The only prize K. Scott Morrison of New Sharon had ever won in a raffle was a bag of dog food. But Tuesday, his luck changed in a way he never dreamed.
“It was beyond my wildest,” said Morrison, who joined the Maine forest Products Council board this fall. “I’m really pleased to win this and I hope to put it to use somewhere in this great state of Maine.
Morrison, who is general sales manager of Anderson Equipment in Farmington, won the “Fish Friendly” ice shack (valued at $2,000) in a raffle sponsored by the Maine Snowmobile Association (MSA), in partnership with Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), which supports the efforts of Maine’s Fisheries Improvement Network (FIN).
“This is a light-hearted effort to raise awareness of new stream crossing methods, which over time will greatly improve our state’s fisheries,” said Pat Sirois, SFI coordinator. “We’d like to thank all who participated.”
Irving Woodlands, Huber Engineered Woods, Plum Creek and Hancock Lumber donated SFI-certified materials for the ice shack and to Hancock Lumber, Sappi Fine Paper and Wagner Forest Management for helping with the construction.
The proceeds of the raffle will be used to upgrade a snowmobile crossing so fish can have clear passage. The funds raised from the first raffle last year already were used to open up fish passage at a snowmobile crossing in Brownville.
“This was a great raffle for an even greater cause,” said Bob Meyers, executive director of the MSA. “We’ll get these stream crossings one at a time, and our clubs are pleased to know this is another way to help our landowners and fisheries habitat.”
To find out more about FIN, visit www.sfimaine.org, or contact Pat Sirois, SFI coordinator, 207-622-9288.