A Message From Kevin

We are anxious for spring to arrive so that we can get back to golfing for the season. With the mild winter we are experiencing hopefully we will be able to open in April like past years. While payment is not officially due until the course is open, we would welcome any payments at this time. Enclosed is the payment form for the 2016 golfing season which is the same rates as 2014 & 2015. We still have a few large bills coming due before we open in April (taxes and insurance), so if there are any of you that are able to pre-pay your dues, it would be greatly appreciated! I have included the rates that were set by the board for 2016 and the form we will be using.

We have a gem in the middle of the Katahdin Region and need to get the word out about our course. The Clubhouse and Kitchen has helped with our finances with their dinners. Our Clubhouse is catching on as the place to hold High School Reunions. As you know, our membership was down last year due to the economy and aging citizens in our area. Play cards did very well as did green fee player income and we are proposing increasing them slightly this coming year. The budget we adopted fell short in our anticipated revenue however we also adapted our expenses so that we were able to have a small profit this past year, which leaves us with very little money to carry us thru the winter and stay current on the bills that will come due. If you are able to pay your membership it would be greatly appreciated, including partial payments if that is what your budget allows.

The Club was able to purchase 2 important pieces for the club, our storage shed which gets the chemicals out of the building and a golf cart. We have ordered a new piece of equipment a gator utility vehicle to help with work around the course and will continue with a fund to pay this through a $1 contribution from all tournament fees. We also had 2 members make significant contributions to the fund. The course was in fantastic shape at the end of the season. Thanks to the many volunteers & staff who made this all possible. The Board is planning NO major projects in 2016 and will be using volunteer labor wherever possible to keep the cost of running Hillcrest at a minimum. We have heard the members and will be trying to bring in help for areas like the bunkers and such.

Payment can be sent to:

Hillcrest Golf Club
1 Golf Course Road
Millinocket, Maine 04462

Respectfully,
Board of Directors

Note: Members that play in Tournaments will be required to join GHIN this year.

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JUNIOR GOLF CAMP  2015

Our 2015 Junior Golf Camp will be help on June 17, 18, 19th with a rain date June 20th.  Flyers have already gone out to the schools. Registration cut off date will be June 1st. Registration fee of 10.00 must be paid at the time of registration. Applications will be available at the golf course and Parks and Recreation Department in East Millinocket. This event is for Ages 9-16. Children that complete the 3 day session will be awarded a 75.00 junior membership for the remainder of 2015.

The Junior Golf committee will be sponsoring a bake sale May 9th at the golf course. Hours will be from 9am -until the food is gone. The committee welcomes all offers to cook for sale.

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VOLUNTEERS FROM MILLINOCKET TURN HILLCREST GOLF COURSE INTO A ‘GREAT PLACE TO SKI’

Greg Friel had never seen the rolling hills of Hillcrest Golf Club until he took his son to a golf clinic there in June of 2013, but the course’s winding cart paths and open greenery gave the Schenck High School physical education teacher an idea. “I thought, ‘this would make a great place to ski’,” Friel recalled.

Friel and fellow volunteer Paul Corrigan, are the creators of about five miles of cross-country skiing trails that stretch from a nature trail at Stearns High School to the golf course. The trails are free to the public.

Having opened a few weeks ago, the course has drawn dozens of skiers despite having relatively little publicity. Corrigan said it fulfills his and Friel’s goal of broadening the town’s appeal with residents while drawing more tourists looking for fun activities.

“it is a very hilly nine-hole golf course. The terrain is always changing, so you’re climbing a lot, but the hills aren’t too steep, and there are some really nice downhill’s,” said Corrigan, a writer and retired Baxter State Park ranger who has cross-country skied in competitions for many years. “It’s a wonderful place to work out, like a race course,” he added.

Corrigan and Friel marked the course shortly after winter began after getting permission from Hillcrest’s board of directors and a grooming sled from Northern Timber Cruisers of Millinocket, and all-terrain vehicle, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing club. Frank Clukey, Millinocket recreation director, also helped the volunteers secure insurance to indemnify the club against liability created by the skiing.

Hillcrest officials allowed the use of the course as long as the volunteers kept the trails on the cart paths as much as possible and did whatever else they could to limit damage to the facility. Snowmobiling on the golf course remains prohibited, Corrigan said. Sean Clark, an experienced downhill but neophyte cross-country skier, said the trails ride pretty well.

“I had no trouble getting around there,” said Clark, co-owner of the nearby Ice Fish Inn. “I have it tagged as intermediate. There are a few hills, but they aren’t terrifically steep or long.” The trails are marked and wide enough to allow both skating and classic-style cross-country skiing, Friel said. Being on a golf course, the trails offer more open terrain and deeper snow than most trails, and far fewer annoying obstacles, such as tree branches and waterways.

Corrigan said he hoped that the new trail would complement the many older trails in the region and that its proximity to downtown Millinocket restaurants would draw people from around the state. “We didn’t think it would turn out as well as it did. You design something and you don’t have a sense until you ski it. “Corrigan said. “It seems to me that it has a very nice rhythm.”

The volunteer effort, Corrigan said, falls in line with an economic development report by a Virginia consultant who recommended last month that volunteers work to beautify and better-utilize the town’s natural resources to help it grow. “I read the report and it said that things, recreation efforts, like this were needed. “ he said. “I think this is a little piece of the puzzle.

Dear Hillcrest Members,

Happy Holidays, everyone! We are anxious for spring to arrive so that we can get back to golfing for the season.
While payment is not officially due until the course is open, we would welcome any payments at this time.
Enclosed is the bill for the 2015 golfing season which is the same rates as 2014. We still have a few large bills
coming due before we open in April (taxes and insurance), so if there are any of you that are able to pre-pay your
dues, it would be greatly appreciated! I have included the rates that were set by the board for both 2014 & 2015.

We have a gem in the middle of the Katahdin Region and need to get the word out about our course. The Clubhouse and
Kitchen has helped with our finances with their dinners. The Ladies and Mens Groups have help fund a new automatic
defibrillator and a new floor that will be installed on the back porch. Our Clubhouse is catching on as the place
to hold High School Reunions. As you know, our membership was down last year due to the economy and aging citizens
in our area. Play cards did very well as did green fee player income and we are proposing increasing them slightly
this coming year. The budget we adopted fell short in our anticipated revenue however we also adapted our expenses
so that we were able to have a small profit this past year, which leaves us with very little money to carry us thru
the winter and stay current on the bills that will come due. If you are able to pay your membership it would be
greatly appreciated, including partial payments if that is what your budget allows.

The Club was able to purchase 2 important pieces of equipment for the course in 2014 and have set up a fund to pay
this loan through a $1 contribution from all tournament fees. We also had 2 members make significant contributions
to the fund. The course was in fantastic shape at the end of the season. Thanks to the many volunteers & staff who
made this all possible. The Board is planning NO major projects in 2015 and will be using volunteer labor wherever
possible to keep the cost of running Hillcrest at a minimum.

Respectfully,
Board of Directors