The weekend of July 27, 28 and 29, members of Boy Scout Troop 177 backpacked from the Washburn Trail Runners snowmobile club to their camp on the Everett Road as part of their camping merit badge.
After arriving at the camp the Scouts set up their campsite and began enjoying the weekend. Saturday included leaving the campsite to traverse the local area on a bottle drive with part of the proceeds going to Jared Reed’s Eagle project at the Washburn Memorial Library. The afternoon saw plenty of work at the camp as well as enjoying the swimming hole at the brook, campfires and advancement recognitions rounded out the day.
Sunday started with a Scouts Own church service lead by troop Chaplain Aide Jacob Reed and the message was given by Scoutmaster Larry Harrison. More swimming was on tap before the boys settled down to cook a six-course Dutch-oven meal for the parents in the afternoon. The menu consisted of a troop favorite, sparkling potatoes, meatloaf, chili, beef stroganoff, cherry cobbler and pumpkin cobbler.
Following the meal. Scouts received rank advancement and merit badges earned at summer camp as well as honor medals from “Catfish,” a fellow Scout who lives in Colorado. He was in the area this summer and left these Flame and Torch medals for troop members for all they do in their scouting careers.
Those attending were: Curtis Thompson, Jared Reed, Jacob Reed, Adam Wilcox, Andrew White, Keagan Page, Josh Flagg, Daniel Roy, Stephen Kinney, Scoutmaster Larry Harrison, Assistants Don Wilcox, Gregg Page, Mike Thompson, Ron Rand and Committee Member Pam Wilcox.
Special note to “Catfish”: would you please e-mail Scoutmaster Larry Harrison at scouter177@ainop.com or gramchristie@yahoo.com. We have lost your e-mail address and would like to stay in contact with you! Thanks.
Birthdays/anniversaries
Birthday wishes go out to: Chelsey Hester, Sylvia Chapperon, Morris Bragdon, Ron Ericson, Edward Woodman, Richard Russell, Debbie Drost, Andrea Turner, Carolyn Rossignol, Debbie Bard, Lori Beaulieu, Kathy McLaughlin, Mariah Morris, Autumn Creasey, Benton Plant, Barb Drost, Lois Pike, Eric Corey, Tabitha Blakney, Mary Bragdon, Phyllis Wilcox, David Heald, Deno Aegerter, Derek Libby, Trudy Clark, Paul Umphrey, Brett Baker, Scott Susi, Paul Wilcox and Debra LaPlante.
Anniversary wishes go out to: Bill and Helen Hause, Charlie and Heidi Currier, Mark and Becky Doody, Dale and Marci Driscoll, Glenn and Cynthia Condon, Wayne and Kim Carter, Richard and Phyllis Farley, and Stephen and Patti Irving.
The firemen are coming!
The Washburn Fire and Rescue Department will be volunteering their time and services for an income survey for some hopeful CDBG grant money. They will be coming around door-to-door in an effort to get 100 percent participation from the citizens of Washburn during the second week of August. If you know you won’t be available at that time and are able to come to the Town Office prior to August 17, please phone Andrea L. Powers at 455-8485 for a survey.
Events/reminders
The first day of the 2007-2008 school year for Washburn District High School will be on Tuesday, August 14, at 8 a.m. There will be a teachers’ workshop on Monday, August 13. Parents or students with questions may contact Ron Ericson or Andrea Hallett at 455-4501. Parents with questions regarding school bus scheduling should contact Dave Conley at 455-8301.
There are still a few boxes of Girl Scout cookies in the area. There are six boxes of All Abouts, a shortbread top with a thin chocolate bottom layer. Six boxes of the shortbread Trefoils and two boxes of delicious sugar free Little Brownies. Anyone wishing to finish out the cookie season for our area troops may phone Christie Cochran at 455-8034, and the cookies will be delivered to you at a nominal fee of $3.50 per box.
The Perham Selectmen hold their regular meeting on the first and third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
The Perham Planning Board now meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 9 30 a.m. These hours will soon be going back to the 7 p.m. time, so check for postings. Additional Board members are still needed, and anyone interested is asked to call Deb Viola at 498-3433.
The Perham Grant Committee will be holding their first office meeting on Tuesday, August 14, at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall on High Meadow Road. The Committee is headed up by Jan Grieco of Perham, and members include Debra Viola and Ray Wood. Any and all interested residents are welcome to attend the meetings and share input and ideas.
Perham residents are being notified of two household hazardous waste collection days, sponsored by NMDC. They will be held on Saturday, August 18, in Presque Isle, and Saturday, August 25, in Houlton. Special Notice: Perham residents may participate for free, but pre-registration prior to July 27 with NMDC was mandatory, and you must bring your permit with you on the day of the event. For registration and your permit, or for more information, contact Connie Bondeson at 498-8736.
On Friday, August 17, at 2 p.m. at the Washburn Memorial Library, special recognition will be given to past librarian Barbara Porter. She will be awarded the position of Honorary Trustee by the Library Board of Directors. All are welcome to attend.
On Friday, August 17, at 5:30 p.m. there will be an Awards Program for the summer reading program that’s been ongoing this season.
