Sixth, seventh and eighth graders take time out to pose for a group photo during the 2008 Stratton Summer Rec Program. (Submitted photo) STRATTON-EUSTIS — The Stratton-Eustis recreation program is gearing up for another great summer, noted summer program director Cheryl Heikkinen. Thanks to several grants from PlumCreek, Sugarloaf Charitable Trust, The Western Mountain Fund and TransCanada the program will now run for eight weeks.

The program will start June 16 and run until Aug. 6. A $20 registration fee is due at the beginning of the program. The program is geared for kids ranging in age 4 to 15. This year 9th graders are invited to attend the program.

Free swim lessons will be offered to those children who are in the program. These will take place each Monday and Tuesday at the beach.

"We have many new programs for the summer," said Heikkinen. "We have been able to hire a part-time art teacher and we are going to include golfing, cooking, computer and tennis along with our other programs." Kids will also enjoy going into the new Flagstaff Hut System overnight as well as the ATV ride that the Flagstaff ATV club will provide for the kids. Gray Animal Park is also on the schedule.

Some of the kids' favorites are back as well: white water rafting, going to the CVOA range for shooting and archery, movies, hiking and biking, camping out at the Cathedral Pines Campground. Adventure Bound will spend two different weeks with some of the kids camping and canoeing for a week on Moose River and Flagstaff Lake.

There are some educational programs planned for this year as well. The Challenger Learning Center of Maine and LC Bates Museum will come to the community building and work with the children doing various projects. Sprague Wise will go over wildfire safety and the kids can get their picture taken with Smokey the Bear and Maine guide Rick Rodgers will give a course in Map and Compass.

As a way of giving back to the community, the program will put on a canned food drive the first week of the program and will donate goods to the local food pantry. They will also be cooking and hosting a senior citizens' luncheon at the community building on Aug. 5.

The big finale will be held on Thursday, Aug. 6. "We'll have the dunk tank, bounce house, face painting, games and relay races, piñatas, cotton candy, a cookout of burgers and hotdogs and the fire truces will come up and squirt kids with the hoses," Heikkinen said.

Those interested may pick up packet information either at Stratton Elementary School or at the Stratton Town Office.

For further information, call Cheryl Heikkinen at 246- 2849.