FARMINGTON — A partnership formed by the Franklin County Chambers of
Commerce and a business association have melded into a group known as
the Greater Franklin Alliance.

Building on a successful two-year effort, the alliance, formerly
known as Greater Franklin Chamber Partnership, is undertaking work on a
detailed regional trail map booklet for the greater Franklin County
area.

The project will be similar to a successful project designed and
produced by the Quoddy Regional Land Trust now in its third edition
(printed in 2007).

The alliance has put together a comprehensive trail list and will
seek any missing information and photos of trails in the region to be
included and other important information, and funding for the project
itself.

Once complete, the maps will be sold to fund additional printings and
to allow for revisions and updates. Maps will be available at various
locations throughout the region in order to reach as many people as
possible. Anyone who would like to provide information for the project,
help with it or have other project ideas for the alliance is asked to
e-mail: [email protected].

Seeing the need for building regional partnerships and working
relationships in the greater Franklin County area, Lorna Nichols,
executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce,
initially invited representatives from the Flagstaff Area Business
Association, Rangeley Chamber of Commerce, and Jay-Livermore-Livermore
Falls Chamber of Commerce to meet to discuss working more closely
together.

As the group continued to meet and share ideas, they drew upon their
front-line experiences with residents and visitors to determine areas
needing immediate attention.

The first and continuing project has been a weekly e-bulletin sent to
nearly 800 businesses and organizations in the greater Franklin County
region. The listings include weekly events, dining, lodging and retail
opportunities, and is printed by some businesses and organizations to
share with residents and visitors alike.

The alliance is a result of the group’s desire to create a nonprofit
organization that is not member-based and has a broad reach to all
towns and unorganized territories in the greater Franklin County area.

The new corporation mission statement reads, ” … the corporation
is an alliance of organizations and individuals committed to preserving
the past, promoting the present and building the future of Maine’s
Western Mountains through education and awareness of the cultural,
historic, natural and recreational attractions of greater Franklin
County.”