Rotary Club
The Mars Hill Rotary Club met at the Aroostook Health Center on Tuesday, April 29, at 6:30 a.m. The special speakers were Dr. Eric and Georgia Nicholas. They spoke about the Bangor Ronald McDonald House and its benefits.
Opening its doors on December 16, 1983, the Bangor Ronald McDonald House is a 14-bedroom smoke-free residence located a short distance from medical treatment facilities. There is a courtesy van shuttle service available upon request. The residence has a fully-equipped kitchen where families can prepare their own meals. There are also two living rooms, a dining room, a family room, video room, a playroom, bathroom facilities and a laundry. Outside, there is a fence-enclosed playground.
It can truly be a “home away from home” for children and their families that are undergoing medical treatment miles away from home. The family can maintain some of the normal routines in their lives – preparing meals, doing laundry and watching television together.
Families may stay at the Bangor Ronald McDonald House while a family member is undergoing treatment at an area medical facility. Accommodations are usually arranged through the hospital social worker, or the patient’s nurse or attending doctor. A modest per-night donation is requested of each family to help offset the costs of operating the house. However, no one is ever turned away because of the inability to make a financial contribution.
Doc and Georgia have been volunteering at the Bangor Ronald McDonald House for over 25 years. They spend periodic weekends at the House answering the phone, welcoming families to the House, checking them in, checking them out when they are ready to leave, providing tours to the community and taking donations. Volunteers also help out around the House with light housekeeping or baking something for everyone to enjoy.
There are many ways that folks can help out the Bangor House – from volunteering time to donating items used at the House. For more information on what you can do to help, contact Dina Casey at 942-9003.
ACI/CAHS Reunion
Plans for the ACI/CAHS Reunion for 2008 are under way. A meeting was held to finalize the events planned, which include dinners, a parade, motorcycle rodeo, a variety show, gospel concert and dance. Make plan now to be around on July 24 – 26 for all the activities!
There will be a meeting on May 8 at 6:30 at the high school to pick up the next informational letter to go out. They should be mailed or delivered by May 15.
Robinson School Reunion
As part of the Homecoming 2008 CAHS/ACI Reunion on July 24 – 26, plans are being made to hold a Robinson School Reunion on Sunday, July 27, at 1p.m. at Bill Gardner’s in Robinson for a potluck picnic. Anyone who attended the Robinson School is invited to attend. Information is being sought as to when the school, which closed in 1965, was started. Anyone who has pictures or other memorabilia of their Robinson school days, is asked to bring a copy for display. Please call Mavis (Grass) Burtchell at 429-9837 if you have any questions or information.
Reading Hour
The Walter T.A. Hansen Memorial Library is pleased to continue with Co Co’s Reading Hour for children ages third grade and up on Thursdays from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. This program will run every Thursday at the library.
Library
The Walter T.A. Hansen Memorial Library is continuing with an ongoing book sale. Cost for the books is .50 for hard cover and .25 for paperbacks. There are also bags available to fill for $5.
Old and new copyrights for adult and children are available. Fiction, nonfiction, westerns, science fiction and romance are among those currently on hand. There are also children’s books for sale, so plan to stop and check things out. Stock up now for your winter reading! Monetary donations will also be accepted.
Bridgewater Creative Crafting
On the first and third Thursdays of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Civic Community Center in Bridgewater, crafters are encouraged to join together to work on various projects. Bring your own supplies and projects as you share your knowledge of various crafts. Work together or individually with quilting, knitting, sewing, embroidery, crocheting, scrapbooking, etc. Everyone is welcome!
For more information, please contact Chris Finemore at 425-6606 or Melody Goff at 420-4002. Come relax and enjoy yourself as you socialize with other crafters.
Bridgewater Boston Post Cane
The Bridgewater Historical Association is seeking nominees for its Boston Post Cane presentation. Over the years Bridgewater’s cane disappeared. Not long ago it turned up and someone was thoughtful enough to return it. The town is very thankful for its safe return. Now that its back, the Association would like to reinstate the tradition as part of the town’s sesquicentennial this summer.
