OTISFIELD — Otisfield’s Resilience Committee is inviting residents of the town to attend its first Resilience Gathering, Saturday, July 27, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Community Center, where they will share project updates and ideas. A complimentary lunch is being provided, catered by Steve’s General Store in Oxford.

Facilitated by the Center for an Ecology-Based Economy (CEBE), Otisfield’s Community Resilience Committee (OCRC) formed two years ago to execute climate change education, citizen engagement and energy improvements to town buildings. The committee meets twice a month on projects to mitigate the town’s energy use and involve residents in natural resource conservation.

“Like any small town, it’s usually we gray-hairs who answer the call for community volunteer projects,” Maureen Mooney-Howard, chair of the resilience committee explained. “We’re inviting the next generation of volunteers to come learn and get involved with climate resilience.

“Climate change affects older people the same as everyone else, but younger people will feel the impact even more in the future. The Resiliency Gathering is an open invitation to Otisfield residents of all ages to learn about what we’re doing.”

In addition to Howard, Sarah Burnham, Tom Dash, George Gallant, Patricia McCoy, Linda Poto and Lordes Engel currently serve on the resilience committee.

To date, OCRC has tapped grant funds from Maine’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future to tackle local climate resiliency projects. Towns enrolled in the program are allowed to request up to $50,000 for each individual grant they apply for. To date, Otisfield has had two projects funded.

A major task of OCRC’s first project, installing heat and cooling pumps at Otisfield’s town office, was completed in early 2023. The committee then turned to conservation education: distributing brochures for residents of and visitors to its lakes.

The pamphlets are free and can be picked up town offices, libraries and local shops in Otisfield, Casco and Oxford, as well as at Thompson Lake Marina. They may also be downloaded as PDFs from Otisfield’s website: otisfieldme.gov/community-resilience-committee.

“Protecting Otisfield’s Watersheds is a guide for property owners,” Howard said. “and the Watershed Visitors Guide is meant for those who rent vacation spots or go boating on our lakes and ponds.

“These are updates to a brochure first produced by our conservation committee about 15 years ago. It’s a collaboration between the Pleasant Lake and Panther Pond Association and our resiliency and conservation committees.”

The second grant of $50,000 made it possible to carry out four more resiliency tasks. One task was for Otisifield to have an energy audit at the town office; a second was for CEBE to conduct a feasibility study for a solar facility to be built on town-owned property on Swampville Road.

The 22-page audit report, produced by Certified Energy Manager John Snell of South Paris, is available online at: google.com/file/d/1Ruet4UyC4HmXZKHmbx6rTK48-QDp1KEP/view.

OCRC also used the second grant to expand its extreme temperature program for residents who are housebound or without transportation during periods of dangerous cold and heat.

The community center is opened to provide relief on such days but not everyone is able to take advantage of the service. OCRC volunteer Maureen Edwards put together winter emergency kits for vulnerable citizens stuck at home. Each kit includes a weather safety guide, hats and mittens, flashlights, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors.

The fourth task is another community engagement project, establishing a pollinator garden at Otisfield Community School. A volunteer group including parents, children, staff and other participants meets at the school every Wednesday to work on the garden.

“We’re progressing,” Howard said. “But we won’t start planting until fall. Without someone there to water regularly, summer is not the best time for planting. We will begin that after school starts. That way all the kids who wish may provide input on what they would like to see grow.”

Howard said the third grant application has been deferred, as the Office of Policy Innovation and the Future is currently focused on enrolling new community participants.

But the agency was able to help Otisfield secure a $100,000 federal grant that will be used to put recommendations of the town’s energy audit in place, such as improving insulation and installation of rooftop solar panels.

Saturday’s Resilience Gathering is a first step in expanding dialogue among Otisfield’s neighbors; OCRC is also organizing a community energy fair to take place next summer.

Other towns around Oxford Hills who are enrolled with Maine’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future programs include Norway, Waterford, Paris and West Paris.