Ashland Area Cross Country Ski Club
receives grant
ASHLAND NEWS
by Susan Feeney Hopkins
The Ashland Area Cross Country Ski Club has received a $5,000 grant from the Maine Community Foundation to develop a cross country ski rental program for its after school ski program. The club’s mission is to promote the lifelong recreational activity of cross country skiing in the Ashland community.
MEMBERS 
of the Ashland Area Cross Country Ski Club recently received a $5,000 donation from the Maine Community Foundation to help the club develop cross country ski rentals for its after school ski program. Pictured are, from left: club member Linda Milligan, Maine Community Foundation Aroostook County committee member Linda Alverson, and club members Heather Bessey and Amanda Barker.
The club maintains and grooms 6 miles of ski trails. The trails are open to the general public, but are located on privately-owned land. A cornerstone of the club’s activities is the after school ski program enjoyed by over 50 students from the Ashland District School. The program has encouraged students to join the middle and high school cross country ski teams.
The Maine Community Foundation, through its Aroostook County Fund, provides annual grant support to non-profits engaged in community building projects. The fund has provided more than $450,000 to programs in Aroostook County. These grants have been complimented by over $300,000 in donor advised funds held at the foundation, a reflection of Maine Community Foundation’s ongoing efforts to connect individual philanthropists to organizations and projects in Aroostook County. To contribute to Maine Community Foundation’s Aroostook Fund call 1-877-700-6800 or go to mainecf.org.
Victorian tea party
The Portage Lake Red Hat Society will be hosting a Victorian tea party in the dining hall at the Portage Lake Municipal Building Thursday, Aug. 16 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $6 each and can be purchased either at the Town Office or from Alison at 435-6661. Games will follow the tea for those wishing to participate. Guests should bring their fanciest teacups and gossip!
Special thanks
The Ashland Fish and Game Club would like to thank all of the businesses and citizens who assisted the club with all of its events during the Ashland Summer Fest. Their donations and hard work helped to make all of the events “a wonderful success.”
Fitness Path fundraisers
The Portage Lake Fitness Path is selling personalized memorial bricks that will be placed along the walking path in town. Buy a brick (or more) in memory of a loved one that will become a permanent part of the Portage Lake Fitness Path. Each sponsored brick will be a visible part of the path located around the Town Hall. All proceeds raised from the personalized brick program will be used for the walking path and possible future extensions. Two sizes are available for purchase. Order forms are available at the Town Office or by calling 435-6854 or 435-4361 for more details.
Once again this year, pink tulips are also being sold in a joint fundraiser to benefit both the Portage Lake Fitness Path and the Maine Cancer Foundation. Bulbs are $3 each, with $1 of each sale going to the Maine Cancer Foundation’s Woman’s Cancer Fund. The bulbs will be sold throughout the summer and will be planted in early October for a spring 2013 bloom! You can also purchase bulbs to plant in your own gardens — just be sure to indicate this on the order form and check. Order forms are available at the Town Office, Coffin’s General Store or from Corrine Routhier. For more information, contact Routhier at 435-6854 or e-mail arouthier@roadrunner.com.
Portage Hills golf tournament
The Portage Hills Golf Course will be hosting its annual Pratico/Siliski Golf Tournament Saturday, July 28. Registration is from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Registration fees are $40 for club members and $50 for non-members. Teams will be drawn at random at 9:30 a.m. with a shotgun start beginning at 10 a.m. This year’s tournament will be held in memory of Terry Cyr, beloved mother, wife, grandmother, sister and friend to all. Cyr was a skilled and active member of the Portage Hills Golf Course who is remembered for her generous and kind spirit along with her great golf game.
Everyone gets a prize! Special prizes will be awarded for placement in the tournament along with prizes for the “skins game,” putting contest, the longest drive and “closest to the pin.” Percy’s Auto has very generously donated a new car for the lucky golfer to score a Hole-In-One! This is a major fundraiser for the club and your participation and support is encouraged and appreciated very much.
Snacks and drinks will be available at the clubhouse during the tournament. A potluck supper will be held after the tournament in the clubhouse. For more information, please contact the Portage Hills Golf Course at 435-8221.
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.
