Every traditional Maine Sporting Camp has a means to beckon their guests to the dining room for mealtime. One method used at some remote camps is using a striker on a steel musical triangle to produce varying sounds. Another method is the usage of bells of all shapes and sizes. The striking of the triangle or ringing of the bell confirms what your body has been telling you, that "it's time to eat!"
At Pierce Pond Camps guests wait for the ringing of the Big Red Bell to head to the dining room. The Red Bell has been calling sports and guides to meals for many decades. A former school bell brought in from Martin Pond, it now sits in grandeur on the kitchen porch never intending to move. As a child, I remember my Mother asking one of the children to "go ring the bell" which was always very exciting. We would kick the heavy bell approximately four times to get the message across. Any more than four kicks would undoubtedly stir an irritated comment from the kitchen as it is very loud. To this day the Big Red Bell stands ready and waiting for the mealtime ringing—three meals a day. That has been a constant in the daily routine of the camp operation for decades and a memory for all guests who have ever stayed there.
To my knowledge, the bell has only rung three times outside of its mealtime routine. It served as an alarm to call in my Dad or Brother from the lake or perhaps a guest that practiced medicine. The first time was an emergency medical situation; the next was the announcement of a fire and the third was in 1976 to celebrate our nation's bicentennial. Each occurrence was unique and stays in our memories for a very long time.
Just imagine - a remote sporting camp without a bell or triangle. Our society is now reliant on the technology of cell phones and text messaging for emergency communication. That is, unless you are a guest at Pierce Pond Camps. There, the Big Red Bell reigns supreme.