Community Notebook

Hospital Auxiliary Fudge Basket sale a huge success
The Houlton Auxiliary May Fudge Basket sale was a success due to all the volunteer fudge makers who helped with this annual sale. Volunteers were Janet Bates, Guat Beckwith, Madeline Boutilier, Deacon Al Burleigh, Evelyn Delong, Louise Hamilton, Collett Hanington, Elinor Harvey, Lana Horn, Ruth Levesque, Joan Logan, Joan McAfee, Beverly Moody, Phyllis Oliver, Ida Parks, Melissa Parks, Glynn Porter, Ida Ricker, Doris Sherman, Helen Sherwood, Jen Stewart, Lavona Varney, Ida Upton and any others who may have brought in fudge but did not leave their name.
Special thanks also goes to Wendell Harvey, the gift shop volunteers and the information desk volunteers for helping to make the baskets, and to Janine Moran from HRH in helping with the publicity.
All funds raised by the Auxiliary this year will go towards purchasing much-needed equipment. The Auxiliary gift shop is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Red Hat Border Belles
The Red Hat Border Belles held their monthly luncheon at Grammy’s Restaurant on June 14. The ladies acknowledged that two of their “sister members,” Margaret Dudley and Ruth Levesque, had birthdays this month; but since they were not there, the cards will be mailed.
After lunch, prizes for the month were drawn and the lucky winners were Leola Bishop (a wall plaque), Joyce Blake (a bath set and basket) and Jean Wiley (a four-pack of canvas storage boxes – red, of course).
Red Hatters in attendance were: Leola Bishop, Joyce Blake, Elva Coburn, Barbara Grant, Irene Jackson, Joan Logan, Veronica Stauffer, Sara Regent and Jean Wiley. Our meeting for July will be a barbeque at the home of Lois Morin.
Purple Hat Society
by Lois Downing
The Purple Hat Society met for its monthly get-together at Libby’s Mill Pond Dairy Bar in Hodgdon. It was their first meeting at that location. Jackie Colella was in charge of the reservations and we thank her for that.
About 20 ladies attended and some even watched the ducks in the pond. We had a nice table with shades on the grounds. Charlotte Marley led the meeting after we had a nice meal from the dairy bar.
We each gave our Purple Hat name and the blessing was offered by Lois Downing after the meal. We sang ‘’Happy Birthday’’ to Sandra Holmes and Evelyn Burpee, celebrants in the month of June.
For a game, Charlotte passed a ball of brown yarn around to each lady. The one holding the yarn had to unravel it until she found a knot—then tell something about herself that the others didn’t know. This raised many laughs. Many ladies were from out of state, others worked in Connecticut but came back to Maine to retire. It was a fun project.
Receiving Purple Purses were Evelyn Burpee and Peggy Sanders. A greeting card was signed for Charlotte Durr. Sandy Wyman read a collection of jokes. The next meeting will be at the Chinese restaurant on Military Street Tuesday, July 10.
Attending from Cary was Jackie Colella, Brenda Lacostic and Joanne Scott; from Houlton, Marsha Reed, Lois Downing, Betty Wyman and Paula Wyman.
Also from Dyer Brook, Marie Gillotti, Wannetta Townsend and Sandy Wyman; from Oakfield, Mildred Gagnon, Elaine Barrett, Bernice Campbell, Evelyn Johnston, Evelyn Burpee and Sandra Holmes.
From Merrill, Arlene Friel; from Smyrna, Peggy Sanders and Charlotte Marley; from New Limerick, Doreen Messina and her husband Joseph.
If you need information about the Purple Hat chapter, please call any of the above ladies or Charlotte Marley at 757-8483.
Come, enjoy, eat a good meal and socialize with the Purple Hat ladies. There are no dues; there is one requirement — to wear a purple hat.
Ricker Rumblings
by Lois Downing
Hello everyone! Happy Father’s Day to all fathers, step-fathers, grandfathers, guardians, and anyone out there fulfilling the role of a father. I’m a little late, but like the old saying, ‘’ Better late than never.’’
