Hearty Roots staff and board members sit on a rock on the newly acquired land in Bremen that will serve at the organizations headquarters on Wednesday, May 15. From left: Hearty Roots board member Ashley Baldwin, Treasurer Heather Abello, Therapeutic Adventure Mentor Lauren Cucci, Business Manager Katherine Kirchoff, board President Ali Stevenson, board Secretary Lisa Katz, Hearty Roots Deputy Director Jess Donohoe, Hearty Roots Director Haley Bezon, supporter Eleanor Kinney, Hearty Roots Program Manager Josh Leatham, and supporter Steve Page. (courtesy photo)
Hearty Roots, an outdoor-based community wellness program facilitating connection between people and nature, finalized the purchase of 114 acres of land in Bremen to serve at its headquarters on Wednesday, May 15.
The property is located down Fogler Road about one and a half miles from Biscay Road, according to Hearty Roots Director Haley Bezon.
“It’s true wilderness,” Hearty Roots Deputy Director Jess Donohoe said.
Bezon, who founded the nonprofit, said their search for a permanent location came to an end while working with Bremen resident Eleanor Kinney.
Kinney told Bezon she was interested in sharing land of hers and she felt Hearty Roots was the best way to do that.
“The land is beautiful and healing and I’m so excited to share it with Hearty Roots and all the local kids they serve,” Kinney said.
During the organization’s search for a permanent home Hearty Roots has been headquartered in a building on Water Street in Damariscotta that First National Bank allowed the organization to use.
Bezon said that the collaboration with Kinney was meaningful in many ways, but to work with someone who believes in the power of connection in mentorship with nature a way that aligns with the organization’s mission was very meaningful.
“Kids being in the natural world and being encouraged to get dirty and explore, and to be real, authentic, that’s what we’re on a mission to do,” Bezon said.
The organization launched a capital campaign that ran for less than a year, according to Bezon, which raised over $500,000 due in part to a $250,000 match by the Peter Alfond Foundation. The rest were in grants and donations.
The land is split up, with five acres on Biscay Pond and the remaining acreage on the other side of Fogler Road.
According to Donohoe and Bezon, the plans for the land next to Biscay Pond are to make the space comfortable for kids and families to visit, which includes the construction of a driveway, parking pad, bathroom, a dock, boathouse, and a shed for adventure gear.
“The first couple of years are going to be really program facing, as in what do we need for kids and families to feel comfortable? And that answer isn’t an office space,” Bezon said.
Hearty Roots campers walk through what is now the organization’s new 114 acres of land in Bremen during an April vacation camp. According to Hearty Roots founder and Director Haley Bezon, the land was acquired formally on Wednesday, May 15, but the organization has been permitted to use it since September. (courtesy photo)
Donohoe said their goal is to finish construction on the waterside by the end of June to be ready for their summer programs beginning, which start by July.
In the future, on the woods side of the land, Bezon said they’d like to build a large pavilion and gathering space and continue to rough out the trail network.
Eventually, Bezon said she could see adding destinations on the property like a small yurt or cabin to continue to “add to the sense of wonder and awe.”
“A miniature expedition on the outskirts of Damariscotta is pretty cool,” Bezon said.
Donohoe said the land was an incredible natural resource teaming with life, beaver ponds, boulder fields, and old growth that “invokes the desire to get lost in a good way.”
“We really believe in the power of awe and every time you turn a corner this property, you’re in a new nook or cranny with opportunity for awe,” Donohoe said.
Hearty Roots was established in 2017 with the intention of providing weeklong programs to preteen girls to cultivated mindfulness, resiliency and self-esteem.
Since then, the program has grown to offer a variety of programs of different lengths for children of all ages and established relationships with local schools and conservations.
In order to facilitate the diverse needs of educating children in nature, Heart Roots has been a portable experience offering pop-up camps and overnight adventures in locations throughout Lincoln County.
Bezon said the organization will still be offering their mobile education services, but the addition of the land gives them a more permanent place to be able to service the children of the area.
To learn more about Heart Roots and the programs offered or to learn about getting involved, go to heartyroots.org, email haley@heartyroots.org, or call 242-1434.
