Rebuild New Harbor's Back Cove Bridge

Hi, my name is PIM VAN HEMMEN. I live in New Harbor, Maine, which in January of 2024 was devastated by two massive ocean-driven storms that wreaked havoc on this quaint village. One of the things that was damaged in the storms was the picturesque footbridge across Back Cove, which used to be part of a lobster pound and has been there since the 1800s. It connects the two sides of the cove and allows local residents and visitors to walk across the cove without having to go all the way around it. The bridge also gives a fantastic view up and down the cove, which is one of the prettiest in Maine. Besides being historic, beautiful, and a lovely way to cross the water, this bridge is a public good. Unfortunately, more than a third of it was destroyed by the storms. Merle Thompson, the former owner of Thompson Cottages, whose family has maintained this bridge for many decades, is organizing a work party to rebuild it, but because everyone in the community benefits from this footbridge and because it is integral to the cove's character, I offered to raise the funds for the materials to reconstruct it. The money raised will only be used to pay for the materials and supplies. Merle will organize a work party, and the labor will be donated. The estimate for materials and supplies is $5,000. If any money is left over, it will be donated to the town's Working Waterfront fund to help repair local fishermen's docks that were damaged in the storms. Below are some photos of, and from the footbridge in better days, and one photo as it looks today after the last section was ripped out. I hope you will help rebuild this local treasure.