One nice thing about living in the town where I grew up is I am constantly reminded of people I have known my whole life, and I have so many pleasant memories from childhood.
One of them is my grandmother, Elaine Warren.
While campaigning door-to-door for state representative in 2020, I was occasionally approached by folks who would say, “Are you related to Elaine Warren?”
When I said yes, I was soon entertained by amusing anecdotes, or warm recollections the person had of my grandmother.
Fortunately for me, though she passed away in 2009, she is still with us all in the form of Elaine Warren Woods, the Scarborough Land Trust wildlife refuge at 371 Payne Road in Scarborough.
She loved this 160-acre parcel that the family owned for more than 50 years.
She loved to take walks there. She’d bring her grandchildren often, and show us the birds and the flowers, and the magic of sitting quietly to listen to wildlife. “Don’t animals and birds make lovely sounds?” She would ask us.
It was her dream that the land would one day go to the Land Trust, which she helped start in l977, to be enjoyed by all people in Scarborough, especially school children.
After she passed away, and the final offer from a Big Box realtor had been dutifully rejected by her adult children, the family deeded the parcel to the Land Trust.
I enjoy going there. I also like to drive by and see cars parked in the little dirt parking lot, knowing people are out walking the trails — and enjoying the solitude and views, just as she would have wanted.
Recently, the Town of Scarborough teamed up with other benefactors to come up with the money needed to buy two properties adjoining Elaine Warren Woods.
The Land Trust used the hundreds of thousands of dollars raised to buy the parcels and expand the nature preserve. What a lovely gift to our community, one completely in line with the purpose my grandmother shared.
I enjoy my role serving my fellow citizens of Scarborough at the State House in Augusta.
Government can do good things to help us in life.
But the actions of the private citizens here and the Scarborough Land Trust is a reminder of the power of everyday people who worked together in shared purpose, and the ability we have as individuals to make meaningful contributions to our town and state.
This month, I will be spending time at the State House in COVID-safe, “in-person” legislative sessions, and no doubt dozens of hours in “zoom” hearings and meetings.
You hopefully will forgive me if my mind wanders from time to time, and I think back to my hometown … and my grandmother … and the land that was truly her “happy place” … and the birds and flowers and animals and sounds she so loved … and think: I’m eager to get home this weekend so I can drink in what my grandmother wanted to share with our community — a healthy serving of God’s green earth and all nature has to teach us, if we are able to stop and listen.
Sophie Warren is the state representative for Scarborough Coastal District 29. She can be reached by email at: sophie.warren@legislature.maine.gov, by postal mail at P.O. Box 1 Scarborough 04070, or by phone at (207) 450-0765.
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