GEORGETOWN

Pat Kosalka says she hopes a live broadcast of a “Today Show” segment in Georgetown will help put the small town at the mouth of the Kennebec on the map.

Next week, “Today Show” host Al Roker and co-anchor Craig Melvin will be traveling north to Sagadahoc Bay Campground in Georgetown, which Kosalka has run for the last 20 years with her husband Eric. She says they average about 65 visitors at any time during the summer.

Kosalka said she was caught off guard when she got the call out of the blue.

“I was just answering the phone because my campground is busy this time of year, so people keep calling. I was on a call and I saw it come across the line and it said Universal Studios,” said Kosalka. “But I couldn’t get to it.”

She didn’t believe the call was real at first.

“And I’m thinking, ‘Stacy is that you?’ That’s my daughter,” said Kosalka. “But then she said no, this is real. And so I said ‘Fine, of course I’d do it.’”

Kosalka said she’s been watching Roker and the other co-hosts of the show for years.

“I’ve always watched the ‘Today Show,’” she said with a big smile. “As a matter of fact, when we visited New York City we were one of the ones that were standing outside waving at them as they were having the show.

“This time they’re coming to me instead. So other people are going to come here and fill out their bucket list with ‘let’s go to the ‘Today Show,’” Kosalka added. “I had somebody call me from Saco. They said they saw it and they wanted to come and is that OK, and I said absolutely!”

She’s had quite a few calls like that about Roker and Melvin coming to town, including one person who is now renting a site at the campground next week just to be closer to the action.

“I think it’s hysterical! I’m just tickled pink,” said Kosalka.

The town’s 29-year-old fire chief Justin LoDolce — who just happens to be Kosalka’s nephew — noted that this is a big opportunity for many Mainers who can’t afford to take vacations to see some of their favorite television personalities in the flesh.

“A lot of Mainers work where they live with their hands,” he said. “A vacation means they’re not making money to feed their family.”

But while the visit is giving a lot of Mainers the opportunity to see the stars in person, Kosalka is hopeful that it will give the rest of the country a chance to see Georgetown.

“I feel so strongly that Georgetown is a beautiful community, and I said ‘I want to make sure you visit all those places,’” she said. “The country store, Reid State Park, all those beautiful, beautiful places in Georgetown that should be seen by people.”

“Everything’s got character here. You go down to the local dock and meet the fishermen. Here at Sagadahoc Bay Campground, the clam diggers will come by,” added LoDolce. “So when you come stay here, you’re meeting the people that live here. You’re not just on vacation, you’re essentially part of the community.”

Kosalka said that they’ll try to give the two “Today Show” stars a real Maine experience, with clamming, kayaking and a lobster bake all on the agenda.

Roker and Melvin will be renting an RV in Boston and traveling up the coast next week, Roker said in a phone interview Thursday.

“We’re going to start Monday from Boston in Boston Harbor, and then we’re going to end up in Georgetown,” said Roker. “And in between, we’re going to be stopping in a national park, we’re going to be doing some crabbing, clamming and lobstering.”

The two will spend the night at the Georgetown campground in their RV before shooting live from the campground in the morning and sharing prior recordings of their adventure with the world on the “Today Show.”

Roker said he’s been to Maine several times in the past for stories and also went camping in Kennebunk with his daughter years ago.

“The food is terrific,” he said. “Everything’s great.”

Roker invited any “Today Show” fans to come out to the campground for the broadcast Tuesday morning.

“Hopefully, people come down and hang out with us,” said Roker. “We’re really looking forward to it.”

nstrout@timesrecord.com

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