Scout news
Led by Scoutmaster Linda Milligan, Webelos Caleb Brown and Peng Cheng visited the Boralex plant on the Realty Road and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife on Station Hill during the month of December. The two boys are currently working on their engineering activities badges, and had to tour a construction site and also see an engineer at work as part of their Webelos program.
Tim Mitchell, operations engineer and plant manager, guided the tour of the Boralex facility. He explained to the Scouts and adults how electricity is produced at the plant and everyone got to see various levels of the building. The control room was quite interesting, and it was neat to see the computer screens showing the fire inside of the boiler, the trucks dumping wood chips and also the conveyor bringing the chips into the plant. The whole process is very complicated, but Tim explained it as simply as he could and answered all of the questions that were thrown his way.
Derrick Cote, fishery biologist at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, showed the Scouts the architectural firm’s plans of the addition being built at the Ashland facility. One of the required activities for the engineering activities badge is for the Webelos to draw a floor plan of their homes, so seeing the large plans for the addition was beneficial to them. The Scouts learned that the original building was constructed in 1966 and that an addition was added to that in 1986. They also learned that the current headquarter improvements were approved by the Maine Legislature two years ago and will be completed by June 30, 2009.
Afterwards, Mr. Cote took the boys outside and explained what would be happening to the western wall of the existing building. At the time of the visit, just a few walls were standing, but by asking a lot of questions and by looking at the plans, the Scouts were able to locate where the rooms would be in the new construction.
Thank you very much to Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Cote for your time and patience. Your tours were very informative and beneficial for the Scouts and adults that attended.
Project Graduation fund-raiser
The committee for Project Graduation has an on-going 50/50 chance drawing offered at every home varsity basketball game. The odds of winning are good, so take a chance and buy a ticket or two.
Paradis shoots and scores
Kevin Paradis, coach of the Ashland girls’ varsity team, got to play a little ball of his own recently. His name was drawn to try for the $500 half-court shot and darned if he didn’t sink it! Way to go Kevin! Thank you to Katahdin Trust bank for generously sponsoring this event.
Portage Centennial news and updates
The schedule for the 2009 Portage Lake Centennial is available online at www.connectmaine/portage. Check out all the fun activities that the committee has been hard at work organizing.
Participants are needed for the Centennial Variety Show to be held at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, March 21 at the Portage Lake Town Hall. People of all ages and from all communities are invited to participate. So, dust off that ukulele and start warming up those vocal chords or whatever it is you have to do to get ready to showcase your talents!
There are 2009 Centennial calendars for sale at Dean’s, Coffin’s, Ashland One Stop, Dead River in Ashland, and the Portage Lake Town Hall. Centennial cookbooks can still be purchased at Dean’s and the Town Hall, as well.
The next scheduled meeting for the Centennial committee will be held at the Town Hall Monday, Jan. 26 at 6:30 p.m.
If you have any questions about these or any other Centennial items/topics, please contact Corrine Routhier at 435-6854 or e-mail arouthier@roadrunner.com.
Senior citizens news
Wendell Hudson will put on a musical performance for the Ashland Area Senior Citizens group Thursday, Jan. 29 at their regular meeting time.
Local lady enjoys holiday travels
Helen Beaulieu spent the Christmas holiday with much of her extended family. She stayed at the home of her son, Darrell, and his wife, Jane, in Bucksport. While there, she enjoyed visits from friends and other family members, as well as opening gifts and dining at her granddaughter Danielle’s home.
Rec Center activities
Wednesday, Jan. 28 – Open rec for grades 1-3 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lendell will pick children up at the school, please send a note.
Thursday, Jan. 29 – Cross-country skiing program directly following end of the school day. Karate at 6 p.m. at the grade school gym.
Friday, Jan. 30 – Open rec for grades 4-6 at 2 p.m.
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.
There is an aerobics/exercise group meeting Monday and Thursday nights at the Portage Lake Municipal Building at 6:30 p.m. There is no cost for participants. Please contact Kim Holmes at 435-6043 for more information.
(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).
Photo courtesy of Julie Graham-Berry
TIM MITCHELL, operations engineer and manager of the Boralex plant in Ashland, shows local Scouts a conveyor belt carrying wood chips that are burned to produce energy at the facility.
Photo courtesy of Julie Graham-Berry
TWO WEBELOS, along with other Scouts, parents and leaders, were recently given a tour of the Ashland Boralex plant. Pictured in the foreground is Tiger Scout Graham Berry. Second row, from left: Boy Scout Malcolm Milligan, Webelo Scout Caleb Brown and Webelo Scout Peng Cheng. Third row: parent Jing Feng Zhong, Scoutmaster and Webelo leader Linda Milligan, and operations manager of the Boralex plant Tim Mitchell.
