“Venture” a Rippleffect Boat Moored off the Mavodones Landing Boat Float Near Ocean Gateway on the East End of Portland.
The Public Boat Float is Named Mavadones Landing Near Ocean Gateway on the East End of Portland.
The Public Boat Float at Mavodones Landing Near Ocean Gateway From Which Rippleffect Launhes its Boat Trips.
Rippleffect, located in Portland, is one of 109 Maine entities to receive grant money to help recover from last winter’s devastaing storms according to a press release issued today by Governor Janet T. Mills’ (D) Augusta office. Rippleffect will receive $ 100,000 of the Business Recovery & Resilience Grant money. The grant recipients announced today are the first to be awarded from the largest investment in storm recovery by any administration in Maine history; $5.8 million.
Rippleffect was founded back in 1999 when a team of six from Lubec embarked on a kayak journey in memory of several people who died of AIDS. They were all friends of founder Ted Regan who organized the trip to educate youth about AIDS according to the non-profit’s webpage. The kayak journey ended on December 31, 1999 in Key West, Florida following 2,700 miles and having reached about 2,300 youth in ports along the east coast. Regan and his co-founder Aaron Frederick, returned to Maine to found Rippleffect. It has evolved into the non-profit serving youth that it is today.
With incredible support from the local community and from Maine Coast Heritage Trust, the non-profit purchased Cow Island in 2001. It now serves over 3,500 local adults and youth each year. It employs up to 30 exceptional staff each year according to its webpage. Cow Island is a 26 acre Island in Casco Bay, 3 miles northeast of downtown Portland.
Some of the other 109 statewide organizations awarded funding from this source include: Popham Beach Improvement Association, Ferry Beach Association, Lionel Plante Associates, The Lobster Shack at Two Lights, Pemaquid Falls Farm, Camp Winnebago Inc., Thompson Cottages, Kennebunkport Historical Society, Northern Star Custom Boats, The Shipyard at Boothbay Harbor, Brooklin Boat Yard, Blue Hill Bay Boating Company, Ocean Pursuits LLC, Lyman Morse Boats, Inc., Hurricane Island Foundation, Dolphin Marine Services, Inc. and South Port Marina, LLC.
“This funding is critical for us because we were ineligible for other types of storm-related relief,” said Marty Richard with Washington County based Woodland Pulp. “These funds will allow us to address repair needs and better prepare to withstand future weather damage to minimize the impact to our business.”
“Last winter’s storms devastated businesses across Maine, but, with the support of the Legislature, we are taking action to help them recover and rebuild,” said Governor Mills. ‘These important grants will help businesses rebuild in a more resilient way that improves their ability to withstand future storms, which will protect the jobs and livelihoods of Maine people and safeguard our economy from the destructive impacts of climate change in the long-run.”