The Aroostook River Fun Run will take place on Saturday, May 30, with the race going from Washburn to Presque Isle, beginning at Thomas Brewer Park and ending at the Presque Isle Fish and Game Club. Registration will be held at the Washburn Trailrunners Snowmobile clubhouse on Station Road from 6 to 8 a.m. and at the Thomas Brewer Park by the bridge from 8 to 9:30 a.m. There will also be a special race breakfast served at the Trailrunners clubhouse from 6-8 a.m. The race will start at 10 a.m. at the Brewer Park boat landing.
Registration fees are $15 per paddler for ages 19 to 64, $12 for each paddler over 65 and $10 for paddlers between 12 and 18. Checks can be mailed along with completed registration forms to: Presque Isle Rotary Club, P.O. Box 641, Presque Isle, ME 04769, Attn. Canoe Race Committee. For more information, please contact Gretchen Morse at 764-0802 or e-mail her at Gretchen.morse@edwardjones.com or contact Keith Brown at 455-4717 or e-mail him at krbrown@mfx.net. Information can also be found on the Web at www.aroostookfunrun.org. Forms are also available at the Star-Herald office at 40 North St., Presque Isle.
The event is co-sponsored by the Presque Isle and Washburn Rotary clubs and proceeds for this year’s race will be donated to benefit area Girl Scouts.
New beauty salon
Heidi’s Hair and Tanning Studio officially opened for business Tuesday, May 26 and features a variety of hair services, as well as the availability of two tanning beds. The hours as follows: Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m.-7 p.m.
There will be a special grand opening to come in the near future.
Birthdays/anniversaries
Those celebrating birthdays this week include: Louise Cole, Devin Grant, Lucas Tarbox, Gil Berube, Ryan Huston, Brad Corey, Tyler Belk, Brad Corey, Frieda Thibodeau, Tina White, Drucilla Turner, Laura Brown, Angela Casavant, Beth Maynard, Dion Creasey, Kayla Creasey, Brennan Blackstone, Monika Doughman, Mark Skidgel, Mike Glasscock, Dusty Glasscock, Zsa Zsa Simard, Vicki Conley, Britteny Clark, Tricia Silver, Amy Good, Cody Martin, Gwen Bragg, Marilyn Van Scooter, Scott Down, Brenda Searles, Tammy Akerson, Brenna Viola, Beth Long, Alana Brooks, Kathy Walton, Adam Wilcox, Galen Doody, and Josh Wain.
Anniversary wishes go out to: Andrew and Becky Thompson, Eric and Roxann Alley, Terry and Suzanne Berube and Shawn and Cichele Scott.
Events/reminders
TOPS hold their regular meetings each Monday at the Washburn Trailrunners clubhouse, starting with weigh-in at 4:15 p.m. and the meeting to follow from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. New members are always welcome.
The next scheduled meeting of the Washburn Beavers’ ATV Club will be held at the Gould Street clubhouse on Wednesday, June 3, at 6:30 p.m. All members and those interested in becoming members are urged to attend.
The next order week for Friendly Co-Op is scheduled for Monday, May 25, through Friday, June 5, with a pick-up date set for Friday, June 12. To place your order, phone Brenda McCoy at 455-8421 or e-mail her at bunny@ainop.com.
Please note the new phone number for the Washburn Water and Sewer District Office is 455-0142. The office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to noon, and 12:30 to 2:45 p.m.
Boy Scouts from Washburn Troop 177 will be attending the Spring Camporee in West Chapman from Friday, May 29, through Sunday, May 31.
The Project Grad team announced that the car wash and bake sale scheduled for May 30 in Presque Isle has been cancelled. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
The Class of 2009 wishes to express their sincere appreciation to the Caribou Senior Citizens Bingo and the members of the Washburn Trailrunners Bingo for assisting the class in their fund-raising efforts.
For further information on the various Project Graduation 2009 events or if you wish to make a donation to the Project Graduation 2009 fund, please contact Angela Farley at 455-8048.
Washburn District High School Baccalaureate will be held on Sunday, May 31, at the high school at 7 p.m.
The Washburn District High School graduation ceremony will be held on Friday, June 5.
New soup kitchen day
The Washburn Soup Kitchen schedule will include regular meals on Tuesdays and Thursdays, served from 3 to 5 p.m. There will also be special senior citizen meals served on the second Friday of each month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The kitchen will also be open an additional day each week and now the hours include Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; meals will be served from 3 to 5 p.m. Food boxes will also be available from noon to 5 p.m. on these days as well.
The kitchen has a wish list for needed items which include gallon-sized freezer bags, paper towels, kitchen cleaners and laundry soap.
The soup kitchen sends out appreciation for the dedication to the Board of Directors, who, along with the many volunteers, have supported the kitchen from the very beginning. Board Directors include: Mildred Bennett, Lucy Lovely, Don Peary, Elizabeth Richardson, Donna Turner, Adina Wilson, T.J. Winslow and Dolores Woodman. Officers include: Mildred Bennett — secretary, Donna Turner — treasurer, T.J. Winslow — vice president and Elizabeth Richardson — president.
