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Leadership Recast at Sebago Lake Ice Fishing Derby

September 12, 2011 - Lakes Region - After 11 years directing nearly every aspect of the Sebago Lake Rotary Club's annual ice fishing derby, Tom Noonan announced this week he is stepping down from the post.

However, the popular Sebago Lake derby, which has grown to be the third-largest in the country, won't be casting about looking for a new director. Rotarians Ingo Hartig and Steve McFarland have already volunteered to co-direct the event. And Noonan, a longtime Rotarian and local real estate broker, says he is planning to direct the club's Statewide Derby, aiming to make it as big a success as the Sebago derby.

"The statewide derby needs attention and has the potential for great gains," Noonan said Tuesday. "It's a new challenge and will take a lot of energy to get it where I want it."

The statewide derby usually takes place a few weekends after the Sebago derby, which in 2012 will run a week earlier than usual, Feb. 18-19. Noonan said the statewide derby, in its third year, also has the potential of becoming the largest derby in the country within five years, but needs better promotion and a wider network of participating clubs.

Noonan's new job won't be easy. Specifically, he said the administrative demands are immense, since the statewide derby relies on local snowmobile clubs, other outdoor sporting clubs and even store owners to staff several dozen weigh stations in remote spots throughout the state. Noonan said his short-term goal is to grow the network of participating clubs, who in turn would share the task of advertising the event.

"It's going to be a grassroots effort," Noonan said.

After a few years, once the network is established, he expects the derby to gain more cachet as more clubs get involved.

When it comes to running the Sebago Lake derby, two fellow Rotarians and longtime derby volunteers - Hartig of Raymond and McFarland of Windham - have agreed to direct the team of about 25 Rotarians who volunteer for the event.

"I'm honored to do it," Hartig said. "Tom has done it for 11 years and decided to do the statewide derby, and I'm now beginning to realize how much he did. It is amazing how Tom pulled it off all those years."

McFarland is likewise excited to be co-directing the biggest wintertime event in the Lakes Region, with sometimes as many as 6,000 people on the ice for derby weekend.

"Tom has been the one person in charge from the beginning, so we're still trying to figure it out as we go," he said.

McFarland, who works at Windham/Raymond Adult Education and is also a Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce member, said he and Hartig are still developing their specific roles. But Hartig will likely work with the town of Raymond and Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife to obtain event permits while McFarland will focus on forming teams within the Rotary club to take on the numerous tasks involved with the event.

John Balentine, Lake Region Weekly, September 2011


Lakes: Sebago Lake
Regions: Sebago


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