American Legion/Scouts join forces
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 21, at the town park on Main Street and will include a special flag retirement ceremony. Taking part in this impressive ceremony will be members of the Post 48 American Legion, Washburn Boy Scout Troop 177, Junior Girl Scout Troop 15 and Brownie Troop 194.
The public is encouraged to bring their lawn chairs and spend approximately 45 minutes at this impressive ceremony. Anyone having faded, frayed or torn flags of any size to dispose of may bring them to the ceremony or contact any Legion member prior to the ceremony. Following the ceremony, participants will be treated to a hotdog roast with soda and chips by members of Washburn’s Rotary Club.
Dual Anniversaries a family affair
Norman and Joyce Johndro, of Limestone, recently celebrated their 40th anniversary with a special surprise party held for them at the Washburn Civic Center. The fun event was given by their daughter, Bonnie Johnson, and Joyce’s sisters: Carole, Marjorie, Angie and Angie’s husband Mac.
The couple were married on July 29, 1967, and at their 40th anniversary, the couple exchanged new wedding rings, making it a special event.
Also adding to the joy of the day, the couple’s son Martin and his wife Kelly Johndro celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary, and chose the day to renew the vows they took on July 31, 1992. Father Jean-Paul Labrie of Caribou’s Holy Rosary Church serves the Limestone parish and others and was glad to preside over these anniversaries, making it a special time for both couples.
After the ceremony at the church, the couple were taken by limousine to the Washburn Civic Center. The beautiful anniversary cake was made by Joyce’s sister, Carole. Also attending were family and friends including: Ernest and Fred King, brothers of the bride; sisters of the groom, Annette Pelletier and Pat Wood; along with Pat’s husband John. Also attending were: Scott and Casey Johnson and their two children; and their son-in-law, Lance Johnson.
They enjoyed visiting with all attending, and received gifts and cards, some from as far away as South Carolina, New Hampshire and California. They also received numerous congratulatory phone calls.
The bride noted that this wedding ceremony was worry-free for her, as she had planned their first one 50 years ago.
Norman is a retired civil service painter from Loring Air Force Base and Joyce still runs a daycare in Limestone. The couple have two children and three grandchildren.
Multi-generation reunion
The Aroostook River Ski-Do Lodge was the scene of a large and enjoyable family reunion on Saturday, July 14. At least four generations of the family of Frank and Madelene Lavway attended and enjoyed renewing family friendships and memories along with passing them down to the other generations. Some of those attending included: Betty Umphrey, Clair Lavway, Alyce Kenney, Lawrence Lavway, Dwyane Lavway, Hollie Umphrey, Dean Lavway, Paul Umphrey, Dale Lavway, Todd Beaulieu, Kendall Lavway, Madelene Desmond, Patty Beaulieu, Mike Umphrey, Tylene Forbes and Steven Beaulieu.
Harold Lavway, the only one of the family of Frank and Madelene Lavway to have passed away, was represented by his children at this event.
The family enjoyed a potluck picnic with delicious food including everything from salads to potatoes, burgers, hotdogs and chicken. The family says there was so much food that they could have catered another picnic. Even though family members get together in smaller groups fairly often, it has been about 35 years since they all got together at the same time. They all enjoyed their visit time, with the ones from farthest away staying at a home at Portage Lake, while others stayed with family and friends. Plans were made to keep in touch, e-mail addresses and phone numbers were exchanged and all enjoyed visiting with their family from the oldest to the very youngest generations.
Visitors
Bobbi Jo (Pike) Prichard, her husband Ernie and children Jada and Cole Prichard and Seth Bennett of Eden, N.C., have recently spent an enjoyable time home in Washburn with family and friends. The Prichard family spent the week, staying in Caribou with friends Seth and Karlyn Williams, and visiting Bobbi Jo’s grandmother, Barb Drost, mom Lois Pike and brother Billy and his wife Joanna Pike and niece Kayla Pike.
Seth Bennett spent a fast three-day weekend, visiting family members and enjoying his list of favorite places to eat. He enjoyed Maine lobster, Chinese food and a special feast of red hotdogs, which he can only get in Maine. Seth will be entering his junior year of college at ECU in North Carolina.
The family spent a special time at a barbecue at the home of Billy and Joanna Pike, featuring hotdogs, burgers, salads and sodas, and good times. Those attending the barbecue included: Barb Drost, Lois Pike, Roger and JoAnne Hewitt, JoDale Hewitt and fiancé Randy Lagasse, Roger and Sarah Hewitt, Donnie Hewitt, Bobbi Jo, Ernie, Jada and Cole Prichard and Seth Bennett and Lloyd and Arlene Baker. Unable to attend was a sister, Barbie, her husband John Wilson, her daughter Kristi and son Josh. Also away at camp was Kayla Pike, daughter of Billy and JoAnna.
The family enjoyed the visit and catching up on family activities, playing lawn croquet while enjoying some of the great family memories. They survived an early evening thunderstorm and another one a few hours later when the family went to Presque Isle to pick up Kayla.
