentors and educators. Specialists are able to develop student-centered, personalized education plans, delivered through a competency-based curriculum focusing on academic knowledge, career development skills, leadership, and teamwork.”
JMG students have been organized into the following committees (with adult mentors) where they will learn many life skills: Logo and Slogan; Financial and Operational Logistics; Marketing and Social Media; Maintenance and Storage; Sales and Presentations; and Event Planning. (For more information on JMG visit www.jmg.org). There will also be a JMG representative on the Gorham Outdoors Club Board.
As you can imagine, it takes donations of time and money to get a group like this going. The newly elected board is working diligently to organize activities as quickly as they can, and with the resources they have available to them. The club will need many volunteers to help put on the various activities for community members. They will also be looking for equipment donations in the future as well as sponsorships and help with fundraisers. If you have an area of expertise, outdoor equipment taking up space in your garage or would like more information on how to become involved in the Gorham Outdoors Club, you can email gorhamoutdoors@gorhamschools.org.
While we feel stuck inside during the pandemic, especially in the winter, this group has come together to organize activities to get the Gorham community moving. “I think it is important to emphasize the importance of getting outside all year round. Time outside has substantial benefits for physical, mental and emotional health and provides significant opportunities for a variety of learning,” Tanguay stated.