By LESLIE HYDE

Ruth Pearse was born in Rockland in 1927. She graduated from Camden High School in 1946, worked for years as a nurse at Camden Hospital and helped to run the family farm in Hope. She was a lifelong resident of the Midcoast and leaves a rich legacy of her many contributions. She died peacefully on Feb. 26, 2006. This is a tribute to Ruth.

I first met Ruth on a beautiful October evening in the fall of 1978 on the second floor of the Extension office in Rockland. I was a finalist for a faculty position with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Ruth was a member of the volunteer County Extension Executive Committee, which basically would determine my future.

I was too filled with my own anxiety about getting the job that evening to remember her clearly, but in the ensuing years my associations with Ruth left me with memories that I will never forget.

I wasn't long out of college and though I had family roots in Lincolnville, I was definitely from away. Ruth was definitely local. She had lived in North Haven, Rockland, Lincolnville Beach and Hope. She was welcoming to me as a new comer and helped to ground me in my new place. I always felt her support.
One of the first projects that Ruth and I worked on together was teaching youth the joy of non-competitive games. Ruth helped to organize a New Games Leader Training and Festival. We taught and played games not to win, but just have fun. Ruth not only helped to organize the event, but engaged in the spirit of the day and came dressed as a clown.

In 1980 the Maine Extension Association and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension recognized Ruth as an Outstanding Maine Community Leader. She had been a registered nurse, 4- H leader, health officer for the Town of Hope for 15 years, active in the county 4-H leaders association and member of the Knox-Lincoln County Extension Executive Committee.

At that time she is quoted in a May 6, 1980 Courier-Gazette story as saying "We are taught in growing-up to share our education and skills with those less fortunate. I believed then and I do today that education is the answer to so many of our problems."
Tanglewood

Two years later Ruth was serving as president of the Knox-Lincoln Extension Association, and the possibility of leasing Camp Tanglewood in Lincolnville was presented to the Executive Committee.

Today one might say that this idea is a no brainer. But 25 years ago Tanglewood, which is comprised of more that 47 buildings on 800 acres located in a remote comer of Camden Hills State Park, was pretty run down. It had been built by the CCC in the 1930s and run as a girls camp by the Bangor-Brewer YWCA for more than 30 years.

The Y dropped its lease to the camp in 1972. Ten years later, in 1982, Tanglewood Camp was what might be called a real fixer-upper. The Director of Extension in the early 1980s agreed that Maine needed a state 4-H camp, but budgets were tight, interest rates high and he did not see where the money could be found to take on this daunting project.

Ruth, on the other hand, did not hesitate. She recognized an opportunity for educating children and helping them to enjoy the natural world. She saw the potential of Tanglewood, this aging camp in a most beautiful setting, and as a, member of the Extension Executive Committee signed the first lease to the camp in June 1982.

Ruth was a charter member of a group of hard working volunteers, called the Tanglewood 4H associates who raised funds to renovate the camp and sustain programs.

That was nearly 25 years ago. Today Tanglewood continues its mission to teach Maine youth and adults to be effective and caring citizens of the Earth through affordable environmental education and nature based experiences.

The original Associates have reformed into the Tanglewood 4-H Camp and Learning Center Board of Directors. The original structure as part of the, Knox-Lincoln Extension Association has been recrafted into a non-profit corporation serving all Maine youth and families.

Involvement

Since1982 more than 10,000 youth from every comer of Main¢ have attended Tanglewood summer camp and another 36,000 have attended school programs. Educational and recreational programs are not just for youth. Today Tanglewood boasts the largest Elderhostel program in the state and offers teacher workshops and other programs for adults.

In 2005 the Tanglewood Board of directors adopted Ruth's bold leadership style and acquired the Blueberry Cove Camp in Tenants Harbor with a vision to extend the Tanglewood mission to even more Maine youth and families through this beautiful coastal setting.

Ruth's involvement with Extension went beyond Maine.
When she stepped off the Knox-Lincoln Executive Committee in the mid 1980s she stepped up into national Extension work. She was appointed to the Maine Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (with the acronym CARET) where she represented Maine in Washington D.C. and in meetings across the country.

When I think of Ruth today I remember her:

As a woman who was comfortable running a meeting around a wood stove in her farmhouse or in a Board room.

As a woman who could stick her neck out for others and can tomatoes.

As a woman who could attend an event at the State House in a conservative suit and then dress up like a clown to entertain children.

Ruth was a worker and a doer, a good person to have on your team.

Ruth was creative, inspired and inspiring.

Ruth gained a special place in my heart for her wood stove baked cinnamon buns and oatmeal raisin cookies.

Today we celebrate the good life of a woman who did not hesitate to make contributions of time, energy and love to her community. When Ruth was recognized for being an outstanding community leader in 1980, The Courier Gazette also quoted her as saying "Of course (winning the award) pleases me, but I think it's too much about any one person. It isn't something I did as an individual, because in all aspects of life there is always someone else invo1ved every step of the way I've had family, friends and neighbors with me. We're never alone." As we move forward as friends, family and those who have benefited from her many gifts, these are words to remember. While Ruth is no longer with us physically, she certainly joins us all spirit. I know that many people in our community have been inspired by Ruth. I am grateful to count myself among them.
I Will always remember her incredible energy and the great legacy that she leaves us all, to work together for good causes. Thank you, Ruth, for Tanglewood 4-HCamp and your many other gifts to Maine. Yes Ruth, we will keep working together and we will remember your words: "We are never alone."

Leslie C. Hyde of St. George is an Extension Educator with the UM Cooperative Extension.