The Ashland Area Fund, established by the Maine Community Foundation in 1999, makes grants to non-profit programs, organizations, schools, and government agencies or municipalities in the eligible communities of Portage, Oxbow, Masardis, Garfield, Nashville and Ashland.
Grant amounts typically fall in the $22-$1,500 range, with the focus being in health care, economic development, or educational enrichment. If interested, please contact Peter Taylor at 1-877-700-6800. The deadline for letters of interest is Jan. 15, 2009. Letters should be sent to: Maine Community Foundation, 150 Capital Street, Augusta, Maine 04330.
Grants in recent years have been awarded to the Ashland Caregivers Association to support their activities program, the town of Portage to support the acquisition of archival photography, Ashland Community High School to support a performing arts series, Good Shepherd Thrift Shop for roof repairs, SAD 32 for teacher professional development, the Aroostook Valley Health Center for blood pressure machines without mercury, and the town of Ashland for a defibrillator and digital, thermal camera for the volunteer fire department.
A statewide organization with offices in Ellsworth, Augusta, and Portland, the Maine Community Foundation has been partnering with donors and non-profits to strengthen Maine communities for 25 years. For more information, visit www.mainecf.org or call 1-877-700-6800.
Ashland Motor Lodge events
During the month of December, the Motor Lodge will be having theme nights. Wacky Wing Wednesdays will feature all-you-can-eat chicken wings for $7.99. Thirsty Thursdays will be pizza night. Buy any one-item pizza and get the second one-item pizza half off. And, on TGIF Fridays, there will be special prices on select bar beverages. Stop in and check out these good deals and enjoy the ambiance that the lodge offers.
If you have not made your plans to celebrate the New Year, why not spend it at the Motor Lodge? Musical entertainment for the evening will be provided by DJ Julie Curtis. Julie played at the Lodge in November to rave reviews. She offers an amazing mix of country, rock and hip-hop – something to please everyone’s musical tastes. There is NO cover charge and FREE soup and rolls will be served at midnight. Special “stay and play” room rates of $45 are also being offered. So, book now and welcome the New Year in at the Ashland Motor Lodge.
Christmas puppet plays scheduled
F.A.I.T.H. Ministries Puppet Team will be performing the puppet play, “An Island Christmas,” at three different venues during the month of December:
• Saturday, Dec. 13 at the Ashland Recreation Building at 3 p.m.
• Sunday, Dec. 14 at the Portage Lake Municipal Building at 3 p.m.
• Sunday, Dec. 21 at Celebration Center in Fort Fairfield (during their morning church service starting at 10 a.m.).
In the play, “An Island Christmas,” a little girl has moved to the Caribbean with her parents right before Christmas. She is upset and not happy to be there and she feels this is going to be the worst Christmas ever! Come see how a group of local kids cheer her up as she learns that Christmas is Christmas wherever you are.
After the Ashland and Portage shows, we will have a time of fun and fellowship with some refreshments, games and mask making for the kids. Admission is free, so come and celebrate the Christmas season with us!
Church choir to perform
The Union Congregational Church choir will be performing at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14 at the Oxbow Lodge and then again at 4 p.m. at the church on the Sheridan Road in Ashland. Come enjoy the sounds of the joyous Christmas season.
Quilt tickets for sale
Tickets for your chance to win a beautiful “Star Sampler” quilt are currently being sold by the VFW in Ashland. The queen-sized quilt was donated to the club by Christine Murphy of Portage and can be used on a bed or hung for display. Please contact any VFW or Ladies Auxiliary member to purchase your ticket(s). Tickets cost $5 each, and they will be sold through the New Year. For more information, call Lawrence Michaud at 435-4351.
Rotary thank-you
The Ashland Rotary Club would like to thank all of the merchants and special friends that donated to the annual auction held Nov. 15. There was a good turnout, and the club raised about the same amount of funds as last year. Proceeds from the auction will once again allow the Rotary Club to help out in the community and to provide scholarships at SAD 32. The winner of the ring, which was graciously donated again this year by Cathy Beaulieu of Wilder’s Jewelry, was Mike McNally. Mike has ties to Ashland, but is not a local. He was in the area doing some hunting during the time that the ring boxes were being sold and decided to purchase one. Congratulations Mike! To all those who did not win, there is always next year!
