Volunteers Needed

The Maine State Triathlon and the Kids’ Triathlon are this weekend, Aug. 4 and 5. The Kids’ Triathlon starts at 3 p.m. on Saturday. The course takes place between Angevine Pond swimming area and Bethel Airport. Young athletes will be riding their bicycles along North Road and running between the pond and Daisy Bryant Road. If at all possible, avoid North Road between 3 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

The adult triathlon is Sunday, and “event central” is at The Bethel Inn Resort’s Lakehouse on Songo Pond, south of Bethel on Routes 5/35. Hundreds of athletes and their families gather at the event, and safety is our highest priority. For this reason, a portion of Route 5 will be officially closed from 8 a.m. to 12 noon from the intersection of Route 5/Mill Hill Road/Grover Hill Road southerly to the intersection of Route 5/Vernon Street. Please plan to use alternate roads during this time. Additionally, take caution ‒ high-speed bicycles will be coming through Bethel village between 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. (coming north on Vernon, down Main, left onto Railroad). We will have volunteers and support from the Oxford County Sheriff at key intersections stopping or slowing traffic as need be. Please leave extra time if you are driving in or out of Bethel village during those hours.

Cheer on the athletes – here’s the course. Swim starts at 9 a.m. with a 750-meter swim on Songo Pond. Athletes then transition to their bicycles and proceed south on Routes 5/35, left onto Vernon Street, north to Main Street, Bethel, right on Main Street, left on Railroad Street to Route 2, and then left on Lovers Lane/Routes 5/35, cycling south back to the Bethel Inn Lakehouse, where they transition to the 5.8 K run. Runners go south on Routes 5/35, left onto South Shore Road, run around Songo Pond via Baker Road, left on Routes 5/35 to finish at the Bethel Inn Lakehouse. (All details and maps at www.mainestatetriathlon.com.)

The staff of the Chamber is still seeking volunteers for the triathlons, as well as the Bethel Harvestfest and Chowdah Cook-off on Saturday, Sept. 15. Volunteers for the triathlon receive a commemorative t-shirt, and volunteers for the Harvestfest receive complimentary chowdah tickets. Please call 824-2282 if you are interested in helping.

Julia Reuter

Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce