When I think of the spirit of KBIA, I think of the loyal and tight-knit community we have surrounding us throughout each summer season, and throughout the year. The sense of community within KBIA is ever present, has remained constant through multiple generations, and makes us all feel like we are home when we are here. It is this spirit that makes me so thankful to spend my ninth year at KBIA doing what I love. I am looking forward to our 107th season opening day when I will welcome our incredible staff, members, and – most importantly – the children. We are also fortunate to have David Sweetser, an integral part of our KBIA family and longtime member of the community, take on leadership of our Board of Directors as KBIA President – please help me in welcoming him this season.
In the 2017 season, we are pleased to announce a few new changes to our program offerings. Reading isn’t just for the littles – we will add a reading class for children age 11 and older to enjoy. Our ever popular drama class will now be divided into specific age groups for a more focused class experience. And we are excited to announce the addition of novice sailing clinics – a one day clinic specific to older children who are new to sailing so that they can feel comfortable joining one of our standard sailing classes. Think the kids are having all the fun? A new yoga class for parents will be offered this season, so grab your yoga mat and join us! More details on all classes are to come in the 2017 Registration Guide due out at the end of March.
The generosity of our donors have made it possible to make some necessary updates to our campus and facilities. Some of the bigger projects we are excited to work on include putting in a new floor for the Adventures tent and addressing the ventilation on the second floor of Smith to make it a bit cooler during the hot summer months. On the waterfront, one of our support boats has need for a new motor, and we will add water access on the docks to help clean our boats. We are thankful to our donors, volunteers, and staff for helping us keep the KBIA facilities safe and up-to-date, and hope you will visit us to see our progress this season!
In the meantime, we invite you to join KBIA as a member. Our 2017 membership form can be found on our website
here. Membership fees support KBIA in the year they are given and remain crucial to the financial health and stability of our nonprofit organization while still giving scholarships.
Your generosity, in any amount, helps us make a difference both in this community and our children’s lives. Please consider a donation to our scholarship fund, facilities fund, and/or our general fund in addition to your membership. Please visit the “
How to Donate” section of our website for more details on each fund. All donations help support a place that allows children to explore the vast and rugged beauty of the Coast of Maine in summer, while building knowledge, leadership, and respect for themselves, others and their world.
Sincerely,
Martin Lodish
Executive Director
