 To the entire CELT community: As your board president, it is my bittersweet duty to announce that Cindy Krum, our executive director for the last 7.5 years, has resigned and will be taking up a new challenge as executive director of the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center in Massachusetts. Her last day with CELT will be April 24th. While we will miss Cindy greatly, this is also a time to celebrate all that CELT has accomplished (even through a pandemic!) during her tenure with us. Here are just a few highlights: Adding 201 permanently conserved acres to the 665 CELT held back in 2015, an increase of 30%;Finalizing the permanent conservation of the Cross Town Trail, so that generations to come will be able to walk through the beautiful woods and marshlands of this town, all the way from Portland Head Light to Kettle Cove;Accepting Peter Eastman’s generous donation of Turkey Hill Farm and beginning to build the future of the farm through our partnership with the Wild Seed Project;Expanding our education programs, particularly with the 7th and 8th-grade place-based curriculum at Turkey Hill Farm that is now in its second year;Growing in effectiveness and efficiency as a land trust accredited by the national Land Trust Alliance; andCompleting a $7.5M comprehensive campaign that allowed us to conserve four new properties, while also building CELT’s endowment funds to enable us to care for all of our properties — forever! Cindy, we wish you every success for the future, we thank you, and we know that CELT and its mission will remain dear to your heart. As we begin to plan for the future, the board of directors has hired David Briman as CELT’s interim executive director. David has been a member of CELT’s board for the past 6 years, as well as serving on the executive committee and chairing the lands committee. His experience as a real estate attorney will serve him well in this role. Thank you, David, for taking on this challenge. Thank you as well to the remaining members of our staff – Ardath Dixon, Caitlin Gagne, and Patty Renaud – for all they have done and will do to ensure “business as usual” at CELT during this transitional time. I know that Patty would want me to remind you that the 16th Annual Paint for Preservation will take place on Sunday, June 25th. Please save the date for the best night of the summer! Ticket sales to this always-sold-out event open May 15th. We will have more to announce about the search process for Cindy’s permanent successor in the coming weeks and months. CELT has had just two executive directors over the past 20 years, which is a testament to the dedication and commitment of this town and its people to CELT’s work. Here’s to the next 20 years! With appreciation,  Liz Murley CELT Board President |
 Dear Members and Friends, I want to offer a heartfelt thanks to the entire CELT community. While I won’t have a chance to speak with all of you before my departure, I want you to know how much I have loved working with all of you to advance CELT’s important mission. This is truly a community land trust, and each of you are a critical part of that community. We have done some important work together over the last seven years and these successes will only expand and continue due to the commitment of this community. I am happy that I am making this transition at a time when CELT is in such a strong position for continued growth in its land conservation, stewardship and education programs. I am grateful to our exceptional board of directors for working to ensure a smooth transition. I would also like to thank David Briman for stepping up as the interim executive director. I look forward to working with David over the coming weeks so that he can pick up where I am leaving off. This community and these lands will always hold a special place in my heart. Since my new position will be a hybrid work arrangement, I will be staying in Maine, so I hope to see you on the CELT trails! All the best,   |
