Junior and Miss Ashland Pageants rescheduled
ASHLAND NEWS
by Susan Feeney-Hopkins
The Junior and Miss Ashland Pageants, originally scheduled for Thursday, May 3, have been rescheduled to Saturday, May 5 beginning at 6 p.m. The pageant organizers apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and hope to still see you at the show.
Project Linus gathering
MEMBERS of the Red Hat Loonies of Portage Lake donated handmade blankets to Project Linus. 
The blankets will be given to local children who are seriously ill or traumatized. Pictured are, from left, front row: Jean Clark and Rachel Stevens. Back row: Judy Hafford, Geraldine Hafford, Maryann Gagnon, Lucinda Jacobs and Laura Bouchard.
Members of the Red Hat Society, known as the “Red Hat Loonies of Portage Lake,” recently held a gathering at Dean’s Motor Lodge in support of Project Linus. The members of the Portage Lake chapter meet regularly at Dean’s decked out in the red hats that make the Red Hat Society easily recognizable.
The Red Hat Society began as a fun way to promote friendship and socialization among woman over the age of 50 and has since taken on a life of its own with multiple chapters now located in every state and also in many other countries.
LIBBIE PELKEY, a student at the Ashland District School, is shown here making a blanket that will be donated to the Project Linus foundation. 
Typically the Red Hat Society members do not participate in philanthropic projects, but the nature of the project struck a chord and the group of friends decided to hold a blanket drive in support of the organization. Between them, they collected 20 handmade blankets that will be given as gifts to seriously ill and traumatized children between the ages of 0-18.
Project Linus is a non-profit organization based out of Bloomington, Ill. whose mission is “first to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort” to children in need and “second, to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.” Project Linus has a chapter in all 50 states with blankets collected locally in each state and distributed to local children in hospitals, shelters, social service agencies or “anywhere that a child might be in need of a big hug.”
The Red Hat Loonies also received donations from other local groups including the Crown of Maine Quilters out of Caribou and Presque Isle, Ashland Adult Ed students, one Red Hat “snowbird” mailed a blanket from New Jersey and Megan Fowler’s class at the Ashland District School. The students took special interest in participating because it’s an organization helping kids. The students received sewing instruction from Mrs. Fowler and Lucinda Jacobs, who is a Red Hat member employed at the school.
“The kids took interest and did a great job,” said Jacobs. Ashland District School students taking part in the project were Travis Chasse, Libbie Pelkey, Courtney Carr, Adam Smart, Kurtis Henderson, Evan Morton and Rachel Vallaincourt.
The group had the blankets on display at Dean’s during their dinner get-together for the members and those interested. The blankets, all handmade, ranged from quilts, tied comforters, fleece blankets and crocheted and knitted afghans. All were beautifully handmade with loving care just as they are intended to be; and will certainly provide the same to a child.
ASHLAND CUB AND BOY SCOUTS
CUB AND BOY SCOUTS from Ashland that took part in the annual bottle drive and/or Scout cross-over ceremony for Tristan Perreault included, from left, front row: Emmit Rushinal, Dane Driscoll, Creed Chasse, Gabe Page, Graham Berry and Blayne Boutot. Middle row: Austin Clark, Brady Cowett, Alex White, Clark Condon, Owen Burby and Zach Clark. Back row: Tristan Perreault, Steven Bellanceau, Wyatt Carr, Airin Harmon, Zach Carr and Garrett Graham.
SCOUT SHOW participants from Ashland Pack 179 were, from left, front row: Caleb Cray, Alex White, Eli Walker and Clark Condon. Back: Graham Berry.
Portage Lake Military Honor Roll
The Portage Lake Historical Society is collecting names and DD-214 of military veterans who would like their names or the names of their loved ones added to the Honor Roll in town. The deadline for this is May 31. Please contact the Portage Lake Town Office for more information.
Portage Lake tulip sale
The Portage Lake Fitness Path will be selling pink tulips in a dual fundraiser along with the Maine Cancer Foundation. Bulbs are $3 each with $1 going directly to the Maine Cancer Foundation.
The tulips purchased last year are now coming up in the Tulip Garden along the Fitness Path behind the ball field and the plan is to sell enough bulbs to plant bulbs in other areas around town.
In keeping with the spirit of the fundraiser, purchase your bulbs in dedication or in memory of a loved one who has been affected by cancer. It’s a nice way to raise money for cancer while also supporting the town’s Fitness Path project.
Order forms are available at the Portage Lake Town Office or you can contact Corrine Routhier at 435-6854.
The tulip garden is also in need of more “chestnut” colored mulch. Corrine and her crew are looking for a donation of at least 20 bags. You can either drop them off at the Town Office or contact Corrine for pick up.
Susan Feeney-Hopkins is the correspondent for Ashland, Portage Lake, Oxbow, Masardis, Garfield, Nashville Plantation and the surrounding areas. She can be reached at 435-8232 or Feenhop@aol.com.
