Dinner and auction
to benefit Lions Club charities
MAPLETON NEWS
by Jennifer Buzza
The Mapleton Lions Club is entering its 56th year of community service and support. This coming Saturday, May 4, the 51st Mapleton Lions Charity Auction and Dinner will be held. Starting at 4:30 p.m., a ham and bean dinner will be served just before the auction. Serving time will start at 4:30 p.m. and will end at 6 p.m. The menu will consist of baked ham with big and small baked beans, potato salad and a variety of dessert treats.
At 6:30 p.m., the Mapleton Lions Club Auction will begin with several hundred items and services donated by businesses in Presque Isle, Mapleton, Ashland and Portage up for bid. There will be gift certificates for groceries, car services, and dining out. There will be a heavy-duty car/truck charger and booster, bags of fresh bread, potato chips, 50-pound bags of potatoes, a John Deere hoodie, an eye exam and glasses from Dr. Richard Graves, and a variety of tools. This year, a special item being offered is a hot air balloon flight for two during the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest in August. Everyone is invited to come, place a bid and go home with a deal for the year. All proceeds from the dinner and auction will benefit Lions Club charities.
What are Lions Club charities? These are all local organizations and individuals helped through the funds raised by the Mapleton Lions Club. The Club makes available to the community the Lions Hall for special events that help children and youth such as the Boy and Girl Scouts, the Mapleton Summer Recreation Program, and the various town pageants. Also the Club helps individuals and families with serious health and emergency needs. This past year, benefits for cancer and fire victims raised several thousands of dollars for families because the Club could provide the hall free of charge for the special event. However, the Club must maintain and heat the hall throughout the year and it does this through rentals for family and group events and through the annual Lion Auction fundraising.
The Lions also contribute to the Aroostook Teen Leadership Camp and Project Graduation, as well as provides up to three college scholarships each year. The Mapleton Lions Club is the host sponsor for the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest, Mapleton Daze and the Maple Meadow Farm Festival. Your support of the Mapleton Lions Club auction and the Mapleton Lions Club chicken barbeque at Mapleton Daze makes all of the Club’s charitable work possible. You are encouraged to come have a good time this Saturday evening. Have a tasty supper before the auction and then stay and get a deal that will benefit Lions Club charities.
Birthdays
Birthday wishes this week go out to Jessica Boucher, Abbie Estey, Trent Stephenson, Paige Doyen, Madelynn Putnam, Alyssa Farley, Mimi Lewandowski, Jesse Powers, Howard Brown, Alcide Carney, Shelby Robinson and Christi Doyen.
Friday luncheon
The Mapleton Methodist Church will be hosting its monthly Friday luncheon May 3 at 11:30 a.m. All are welcome to get out and enjoy the spring weather and a great meal!
Spring cleanup
The Mapleton Cemetery Association will be conducting a spring cleanup at the Southside Cemetery on the West Chapman Road Saturday, May 4 beginning at 8 a.m. Anyone interested in volunteering would be most welcome. The cleanup should not take more than two hours.
Fiddlehead Supper
The Chapman Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club will be holding its annual Fiddlehead Supper May 17. There will be two seatings, 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the clubhouse at 94 Town Hall Road in Chapman.
The menu includes tender roast pork, baked “Mapleton” potatoes, freshly picked “Mapleton” fiddleheads, cranberry sauce, applesauce, and a choice of desserts. Fiddlehead themed appetizers are also served to the guests.
Tickets are still $10 each and must be prepaid. Seating is limited so reserve your tickets by calling Audrey at 764-1769, Susan at 764-1236 or from any member. Tables for eight may also be reserved for $75. Come and support the club!
Scouts celebrate ceremony
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Buzza
MAKE DONATION — Members of the Mapleton Girl Scout Troop 1133 recently made a donation of supplies to the Halfway Home Pet Rescue in Caribou. The girls purchased kitty litter, dry and canned cat food, and cat toys with troop funds and presented the donations to Norma Milton and HHPR board members. The girls had the chance to cuddle with the cats that were at the Rescue and give them some much needed love and attention. Pictured are, from left, front row: Amanda Winslow, Alexis Getchell, Madelyn Buzza, Katelyn Amero, Bethany Baker and Kelly Normandin, HHPR board member and Pet Rescue volunteer manager of Caribou. Back row: board members Becky Brady of Woodland, and Sherry Hewitt and Mary Rowe, both of Caribou.
The Mapleton Girl Scout Troop 1133 held its fifth Court of Awards Ceremony April 17 at the Mapleton Baptist Church. The ceremony opened with the introduction of five of the troop’s nine members, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, Girl Scout Promise and Girl Scout Law. The girls then sang the “Junior Smile Song.”
After studying the four Girl Scout World Centers the past four years, this year the troop did something a little different for their program. Each of the girls selected a troop event or activity to write about and share their thoughts on the experience. Troop co-leader Nancy Winslow created a PowerPoint presentation of photos from all the trips and activities the troop took part in throughout the Scouting year. The girls shared about the tour of the Vera Estey House, geocaching, “Stop Hunger Now” campaign, science day, Inside Government badge with Mabel Desmond, Rededication ceremony, cookie movie night, Cookie CEO badge with Darcy McBay, making SWAPS, lunch at the Mapleton Diner, Planet Head Day (cancer awareness), ice skating, Scout Show at the Mall, Girl Scout Sunday and the cookie booth sale.
The troop’s nine Juniors received numerous fun patches for the outings and activities since November. In addition, the troop also earned Junior badges Cookie CEO, Customer Insights and Savvy Shopper.
The top five cookie sellers in the troop were also recognized. Alexus LaFerriere sold 311 boxes, Katelyn Amero sold 318 boxes, Bethany Baker sold 427 boxes, Amanda Winslow sold 435 boxes and Madelyn Buzza sold 514 boxes.
Four of the girls have successfully completed Girl Scout Council of Maine’s 10-steps to earn a free week at Camp Natarswi this summer. Together, the troop sold 2,780 boxes of cookies. Thanks to the generosity of family and friends, 103 boxes were purchased to donate to local VA hospitals.
The ceremony concluded with the girls singing one of their favorite songs, “Fried Ham.” Following the ceremony, family and friends were invited to enjoy cake and punch.
Other Mapleton Troop 1133 members include Delaney Alward, Alexis Getchell, Rebecca Rider and Sydney Robichaud. The troop is in its fifth year and is led by Jennifer Buzza, Nancy Winslow and Laurie Amero.
Jennifer Buzza is the correspondent for Mapleton, Castle Hill and Chapman. She can be reached at 760-9115, or by e-mail at jbuzza@ainop.com.
