A multipurpose recreational center located in the heart of Stonington, The Island Community Center (ICC) has been providing facilities and programs for members of the local community to enhance their social, emotional, and physical wellbeing for the past 22 years. The ICC is situated in the former Stonington School buildings on Memorial Lane and comprises a Gymnasium, a Cafe/Kitchen, the Greenlaw Room, an Outdoor Space, and a Fitness Center.
Jeannie Hatch has been the executive director of the ICC for the past ten years. She relocated from the mainland to Deer Isle with her family in 2012 and has worked tirelessly to create programs at ICC and connect with the community since. Jeannie and her Program Assistant, Ityara Rodrigues, alongside the ICC’s twelve Board Members, aim to continue to enhance and expand the sense of community that makes the Island so unique.
There are five different facilities at the Island Community Center, which are used for a variety of purposes and can be rented at very reasonable rates for events. The Cafe/Kitchen space includes a fully licenced commercial kitchen and is typically a gathering space for hosting meet-ups such as Coffee Connections on Tuesday mornings, Wednesday night Board Games, and Saturday night’s Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. The Greenlaw Room is a well-lit space used for meetings, classes and smaller parties. A variety of classes and special events are held here, such as Wednesday night Ping Pong and Belly Dancing on Tuesday evenings.
The Gymnasium is frequently used by Fitness Center members, community walkers, youth sports programs, pick-up sports groups, for private parties, or simply just community members looking to escape the elements. Some gym equipment is provided or you can bring your own. Community Walking is a free, recurring event hosted in the gymnasium on weekday mornings and provides a flat, comfortable environment in which to get some exercise and socialization in. Some other weekly events that happen at the gym are Wednesday afternoon Pickleball, Toddler Time on Monday mornings (which allows for young kids to have fun with friends and play in the mini bounce house while parents oversee and relax), and the Saturday morning Funtime Exercise class at 10am. Courtesy of Cory & Genevieve McDonald, exotic animal rescuer “Mr. Drew and His Animals Too” will be visiting with his menagerie on April 28th from 3-4pm in the Gymnasium and all are welcome to attend.
The Fitness Center, which opened in 2022, is accessible by keycard to members from 5am-9pm, seven days a week. Fitness Center members get unlimited monthly access to the fitness space, which includes treadmills, exercise bikes, a rowing machine, a stair stepper, and an elliptical, as well as a squat rack, barbell, weight benches, and several handheld weights. Members also have access to the gymnasium when not otherwise booked with other programming. Thanks to the support of the Island Health and Wellness Foundation and donors, financial assistance is available via the ICC website to anyone who cannot afford the full cost of a Fitness Center membership. There are also drop-in rates available. Last but not least, the Town of Stonington hosts the bustling Stonington Farmers’ and Artists’ Market (Fridays mornings 10am-noon from Memorial Day weekend through the last Friday of September) in the parking lot of the Island Community Center. The Town of Stonington also maintains a public playground that is located in the ball field across the street from the Community Center, which is a favorite spot of local and visiting families alike. On the third weekend in January, ICC is one of various locations on Deer Isle which celebrates the Healthy Island Project’s annual Winterfest event, as well.
The Island Food Pantry is an independent, nonprofit organization located in the basement of the Community Center and provides food for those in need. Their hours are Thursdays 4:30-6:30pm, except the 5th Thursday of the month. More information about the Food Pantry can be found on the ICC website.
Camp Kooky is an annual day camp for kids who’ve completed kindergarten through the age of 12. Typical days at Camp Kooky include outdoor activities and games, art lessons with Explorations Learning Center, hikes with Island Heritage Trust, swim lessons at the YMCA in Blue Hill, story time with the Stonington Public Library, Zumba classes, and much more. There are six week-long sessions offered between July 8th and August 16th, Monday-Friday 8am-4pm. The 2024 Application is open and available on the ICC website. Youth Sports for kids aged preschool-4th grade take place during the winter at the gymnasium and includes indoor Youth Basketball and indoor Youth Soccer. Other special annual events are offered frequently at the Community Center, ranging from CPR certifications and Hunter Safety Courses to art and cooking classes.
The Island Community Center holds a special place in my heart. Growing up on the Blue Hill Peninsula, the ICC has woven in and out of my life all the while. Many years ago, my parents rented the Gymnasium for their wedding reception. I remember that warm June afternoon, bedecked in our finery, as if it were yesterday. Jaunty celtic reels and jigs poured from a boombox perched on the stage as we all do-si-doed merrily across the game lines. My late father was a Scottish Country Dance instructor and taught his dance classes at the Community Center weekly for about a decade. I will always remember him dressed anachronistically in Scottish regalia while toting his old white Califone into the gym for his classes and the echoes of his patient instructions bouncing off the cavernous walls. My mother and I were the cleaning ladies at the ICC for a number of years, as well, and I cherished that time with her. I remember laughing together while watering the potted plants, dusting the bookshelves in the Greenlaw Room, and toting armfuls of kids’ toys back to their baskets. As a farm apprentice in my late teens and early twenties, I often tabled for Old Ackley Farm at the Stonington Farmers Market during the growing season. Our table was tucked into the cool shade of the Old Schoolhouse and I remember those busy market days fondly, set to a backdrop of local musicians and Herring gulls crying raucously from the waterfront just down the hill. The Stonington Six footrace is an annual Fourth of July event held to benefit the ICC that I’ve had the pleasure of running a number of times, too. Participants depart bright and early from the Community Center parking lot and take a circuitous 6.2 mile route around Stonington, arriving at the finish line breathless and euphoric. Just last Christmas, I attended the ICC Holiday Craft Fair for the first time as a vendor and connected with many other crafters and community members over my botanical illustrations and porcelain ornaments. Part of the beauty of the Island Community Center is the diversity of its programming and its accessibility to all.
The ICC strives to provide facilities and programs for community members to enhance their physical, social and emotional well-being. Donations to support their efforts and keep their facilities running at top performance are always welcome and appreciated. Donations are tax-deductible and can be made here via their website. This month, you can also round up at the Blue Hill Co-op to benefit the Island Community Center. There are numerous opportunities for volunteering at the ICC, as well. Some ways that you can help are by doing building cleanup and organization, data entry, outreach, preparation for events, and more. ICC can always use help with planning and hosting their programs and fundraisers, as well. If you would like to volunteer, contact Jeannie at 207-367-2735 or email her at director@islandcommunitycenter.org. For events, program schedules, and updates, follow the ICC on Facebook, Instagram, or the Island Community Center Website.
By Sarah Scamperle, Marketing Assistant