Beautiful day on Father’s Day! Thank you, Lord, for providing this happy time for us. I was fortunate to eat with members of the St. Mary Church as a parishioner of the church, the Knights of Columbus gave us a delicious meal consisting of barbecued chicken, all kinds of salads, rolls, and chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. Scrumptious. Thanks, guys.
Wednesday, June 20, which is today, is the first day of summer. The Friday night dinner put on by Barbara Ganem’s committee was a success, both socially and food-wise. We were served spaghetti, with a nice salad, and other delicacies’ plus a delicious pink cake. Thank you everyone who was involved.
The outside party on Saturday was also a success. More on this later.
All who witnessed the Saturday parade liked it and were amused. The parade with all its men, trucks, autos and small cars went by Military street so we had ringside seats. Again, thanks to all involved.
Brenda Belyea was in an accident on Sunday. I can’t give you any particulars but Brenda, if you are reading this, our wish is that your suffering was small.
Nice to see Shirley Nason and her sister Ruth, who just moved here, going places. Diane Richard’s name was left out from the committee list of names last week. Sorry about that Diane. Diane likes to cook and is often treating us on Bingo day.
A note on angels: “The moment we are born, an angel is assigned to walk with us along life’s roads and make sure we never get lost.”
The Bible quote for today is: taken from Psalm 68:20: ‘’Blessed day by day be the Lord, who bears our burdens; God who is our salvation.’’
Have a safe and peaceful week. God bless.
Island Falls News
The Island Falls Historical Society held a very successful food sale on June 15 with many people putting their cooking skills to work to provide the public with lots of tasty goodies, all home cooked and donated to a worthy cause.
The Tingley house is now open for three days a week for anyone to browse through and to see what is new. Vaughn(Charley) Walker, former resident, has recently spent a week here in Island Falls, staying with his sister, Connie Hollis and husband, Bill. While here, he visited with many friends and relatives before returning  to his home in Florida. Greg and Sarah Douglas have returned to their home on the pond road after spending the winter months at their home in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
I am having quite a battle with the darn squirrels that continue to get at my bird feeders despite all my efforts to keep them away. I have quite a few nuthatches, gold finch and chickadees that like to have a chance to eat some of the sunflower seeds and just have to wait until the big guys leave. I probably will give up the battle and maybe the squirrels will leave the neighborhood.
I am also having a time with ants getting into my hummingbird feeder but plan to put it in another area where the ants can’t get into it. My flower garden looks pretty good — pansies are very pretty and the zinnias are getting buds plus my one potato that I planted is up and growing fast. I put it in my back flower garden just for the heck of it so I may get potatoes this fall. I haven’t spotted the woodchuck lately, so he must be off to some place that has a garden he can chew on.
Keep Off Pounds Sensibly ME0233, HOULTON
by Lois Downing
Keep Off Pounds Sensibly Chapter 0233 of Houlton met at the Aldergate building on Friday, June 15. Nineteen ladies were weighed. Bonnie Lewellen transferred from another chapter and was present. Gerry McAfee, absent for several weeks, was present.
Leader Diane Folsom was in attendance. Loser of the week was Shirley Ethier with runner-up Janette Nelson. Charms were distributed by Barbara Whited as: loser of the month of April, Marsha Reed; KOPS in leeway for the month: Lois Downing, Diané Folsom, Barbara Grant, Betty Ivey, Charlotte Marley and Donna Parent; loser of the month of May, Shirley Ethier; KOPS in leeway: Diane Folsom, Barbara Grant, Betty Ivey, Charlotte Marley and Donna Parent; six weeks with no red marks: Joanne Scott.
Barbara Troy led us in exercises for several minutes. Diane brought up the subject of new purple shirts and input was forthcoming by several members. Some of the members also gave reports on how they lost weight.
Barbara Grant read a ‘’Funny Friday’’ joke. It was well received. Joanne Scott had charge of the program and gave 75 weight loss tips. Some of them were: don’t skip meals; never shop while hungry; be sure to eat breakfast; get enough sleep; remove breadbasket at a restaurant.
The next meeting will be June 22 at the same location. If you wish information about the chapter, you may call Charlotte Marley at 757-8483 or Betty Ivey at 532-9653. Weigh-in time is 8-8:45 a.m. every Friday; the meeting begins at 9 and usually ends an hour later.