In order to preserve the cane, the BHA will do what many other towns have done and present a plaque in lieu of the cane to the honoree. The cane will be kept on display at the BHA Hall.
It has always been considered an honor to be chosen to receive the cane. If you would like to nominate someone, you can obtain a nomination form at the Bridgewater Town Office or by contacting the BHA. Please keep in mind that the nominee must be willing to accept the honor.
The BHA still has hard-covered copies of Annie Rideout’s book, “The History of Bridgewater” for sale. Included in the book is the information that was on the jacket of the original book. They would make an excellent gift to a loved one. The cost is $35 ($29 plus $6 shipping). Anyone wishing to purchase a copy can e-mail Diane Clough at e&dclough@ainop.com, Rita Kingsbury at rmkme@ainop.com, or call Rita at 429-9359. To save on shipping, the book can be picked up from any BHA member. Proceeds from the BHA copies of the book will go toward the BHA’s planned Sesquicentennial events. The book was originally written and published by Annie E. Rideout in 1953.
The Henrietta Bradstreet family and Helen Rideout, heirs to the copyright of the book, graciously granted written permission to the Sesquicentennial Committee to have the book reprinted as part of the town’s celebration activities planned for July 21 – 26. The Committee received the permission just before Henrietta’s death this fall, and an acknowledgement to the heirs of Annie Rideout has been included in the reprint of the book.
Net proceeds from the sale of this copy of “The History of Bridgewater, Maine” will be donated to a charity designated by the Rideout heirs in memory of Megan Bradstreet, Henrietta’s great-granddaughter, who died in a tragic accident in 2005.
When (IF?) the weather finally warms up, the BHA will bring back its Live Music night. The atmosphere is very laid back – with a fun time being the main reason for the evening. Most of the music is country and old-time rock and roll, with some standards thrown into the mix. This is not a karaoke night, although if enough interest is expressed, the BHA would consider a Karaoke night for a different evening.
The BHA would like to thank all who support their efforts. To contact the BHA, their mailing address is P. O. Box 341, Bridgewater, ME 04735. The president is Denis Gagne (429-8290), secretary is Jann Votaw (425-7901) and historian is Toby Hall (429-8207.
Sesquicentennial events
The Bridgewater Sesquicentennial Committee will meet on Monday, May 12, at 6:30 p.m. at the Bridgewater Community Building in Bridgewater.
The Bridgewater Sesquicentennial Committee is comprised of members of the general public, the BCA Reunion Committee, Bridgewater Historical Association, Bridgewater Fire Department and Bridgewater Recreation Department. The Committee is in the final planning stages for the July 24 through 26, celebration of Bridgewater’s Sesquicentennial, and anyone who is interested is invited to attend the meeting. For information, contact Mike Crawford at 764-0202 or by e-mail at dcrawford@maine.rr.com.
To enhance the festivities, the Committee encourages everyone to dress in 1850s’ period costumes during the celebration. This is the chance to sew creative outfits for the whole family to wear, and with costume patterns available from the major pattern manufacturers and the new spring fabrics in the stores, now is the time to begin.
The Committee will also hold a beard-growing contest during the celebration for the men. Those who don’t normally sport a beard may want to throw away their razors until the celebration is over. A display of quilts and quilted items is also being planned. This event, “Quilts Old and New,” will be held on Saturday, July 26, at the Bridgewater Free Baptist Church from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Everyone in the area is invited to provide new or vintage quilts, wall hangings, quilted apparel and quilted bags for the show. The Quilt Show Committee wants to create a display that is rich in history and, to that end, requests that all items submitted for display, especially vintage quilts that have been passed down in a family, include as much as is known of the item’s history.
The Quilt Show Committee invites your participation in the planning and hopes that the event will result in a group of people who are interested in meeting on a monthly basis to encourage and support both new and experienced quilters. For more information or to get involved, please call Rita Hersey at 425-4492.
Tomi Henderson is the correspondent for Mars Hill, Blaine, Bridgewater and Westfield. She can be reached at 429-9126 or e-mail tomihen@yahoo.com.
