Community Notebook

12 years ago

Oakfield Seniors
By Charlotte Marley

    The Oakfield Senior Citizens group celebrated its annual Christmas party on Dec. 5 at the Smoki-Haulers Snowmobile Club in Oakfield with 30 members and guests attending. All sizes and shapes of gifts were displayed under a beautifully decorated large Christmas tree.
    Wannetta Townsend asked the blessing on the meal. With lots of help in the kitchen (before and after lunch) a delicious ham dinner with all the trimmings was served. After the Lord’s Prayer and Flag Salute led by Bob Locke the usual reports were read and accepted.
Bonnie Pratt was the winner of the 50/50 raffle. Santa made a surprise visit distributing candy canes and leading the Yankee Swap of gifts. Decembers birthdays were observed.
Our next meeting will be on January 2, 2013.
Attending were: Jackie Flowers, Gloria Noyes, George Barrows, Sally Morton, Kathleen Boutilier, David Burpee, Wannetta Townsend, Rick Camari, Evelyn Burpee, Bonnie Pratt, Tessie Barrett, Roger Ethier, Arlene Friel, Delores Locke, Ursula Levesque, Don Marley, Mildred Gagnon, Thelma Flowers, Naci Fowler, Mary Lawler, Bob Locke, Martha Chapados, Earl Doughty, Bernice Campbell, Merle Burpee, Marie Gillotti, Charlotte Marley, Lottie Doughty, Shirley Ethier and Donna Furrow.
Merry Christmas to everyone.

Ricker Rumbings
By Lois Downing

    I’m back once again. I have been ‘’under the weather,’’ so to speak, but trying every day to keep on top of everyday life. It is in this busy time of the year, when we stop and reflect and think about our blessings and I have many, to be sure.
On Friday, it was Pearl Harbor Day. Do you remember where you were and what you were doing on that fateful day in 1942? Or was it 1941? I remember I was working in Connecticut and have fond memories of that time.
We had a Thanksgiving dinner here at Ricker while I was in Bangor with my daughter, Kathryn. Charlene said it went very well, and she should know, as she and some of her family, do the cooking.
We are glad to see Russell Socoby back with us. Russell left Ricker Plaza a few years ago to live in Eastport. Now he has rejoined us and we are glad he did.
Our Christmas party is tomorrow, Monday, Dec. 10. I will try and tell you all about it in next week’s Pioneer Times. My neighbor, Robin Chambers, has been sick too, for over a week. Hope she will be able to join us for the special party.
What do you think of this mild weather? I like it but unfortunately it won’t last. Snow is predicted for tonight. It is the season of Advent and before you know it, St. Nick will be here. Are you prepared? It comes upon us so easily with lots of wrapping, buying postage stamps, mailing, baking, cooking, and what not! Lots of work, but what fun!
Sylvia Thompson visited with her brother, Gene Tracy, and family of Plainville, Connecticut. Sylvia and her brother visited with their 96 year old aunt Louise Richland. Louise is known as the Mitten Lady at the home where she lives. People bring in the yarn and she makes the mittens. It is a wonderful hobby.
Did you know, one person in the United States is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease approximately every 68 seconds. It is estimated that almost 500,000 new cases of Alzheimer’s disease will be diagnosed this year. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. To date Alzheimer’s Disease Research has awarded more than $78 million to help fund promising research in fields ranging from molecular biology to epidemiology. (The above is information from Alzheimer’s Disease Research of Clarksburg, Maryland).
Joe Garnett was a visitor at emergency at Houlton Regional Hospital for a brief time.
Received some nice recipes in Farm Fresh News, sponsored by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Dot Armstrong received the same publication and was going to pass the recipes on to her daughter.
Keep well everybody. Your health is so important and if you don’t take care of it, nobody else will. God bless, until the next time.

Island Falls News

    On Dec. 1, the Island Falls Historical Society held its annual pre-Christmas cookie sale at the Tingley House from 10 a.m. until noon. There were many varieties of cookies, in all shapes and sizes and sales were brisk.
Following the sale, those cookies that were left were packaged and given to Becky Drew, who took them to the library on Monday where they were available to anyone who had missed the Saturday sale.  All proceeds from any sale go toward the restoration of the historic Tingley House landmark.
Also, on Dec. 1, at Sherman, a pre-Christmas public supper was held at the Sherman gym, sponsored, and cooked by Errol Hunt, who is well known for his excellent cooking skills. This year the supper featured, ham, turkey and steamed salmon, along with squash, string beans, baby onions and mashed potatoes. David Pratt was on hand to help with the vegetables and Stella Lane was also an assistant to help.
Errol made several pies and a delicious pistachio cake for the desserts to serve to the over 130 people who attended this affair. This supper was just one of the many sponsored by Errol in the past, and hopefully, it will not be the last.
I have really had a lot of birds at my feeders this past month — even had a female goldfinch and a red-breasted grosbeak. Certainly keeps me busy keeping the feeders full. I also have the pesky red squirrels who seem to wait until I bring the sunflower seeds then proceeds to eat them all up as quickly as they can. I haven’t seen gray squirrels around lately. Still get a glimpse now and then of the cardinals, who even eats right out of the feeders now. I always put some on the ground for them, too. And the spike horn buck is still around. He cleans out the feeders pretty good, too, despite the apples and bread I throw out for him. He is one well-fed critter. No wonder he is still around.

Take Off Pounds Sensibly
ME 0233 HOULTON

by Lois Downing

    Take Off Pounds Sensibly Chapter 0233 met at the Aldergate building on High Street for its Friday, Dec. 7 meeting. Diane Folsom led the meeting with 15 TOPS and 5 KOPS (Keep Off Pounds Sensibly) members attending. Janette Nelson presented a financial report, always accurate.
Losers of the week were Cheryl, Kay Grass, Margaret Hagerman and Joanne Scott. A new weight loss program will be started in January, as per notice from our leader. Millie Gagnon told the group how she lost her weight. Her medical staff was astonished by her results.
Christmas cards will be sent to members who are absent or cannot be present for various reasons.
We left for Oakfield to the Smoki Haulers Clubhouse where our Christmas party was held. The cooks were Cindy Gray, Delores and Bob Locke, Don Marley and a few more. Menu was roast beef, mashed potatoes, stuffing, peas, carrots, cranberry sauce, gravy, rolls and a variety of pies and cakes. Mr. and Mrs. Claus performed their dancing routine, much to the surprise of many. A Yankee Swap was held with great enjoyment.
The next meeting will be held on Dec. 14. For more information, call Betty Ivey at 532-9653 or Charlotte Marley at 757-8483.