MOUNT DESERT — The Downeast Dog Scouts club has earned the Silver President’s Volunteer Service Award for the year 2011.

Troop 159 is a nonprofit subgroup of the Dog Scouts of America that was established in September 2007 as an all-volunteer affiliate of the Dog Scouts of America.  It is the first and only Dog Scouts of America troop in Maine, serving Hancock County. As a group, troop members gave 646 hours of service to their communities. Troop members Pamela Bourque and Pier Carros earned individual Bronze President’s Volunteer Service Awards for completion of more than 100 hours of volunteer service. Troop leader Robyn Douglas also was awarded the Silver President’s Volunteer Service Award for completion of 314 hours of volunteer service.

Troop 159 members and their dogs provided a total of 646 hours of service in activities such as therapy dog visits, children reading to dogs programs, school visits, community educational activities, walkathons, and clean-up days. Troop members visited as representatives of therapy organizations at Mount Desert Island Hospital, Birch Bay Retirement Village, Tremont School, Northeast Harbor Library, Blue Hill Library, Brooksville Public Library and Swans Island Library.

Community service is a fundamental part of the Downeast Dog Scouts mission.  In 2011, the Dog Scouts raised funds with a community-supported yard sale. The Downeast Dog Scouts donated full sets of “Take a Bow Wow” dog training DVDs to libraries in Bar Harbor, Blue Hill, Ellsworth, Northeast Harbor, Southwest Harbor and Swans Island to promote positive reinforcement training methods in their communities.

The Downeast Dog Scouts and the Dog Scouts of America advocate positive reinforcement training and encourage people to help their dogs be all they can be.

Downeast Dog Scout Jillian and her owner Ms. Bourque were the top individual fund-raisers for the American Cancer Society’s Bark For Life event at Hadley Point Campground in Bar Harbor, the only Bark For Life event in Maine in 2011. It provided education about dogs and raised awareness regarding Canine Caregivers, a spokesman said. The Downeast Dog Scouts participated in the event and raised $460 as a troop.

During the 2011 holidays, the Downeast Dog Scouts assembled bags of treats for distribution at local banks as a festive thank you to all local dog owners that include their dogs in their daily lives. The Downeast Dog Scouts continued participation in two annual clean-ups during the Friends of Acadia Earth Day Clean Up and Take Pride in Acadia Day. Troop members clean up after less responsible dog owners at Little Long Pond in Seal Harbor, Maine

For more information about the Downeast Dog Scouts, contact Robyn Douglas at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 266-5807.

For more community news, pick up a copy of the Mount Desert Islander.