Rec Center schedule
On Wednesday, May 27, there will be women’s basketball at the elementary school from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
On Monday, June 1, there will be men’s basketball at the elementary school gym from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
The summer program brochures for the Washburn Rec Center will be sent home from school within the next few days and the programs will be starting up on Monday, June 22.
The summer breakfast and lunch program will also be starting on Monday, June 22, with breakfasts being served from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and lunches served from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the elementary school.
The senior ladies went with Rec Center Director Marcie Barbarula to the National Weather Station in Caribou recently for a tour. All enjoyed watching the various duties of the weather experts and also saw a slide show presentation on various weather aspects and enjoyed interacting with their tour guide, Curt. Afterwards, they all went to Burger Boy for lunch. Those attending the event included: Audrey Pavlick, Sylvia Wardwell, Drucilla Turner, Glenna Bragg, Gwen Bragg, Norma Baker, Barb Churchill, Charlene Maynard, Bernadette Rossignol and Barbara McLaughlin.
Library and Historical Society share speaker
The Washburn Memorial Library, along with the Salmon Brook Historical Society, sponsored a very special and interesting lecture on Thursday, May 14, at 7 p.m. at the elementary school, with approximately a dozen residents attending. Mr. Kereck Kelsey was the featured speaker. His speech was on the eldest Washburn brother, Israel Jr., from whom our town got its name, and featured a slide presentation as well. Kelsey brought several of his published novels including “Israel Washburn Jr.: Maine’s Little Known Giant of the Civil War” and other works by Kelsey including “Remarkable Americans: The Washburn Family” for those attending to purchase.
August Festival updates
The Washburn August Festival 2009 is just around the corner and much planning and organizing has been well under way for the past few months. The Festival dates of Friday, Aug. 14, Saturday, Aug. 15, and Sunday, Aug. 16, are the dates of the weekend-long event. The following information details the event and the next meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 17. All are urged to come and help the Committee put on a great festival. Volunteers and sponsors are needed. For further information on any of the events, please contact Chairman Cindy Boot at 455-8464.
The planning and organizing has been well under way for the past several months and the three-day event will again be filled with many exciting and enjoyable festivities. This year’s King and Queen are Calvin and Faye Wardwell and the Grand Marshall is Dave Lyon.
The August Festival Committee relies on community support to keep this wonderful event going year after year. The Committee needs your help, and they especially need residents to volunteer their time and talents to help in any way they can. The Committee is also seeking sponsorships in the form of cash donations in any denomination to provide the level of festivities that you have grown to expect and deserve. The Committee will be working tirelessly during the weeks to come to make the Washburn August Festival a success. If your group or civic organization would like to partake in the Festival, please contact Cindy Boot, chairman of the August Festival, at 455-8464 or any Committee member. Your support of this event also benefits local civic organizations and charities that use the August Festival as a primary fund-raising event. These organizations depend on the money raised to help provide assistance to the surrounding communities and the festival provides the avenue for the local groups and club members. If you would like to make a much-appreciated cash donation, you can mail it to: PO Box 45, Washburn, ME 04786.
Please come and share your ideas and suggestions to make this a memorable event at our next August Festival meeting, to be held on June 17, at 6:30 p.m. at the Washburn Civic Center. If your group or civic organization would like to partake in the Festival, the following contact information is as follows: Parade contact is Mike Umphrey at 455-4836 or e-mail him at lynnumphrey@yahoo.com if you are interested in participating in the wonderful Parade. Please contact Paul Carter at 455-4714 for Arts and Crafts information. Contact Dennis Harris at 455-8279 or e-mail him at drharris@juno.com for Food Vendor and Entertainment information. The Children’s Events’ Chairman is Cindy Boot and she can be reached at 455-8464 or by e-mail at keithboot@msn.com. For information on the Alumni Banquet, contact Linda Seward; and for information on the Sunday Gospel Concert, contact Matt Palmer at 764-8424. A volunteer to organize the Car Show is still needed, and anyone wishing to take this project on is asked to contact Cindy Boot.
The theme for this year’s Festival is “There’s No Place Like Home.”
Christie Cochran is the correspondent for Washburn, Wade and Perham. She can be reached at 455-8034 or gramchristie@yahoo.com.
Photo courtesy of Christie Cochran
Those attending a recent lecture on Israel Washburn and his family included: Gordon Compton, Joyce Davis, Kathy Corey and author Kerck Kelsey. In back: Keith Corey, Dennis Harris and Dick Ruggles.
Photo courtesy of Christie Cochran
Andy White’s apartment and workplace building across the road from White’s Service suffered some siding damage during the big wind storm last week. Further damage in the area included a transformer breaking off from a pole in Wade, with Highway Foreman Roger Pinette having to block off access to the road until the electric company could respond.
Photo courtesy of Christie Cochran
A tree in front of Kermit Fuller’s broke off, falling across some power lines during last week’s wind storm. The Washburn Fire Department responded and had to stop traffic from traveling through that section of Main St. until Maine Public Service was able to respond and cut power to the lines temporarily. Trees at several homes also lost lots of branches, homes lost shingles and garbage barrels could be seen rolling down streets. All in all, Washburn was quite lucky in that there were no extremely hazardous problems resulting from the wind.
