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Bob Weggel: Trail Builder, Philanthropist

Harpswell Heritage Land Trust
January 6, 2015

According to Bob Weggel, his voting address may be in Massachusetts but he lives in Harpswell. Since 1981, Bob has enjoyed the peace and tranquility he experiences upon arriving here from suburban Boston, where he lives and works with his wife, Diane.

In his professional life, Bob designs magnets, being named in the Guinness Book of World Records in the 1980s. Now semi-retired, he revels in the outdoors. In Harpswell and elsewhere, he volunteers to build and maintain trails. If you have walked the Wilson’s Cove Trail, you have enjoyed his multitude of rock steps, stepping stones, gravel causeways and bog bridges. Asked why he does this work, Bob says with a big smile that he loves this community.

Bob recently decided to do more for Harpswell through the new Robert J. Weggel Fund. By contributing to this fund and also naming it as beneficiary on retirement accounts, Bob creates a legacy for future generations. The fund provides income for HHLT’s work and provides critical bridge financing to help HHLT act quickly to protect Harpswell’s special places.

HHLT is foremost among many conservation organizations in earning Bob’s respect and admiration because of its effectiveness preserving his beloved summertime Paradise on Earth. He finds it immensely satisfying that even relatively modest contributions can make a difference in the work of a small organization and will be used to protect a place he cherishes for current and future generations.