Ashland Rotarians send out a special thank-you to Boy Scout Troop 179 for their participation at the auction, the Eastern Star and Masonic Lodge members for putting on the delicious pork roast supper, auctioneer Ron Leonard, and Theresa Theriault for all the help with setting up the gym. The support of the Ashland and surrounding communities allows the Rotary Club to have a successful auction every year, and for that they are sincerely grateful.
Send an extra card this holiday season
Receiving cards at Christmastime is very heartwarming. When doing your Christmas cards this year, consider sending one to a recovering American soldier. Including a short sentiment and wishing them well would be a wonderful gesture.
Please send cards to: A Recovering American Soldier, c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center, 6900 Georgia Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20307-5001.
Local cookbooks for sale for gift giving
Members of Tillikum Chapter 99, Order of the Eastern Star and the Portage Lake Centennial Committee worked hard this past summer to put together cookbooks. Tillikum’s is entitled, “Cooking With Love & Memories,” and can be purchased at the Ashland Food Mart, or from any Eastern Star member. Cost per book is $10. The Centennial Committee’s keepsake cookbook contains 390 recipes and can be purchased at the Portage Town Hall or from any committee member. Cost for the Centennial cookbook is $12 with all proceeds going to the Portage Centennial Celebration.
Memorial picnic tables for sale
The Portage Lake Centennial Committee is still selling memorial picnic tables, which will be placed at the Pavilion in Portage. An application must be filled out, accompanied by a payment of $150 per table. Life Scout Andrew Libby is building the tables, and a portion of the cost will be donated back to the Ashland Area Boy Scouts. Please see Rena Belanger or Corrine Routhier for more information or an application.
Portage exercise group
Providing there is enough interest, an exercise group would like to be started in Portage at the Town Hall. The class would meet on Mondays and would be free of charge. For more information, please contact Kim Holmes at 435-6043.
Project Graduation fund-raiser
Get your tickets for your chance to win stove wood or wood pellets. For further information, contact John Casey at 435-2131.
Family histories needed for Centennial Book
The Portage Lake Centennial History Book Committee is still looking for any articles, photographs or related material that could be included in its Centennial book, “Portage Lake History and Hearsay.”
Articles, photographs and related material should be sent to history book chairperson, Norman St. Peter, P.O. Box 37, Portage, Maine 04768. Norman can also be reached at (207) 435-6948. Please be sure to label photographs and to include your name and address with any correspondence so that materials can be properly returned.
Requests for book orders should be made to Anita Theriault, P.O. Box 114, Portage, Maine 04768. Anita can be reached by calling (207) 435-4311.
Any other inquiries in regards to the Portage Lake Centennial History Book should be directed to the Portage Lake Town Office at (207) 435-4361.
Donation of uniforms welcomed
If you or anyone you know has Cub Scout uniforms that are no longer being used, we have kids that can benefit from them now. Please contact Linda Milligan at 227-9135 or Julie Graham-Berry at 435-7137. Thank you.
Ongoing Events
The Ashland Area Senior Citizens group meets every Thursday at noon at the Ashland Recreational Center. Any senior citizens wishing to participate in the potluck lunches and meetings are always welcome.
The Portage Lake Seniors’ Lunch is held on the last Tuesday of every month at 11:30 a.m. at the Town Hall. All individuals 50 and over are invited to attend and can bring a potluck dish to share. For more information, contact Wilza Robertson at 435-6211 or Grace Nason at 435-6373.
The Red Hat Loonies of Portage Lake meet the second Thursday of every month at Dean’s Motor Lodge. Membership dues are $2. Come and have a great meal and a great time, too! For more information, contact Rachel Stevens at 435-6358.
If you can help plan for Portage Lake’s 2009 Centennial Celebration, please contact Corrine Routhier at 435-6854. Your help is both needed and appreciated.
Ladies, are you interested in crafts or have some that you’ve started and just can’t seem to finish? If so, take yourself over to the Portage Lake Municipal Building for Girlz Night every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Enjoy the company and the satisfaction of finally completing a project!
(Julie Graham-Berry is the correspondent for Ashland, Portage Lake, Oxbow, Masardis, Garfield, Nashville Plantation and surrounding townships. She can be reached at 435-7137).
