Wiscasset Municipal Airport

Sun shines on 'Wings'

SUSAN JOHNS, Staff Reporter
Wed, 08/07/2013 - 9:30am
U.S. Sen. Angus King, left, I-Maine, chats with Ted Poirier of Dayton and Toby Guimond of East Waterboro. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
U.S. Sen. Angus King, left, I-Maine, chats with Ted Poirier of Dayton and Toby Guimond of East Waterboro. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
Music Doing Good concert performers rehearse August 5 in front of a gathering of event sponsors and other guests. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
Music Doing Good concert performers rehearse August 5 in front of a gathering of event sponsors and other guests. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
Dave Murphy, father of Texas Flying Legends Museum Warbirds pilot Mark Murphy works August 5 to clean the plane his son would fly Tuesday. The elder Murphy owns the P-51. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
Dave Murphy, father of Texas Flying Legends Museum Warbirds pilot Mark Murphy, works August 5 to clean the plane his son would fly Tuesday. The elder Murphy owns the P-51. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
Alannah Bryer, left, age 9, father Darrell Bryer and Alannah's brother Ian Bryer, 15, all of Wiscasset, look over a 1948 Crosley at an antique auto display during the Wings event. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
Alannah Bryer, left, age 9, father Darrell Bryer and Alannah's brother Ian Bryer, 15, all of Wiscasset, look over a 1948 Crosley at an antique auto display during the Wings event. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
Alexander Colby, 6, of Wiscasset, grandson of Wiscasset Selectman Judy Colby, gets done with his helicopter ride. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
Alexander Colby, 6, of Wiscasset, grandson of Wiscasset Selectman Judy Colby, gets done with his helicopter ride. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
41st President George H.W. Bush signed this propeller on an Agenger earlier this year. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
Warbirds pilot Sam Graves completes an August 5 landing of an Avenger that once sunk two ships in one day. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper
Famed defense attorney F. Lee Bailey speaks August 5 about the military start to his legal career. Bailey used to keep a plane at the Wiscasset Municipal AIrport. SUSAN JOHNS/Wiscasset Newspaper

    “Wings Over Wiscasset” got the blue-sky day organizers had been hoping for.

    “I'm excited, and very excited to see that everyone who had to show up and do their part showed up,” Wiscasset Municipal Airport manager Ervin Deck said. “It's all coming together great.” About 4,200 people turned out for "Wings," event producer Dennis St. Pierre said August 7.

    For 39 youth campers from the Wiscasset Parks and Recreation Department, hands-on activities with Mad Science of Maine culminated days of lead-up with enrichment activities about air flight, camp director Jay Reith said.

    Area youth camps, young families and veterans helped make up the crowd of hundreds for the first wave of activities before the night's concert, airshow and fireworks.

    “It's cool to see all the planes,” Alannah Bryer, 9, of Wiscasset, said. She was there with brothers Ian, 15, and Corbin,19 months, and parents Darrell and Aimee Bryer.

    Ian Bryer enjoyed looking at the antique autos. “That Porsche 911 over there is pretty sweet,” he said.

    Wiscasset's Stephen Jarrett Sr., representing American Legion District 6 and Post 34 in his native St. George, was volunteering with fellow veterans.

    “This is one of the greatest things that could happen in this area,” said Jarrett, who served in Vietnam on the aircraft carrier Enterprise. “It's time well spent, just thinking of those veterans that sacrificed so much, some that sacrificed their lives. Let's hope people are thinking of them today,” Jarrett said.

    Signs on Route 1 near Route 144 warned of possible traffic impacts Tuesday; no tie-ups or slow downs were known to have occurred due to the event in its first several hours. Volunteers at the corner of Route 144 and Chewonki Road directed event-goers to parking.

    U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, arrived in the afternoon and met for an hour with representatives of a business tenant at the airport, Peregrine Turbine Technologies. He wanted to hear about the company's very exciting work in energy and discuss how he might be able to help, he said afterward.

    Three King grandchildren were also at the airport Tuesday. “Wings” was giving people an opportunity to enjoy a beautiful day in Maine, he said.

    Radio-control flying club members Ted Poirier of Dayton and Toby Guimond of East Waterboro said the event was giving them a chance to talk with pilots and get an up-close look at planes they will build models of.

    The two men also got to speak with King as he joined the crowd. Poirier asked him how things were going in the Senate.

    “I'm having a good time. A little frustrating. It's a hell of a challenge,” King told him.

    At a kickoff for sponsors and guests Monday night, representatives of non-profits thanked “Wings” organizers for choosing to have donations collected Tuesday for their causes.

    “This is beyond our wildest dreams,” said Bill Legere, co-founder of the Not Here Justice in Action Network aimed at fighting human trafficking and gender inequality. “It's a real honor ...,” he said.

    Just over $4,500 was collected at “Wings” for the nonprofits to share, said Tom Boudin of Edgecomb, the volunteer who tallied the donations. An anonymous donor agreed to match the donations, which would bring the total to $9,000.

    Susan Johns can be reached at 207-844-4633 or susanjohns@wiscassetnewspaper.com

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