In-person

This trip will include touring two historical sites.

The Frances Perkins National Monument consists of the historic 1837 Perkins Homestead on 57 acres of farmland and forest with a 1.5-mile loop trail to the Damariscotta River. We will learn about the life and legacy of Frances Perkins in the Welcome Center inside the beautifully restored ell and barn of the Perkins Homestead. There is a self-guided exhibit. We will spend about 1.5-2 hours viewing the exhibit and walking the trail. 

We will then take the 10-minute drive to Whaleback Shell Midden. This is an 11-acre property owned by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands and co-managed with Coastal Rivers. There, we can enjoy a picnic lunch or snacks before exploring.

The site once contained a massive oyster shell heap, or midden, formed over a period of more than 1,000 years by prehistoric people. The shells were processed for chicken feed in the late 1800’s, leaving behind just a fraction of the original mounds. Interpretive storyboards relate the history of the middens, their accumulation and destruction, and also share stories of the Upper Damariscotta River.

The swinging bench by the shore offers an ideal view of one of the largest intact middens on the East Coast, the Glidden Midden, just across the river. This trail is rated accessible by Forest Service standards: 8′ wide, gently graded, and surfaced with firm crushed stone dust. Handicap parking is available at both the Whaleback and Round Top Farm trailheads.

Frances Perkins Center: https://francesperkinscenter.org/

Whaleback Shell Midden Historic Site: https://tinyurl.com/mskhsn8a

Maine.gov Whalebakc Shell Midden: https://tinyurl.com/4nm5akm5

Carpooling: Meet in the Park 'n Ride lot next to the Farmington Walgreens. We will leave Farmington at 8:30 am for the 1.5-hour trip to the Frances Perkins National Monument, with an expected arrival time of 10 am.

Dates: July 22, 2026   Rain Date: July 24, 2026

Time: 10:00 am - midafternoon

Location: Frances Perkins National Monument, 478 River Rd, Newcastle, ME

Nadine is interested in history and exploring historical sites. She will be coordinating this trip, including carpooling.

In-person

Protected by Georges River Land Trust since 2017, the Langlais Art Preserve is a 90-acre nature preserve in Cushing, Maine, with a 10-acre art environment at its heart.

The Langlais Art Preserve encompasses the former homestead of Maine-born artist Bernard Langlais and his wife, Helen Friend Langlais. Dotting the landscape are more than a dozen of Langlais’s large-scale wooden sculptures, remnants of the expansive outdoor art environment he created here from 1966 to 1977.

Today, a 1/4-mile ADA-accessible path provides a route through the art environment, and the 2 1/2-mile Woodland Trail traverses the forest beyond. Cushing is approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes from Farmington.

Car pooling will be coordinated shortly before the trip. We will start the tour at 10:30 with staff introductions and information, then we will have time for our group to explore & enjoy the preserve. We will also have the opportunity to take a tour of Langlais's workshop, which has been carefully preserved, watch a 15- minute film created in 1977 at the height of Langlais's career in Cushing, view additional Langlais works, and try our hand at a Langlais-inspired craft.

You are encouraged to bring a lunch to eat on the lawn or at the picnic tables. A porta-potty is available. The preserve is a nonprofit running on limited resources. Each member of the group is asked to donate $10 to help offset staffing costs and support the Preserve’s operations and programs. Website: https://www.langlaisartpreserve.org 

Address: 576 River Rd, Cushing, ME

July 30, 2026.   Rain date: August 13, 2026

Caitlin Kelty-Huber is the Langlais Art Preserve Program Assistant.

In-Person

The day will start with a visit to the Bowdoin Art Museum with a docent. Following that, the group will go to lunch at the cafeteria in the Moulton Student Union.  Then, those who wish can go to the Peary-Macmillan Arctic Museum. Lunch at your own expense.

Date: August 12, 2026

Time: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm 

Location: Bowdoin College, 245 Maine Street, Brunswick, ME  04011

Cassandra Braun is a curator at the Bowdoin Art Museum.

Hybrid

Intelligence for the Rest of Us: Hype, Hope, and the Future of AI will focus on and explain the current state of AI, address claims (true or otherwise) made by large tech companies, and how major media outlets report on the technology. We will also explore the reality of using AI technology every day and how it is actually shaping the general public.

Part One will provide an overview of the radical increase in large language model-based AI models, the marketing strategies applied to promote AI products and services, and the future-focused claims made by tech giants like OpenAI, Anthropic, and other major players in the AI industry. Finally, we will examine how major news media outlets and platforms have skewed public perception of AI capability and define the current state of AI technology.

Part Two will detail ways in which users can be more aware of AI content, access resources and tools for cutting through the noise of AI news reporting, and garner clarity and reassurance on the probable trajectory of AI, its products, and its uses.

Please note: This presentation will include discussion surrounding political content and misinformation. These topics will only be discussed insofar as they apply to the AI industry.

Dates: August 14 and 28, 2026

Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Location: Education Center, room 112

Tyler Provencher is the Program Coordinator for Greater Franklin Digital Literacy - a free community tech support program across Franklin County. Tyler's background includes a Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology from the University of Maine at Farmington. He has hands-on experience with smartphones, laptops, tablets, and desktop computers, as well as participation in virtual software and hardware events and conferences.

Through his work at Greater Franklin Digital Literacy, Tyler aims to provide practical, actionable, and rational technology education to the broader Franklin County community.

In Person

Two walks, one exploring Vienna Mountain and the other again searching for the Three Birds Orchid at the Mountain Trail in Belgrade.  Weather conditions will determine which walk will be on which day.

Dates: August 18 & 25, 2026

Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Location: Vienna Mountain & Belgrade

Carpool: TBD

Deb is a regular GLI member and nature presenter. She graduated from the Maine Master Naturalist Program in 2020.

In-Person

Franklin County Jail currently houses about 30 inmates.  It has several programs to help prevent recidivism and help inmates re-enter society.

Date: August 24, 2026

Time: 10:00 am - 11:30 am

Location: Franklin County Jail

Major Hart Daley is the jail administrator.

In-Person

Patagonia encompasses large portions of southern Argentina and Chile and is often identified as a prime location for outdoor enthusiasts.

Earlier this year, Mike Stillman, a Maine State Guide, traveled to Chile, and, while fishing was his primary reason, he planned some extra days to learn more about the area. In doing so, he explored the city of Buenos Aires and smaller communities, sampled foods in many establishments, and talked with many people who live and work there.

Then he went fishing for the next several days before an interesting return trip to Maine. So come, sit back, and enjoy photos and stories of his South American adventure.

Date: September 9, 2026

Time: 10:00 am - 11:30 am

Location: Fusion Center, room 101

Mike began working in Maine at Baxter State Park between his junior and senior years of high school, returning for extended periods over the following years.

After graduating from college, he and his wife settled in Pennsylvania while she completed her education. During that time, they made the decision to move permanently to Maine.

Alongside his work, Mike learned the craft of building bamboo fly rods—a skill he continues to practice today. He also became a licensed Maine State Guide, a role he still holds, and he regularly travels throughout the United States, Canada, and beyond to pursue his passion for fishing.

In-Person

Free

Date: September 16, 2026

Time: 12-2 pm

Location: Kineowatha Park/Barn

A time to get together and socialize with fellow Gold LEAF members.  This will be a potluck lunch at Kineowatha Park in Wilton from 12 noon until 4 PM.  Donations welcomed.