‘Mickey Finn Children’s Day’ is a splashing hit

WESTON, Maine — On Saturday, the Mickey Finn Children’s Day was held at Rideout’s Lakeside Lodge in Weston.
More than 80 children and their parents attended the event. The children learned outdoor skills through activities designed as part of a community outreach initiative and the day sponsored by The Woodie Wheaton Land Trust and Rideout’s Lodge.
The day’s events included a fishing derby, kayak races, the “biggest splash” contest, a kids coloring contest, a fly-tying streamer clinic, fly-casting lessons, secrets of Maine Guides’ cooking and several interactive stations to learn about fish, trees, animals, the ecosystem and the importance of clean water and forests.
The day was part of the Outdoor Heritage and Conservation Education Program. In addition to Jim Brown and the staff at Rideouts, other supporters were the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, the Maine Wardens’ Service, The Danforth Fire Department and Chiputneticook Lakes International Conservancy.
The Woodie Wheaton Land Trust has been protecting the lands and waters of the Chiputneticook Lakes Region for 20 years, along with its conservation and stewardship programs. The Trust is in its sixth year of offering a summer speaker series and field trips. They also provide local school functions throughout the school year in order to educate future land stewards.
Children can join the annual Mickey Finn Club for $5. Organizers hope the children pay for the membership from money they have earned themselves.
As a Mickey Finn member, they will get a limited edition kid’s baseball cap, an authentic Mickey Finn fly (they can either use it to catch fish, or they can clip it on their cap like the guides do). They also get a Mickey Finn Explorer certificate to put on their wall and they’ll get an annual children’s newsletter with lots of fun, mailed to their house.