The Gift of Camden’s Neighbors

A year ago we published Twelve Gifts of Camden, a paean to the many offerings right here in this home, this town we call Camden. We stand behind every word of that note, and yet during this year’s seasonal reflection our thoughts drifted a bit beyond our town.

Recently CamdenCAN had the chance to collaborate with the Rockport Conservation Commission on a project, and this experience led us to want to recognize the joy and comfort of nestling in next door to Rockport, our multifaceted, diverse southern neighbor.

Our two towns, while separately governed, share much, including a rich entwined history. While it’s not the business of this newsletter to dive back into the historical archives, we’ll note that our connection feels like that of a longstanding, good neighbor. Our shared proximity defines us, entangles us, and allows us many opportunities to connect and support.

We share a school system, a transfer station, wastewater system, and neighborhoods. We share streets, forests, rivers, and watersheds.

No osprey above, nor seal cruising our ledges below, no white-tailed deer springing along a roadside, cares, or knows which town they’re in.

We’re blessed to fluidly navigate between towns, just like those creatures. We share the air, the water, the soil; we share place, a bioregion. We all feel the effects of the changing world.

This holiday season we wanted to recognize the immense value of you, our neighbors. You’re familiar, you’re constant, you’re able to give us a hand with a fallen tree or the snow pile at the end of our drive.

Neighbors care, and share resources.

Caring and sharing.

The two largest gifts we can give—to our neighbors, to our towns, our planet. Thank you, neighbors, for being here. For sharing and caring.

May your darkest days, as we head to the winter solstice, be full of the joy of knowing you’re an important part of the neighborhood.

Actions and Inspirations

1. Camden Select Board agendas: if you’d like to be notified of these meetings, email Janice Esancy (jesancy@camdenmaine.gov) to get on the email notification list. The notes release on the Friday before the Tuesday meetings.
2. The Maine Governor’s Energy Office wants your feedback on Maine’s Energy Plan. Check it out. Comments must be submitted to geo@maine.gov no later than 5pm on Monday, December 30, 2024. (That website has a trove of information, including updated heating and energy rates.)
3. Municipal Solar. Good news all around us. Owls Head is cooking up a new municipal solar project. South Thomaston and Thomaston are collaborating on a solar generating cooperative to help their most vulnerable citizens achieve lower energy costs. And in St. George, the Climate Resilience team is talking to the school about how solar arrays can help them. And there’s a new array almost complete at the Knox County Airport.
   If you want to understand the value of direct town ownership of the solar panels on town property at Sagamore Farm that Camden currently leases from Revision Energy, listen to this November Camden Talks Climate event. We’ve heard that Camden Select Board will address the purchase of these panels in January—we’ll need your support to make it happen. (See action #1 above to get on the distribution list for the select board agendas so you’ll know when.)
4. Rewilding Your Yard: Creating a Biodiverse Haven in Camden—last week Camden’s own David Kibbe and Joline Blais provided an inspiring talk about ways to turn the area around our homes into rich, vibrant ecosystems. Listen here.

Food for Thought

We’d like to share three audio gifts (all are podcasts) that might interest readers. Each of them offers insightful possibilities about the future we might create together.

1. We Are the Great Turning: Love, Courage, and Connection in the Climate Crisis, Johanna Macy and Jess Serrante.
2. The Great Simplification, with Nate Hagens. We’ve mentioned this resource before—much to ponder in this analysis of the moment from an ex-Wall Street bro.
3. From theEzra Klein Show, an interview with Jigar Shar, an expert on green infrastructure investment: “Yes, Biden’s Green Future Can Still Happen Under Trump.”

Concluding Thoughts

We are so interwoven, even our smallest acts affect the other. That’s the challenge and responsibility of being a good neighbor. And a good citizen.

The world lost a good Maine neighbor this week, whose gift of song reminded many of us of the joy, and power, of place. We’ll close with this paean to small-town life.

—from The Ballad of St. Anne’s Reel, David Mallett

A dime across the counter then
A shy hello, a brand new friend
A walk along the street in the wintry weather
A yellow light, an open door
And a welcome friend, there’s room for more..

…He said there’s magic in the fiddler’s arm
There’s magic in this town
There’s magic in the dancers’ feet
And the way they put them down
People smilin’ everywhere…

And the fiddle’s in the closet
Of some daughter of the town
The strings are broke and the bow is gone
And the cover’s buttoned down
But sometimes on December nights
When the air is cold and the wind is right
There’s a melody that passes through this town.