NEW GLOUCESTER – Pineland Farms and Orienteering Maine invite the public to “Learn to Orienteer” at noon Sunday, May 23, at Pineland Farms Outdoor Center.

Everyone is welcome to learn about and try the growing map and compass sport of orienteering. Attendees will receive the basic instruction necessary to get started in the sport and will be led on a short map walk by an experienced orienteer. Afterward, they will have a chance to try their new skills on one of several orienteering courses, designed for those with little or no experience, set especially for the event.

Orienteering will be a medal sport in the Maine Games to be held at Pineland Farms on June 19.

The May 23 event is one of several planned by Pineland Farms and Orienteering Maine leading up to Sept. 25 and 26, when a weekend of national championship orienteering, conducted by Orienteering Maine, will take place at Pineland Farms. During that weekend, the 2004 U.S. Night-Orienteering Championships, the 2004 U.S. Orienteering Relay Championships and the inaugural Maine and the Maritimes Championships will all be held.

Directions information may be obtained from Phil Savignano at 688-4800 or [email protected]. Questions about Orienteering Maine, Maine Games orienteering or the September weekend may be e-mailed to Jon Nash at [email protected].

Information about Orienteering Maine can be found at http://www.spatial.maine.edu/~hendrick/orienteering and information about orienteering can be found at http://www.us.orienteering.org.