The Mapleton Lions Club’s Lions Den will be open Friday and Saturday, Aug. 28 and 29, at the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest on the Northern Maine Fairgrounds in Presque Isle.
The festival is free to everyone.
At the Northern Maine Fair, the Den sold out of doughboys, selling almost 700 of the pastries. The new chicken tenders were quite the hit with the club selling out every package of chickens tenders available in Presque Isle.
This will be your last opportunity in 2026 to enjoy the fair food favorites, so check the Mapleton Lions Club Facebook page for more information on this coming event.
Washburn Parade
Many Mapleton and Castle Hill residents traveled to Washburn for the Washburn August Festival Parade on Aug. 15.
The lengthy parade was enjoyed by many spectators who enjoyed seeing Grand Marshall James “Chico” Hernandez in the lead. He is a 35-year resident of Washburn, and represented the town at many athletic competitions such as Olympic Freestyle Wrestling, Olympic Greco-Roman Wrestling, World Sambo Wrestling, North American Grappling Association Championships and National Senior Games Championships.
(Courtesy of Terry Sandusky)
Hernandez is the 2025 US National Senior Games Powerlifting Champion.
He has received several honors and recognitions for his athletic and community work. With his induction into the AAU Wrestling Hall of Fame, he became the only Mainer to achieve the recognition.
Hernandez is most proud of his family and his service in the U.S. Army and U.S. Army Reserves. He served with distinction 33 years becoming a Frist Sargent Combat Basic Training Instructor.
The king and queen of the festival parade were Deryle and Vicki Sponberg. He is a well-known retired employee of the Maine Department of Transportation. Most of his childhood was spent in Washburn and after earning his Certificate in Civil Engineering from the University of Maine at Orono he began his 41-year career with the department.
(Courtesy of Terry Sandusky)
He worked on several local projects and is especially proud of his engineering work on the current Washburn bridge spanning the Aroostook River. He has served on town committees and the school board. Life in Washburn remained his primary concern.
Vicki earned her regal title through her concern and care for the children of Washburn. She reared their own children while also operating a children’s daycare service in their home. She later became an education technician and special education technician in the Washburn and Presque Isle school systems.
The Sponbergs have two children, Angela (Scott) Wardwell and Gregory (Nicol) Sponberg. They enjoy spending time with their five granddaughters.
With great and agility, Deryle piloted their regal parade ride, a 2016 Chevrolet Corvette, down Main Street with smiles and laughter from the beginning to the end of the parade. The Corvette was lent to the Sponbergs by Harris and Ellen Nickerson.
Terry Sandusky is The County’s correspondent for Mapleton, Chapman and Castle Hill and can be reached at 764-4916 or at starherald.Tsandusky@gmail.com.
