Readfield Couple Wins Museum's Birchbark Canoe Raffle

Bob Holtzman (right), raffle coordinator for Penobscot Marine Museum, presents the 2010 raffle grand prize birchbark canoe to winners Cathy and Steven Vorpagel of Readfield, Maine.

August 10, 2010 -- The grand prize of Penobscot Marine Museum's 2010 raffle could not be in better, more appreciative hands.

Cathy and Steven Vorpagel of Readfield, Maine, are the new owners of an authentic birchbark canoe, built at the museum last summer by master builder Steve Cayard and a team of apprentices from the Wabanaki nations. Steven Vorpagel is an avid canoe collector, and both he and Cathy are active in the Wooden Canoe Heritage Association, an international organization dedicated to preserving and using traditional canoes. While Steven had bought two raffle tickets for himself, the winning ticket was bought by Cathy with the object of giving the canoe to Steven, should she win.

The grand prize ticket was drawn August 5 at the museum's gala and auction at Point Lookout Resort in Northport, Maine, by Ellie Flagg, manager of the Searsport branch of Bangor Savings Bank, the event's primary sponsor.

The following day, George Flynn, an Honorary Trustee of the museum, drew tickets for the raffle's first and second prizes. Mr. Jack Williams of Camden National Bank won the first prize, a Sponsor-level membership in the museum. Second prize, a $150 gift certificate to the museum's store, went to Mr. Todd Labrador of Nebb's Cross, Nova Scotia.

Mr. and Mrs. Vorpagel say that they will use the canoe, not merely display it, and will bring it to canoe gatherings to give others the rare opportunity to paddle an authentic birchbark canoe.