By Terry Sandsky
Three weeks ago, the Mapleton Lions Club kicked off the 2025 Christmas season by hanging holiday lights along Main Street. The club’s 30-year traditional Main Street lighting has done much more than brightly lighting the street. Their holiday lighting has and continues to brighten the hearts and spirits of everyone traveling down the street on the darkest of nights.
Over the first 27 years of the holiday lighting, the Mapleton Lions used either used lights from Presque Isle or the club’s very own homemade lights. As the old and inexpensive lights would fail from year to year, the members kept hoping for a way to upgrade the quality of the lights. Then three years ago, Elizabeth and Jeff Clark presented the club with an idea as to how to dramatically improve the holiday lighting by buying commercial lights at the right time when prices were most affordable. Then they helped the club organize a Tri-Town Holiday Lighting Committee, which had the simple task of asking families to sponsor a light in remembrance of someone special in their families. Community organizations, businesses and individuals were asked to consider sponsoring a light.
The plan was to start with 10 or 12 lights that might be funded through these sponsorships and dedications in the first year with eight or 10 lights added over the following three years. However, the idea was so terrific that 23 lights were purchased in year one and 20 more over years two and three. The purchase and installation costs for all the lights approached a total of $50,000, a very challenging goal for the Mapleton Lions Club. To the club members’ surprise, all the lights were quickly sponsored with additional calls coming in asking if there were additional unsponsored lights, but they have all been sponsored.
The Mapleton Lions Club wishes to thank all who stepped up and sponsored a light. They are nearing the completion of a Mapleton Holiday Lights Recognition Board that has individual plaques that detail the dedication and the sponsor of each light as well as the utility pole number on which the designated hangs. As part of their expression of thanks, the list of dedications and sponsors are listed below. They are not in the order as they hang on the utility poles.
Light 1 Teardrop Ornament, Donated by the Dennis Turner Family; Light 2 Snowflakes, In Memory of Rodney Lamoreau by Haystack Historical Society; Light 3 Nativity Star, In Memory of Donna Doody and Kendrick Graham Hanlon by Terry and Carolyn Hanlon; Light 4 Bells w/Bows, In Memory of Reggie Ames by Ethelle Lord; Light 5 Holiday Candle; Donated by Roger and Gayle Hoffses; Light 6 Teardrop Ornament; In Memory of Arnie Devoe and Florence Martin by Dan & Leslie Martin; Light 7 Snowflakes, In Memory of Llewyn Clukey by The Clark Family; Light 8 Nativity Star, Donated by the Isaac Brayley Family; Light 8 Bells w/Bows, In Memory of Gene & Ina Hoffses by Bob, Lorie, Courtney & Robbie; Light 9 Christmas Ornament, Donated by Darrell and Carla Carney; Light 10 Cheery Snowman, Donated by Tyler, Jen, Gabe & Grace Player.
Light 11 Christmas Tree, Donated by Mapleton Daze Committee; Light 12 Candy Cane, In Memory of Arnold & Caroline Gough by the Family of Ivan Pratt and Doug Gough; Light 13 Snowflakes, In Memory of Lynwood, Beulah, & Ellen Judkins by Sylvia and Linda; Light 14 Christmas Candlestick, Donated by Frank & Gaye Richards; Light 15 Christmas Ornament, Donated by The Hanning Family; Light 16 Reindeer, In Memory of Merlyn Buck by Linda, their children & grandchildren; Light 17 Cheery Snowman, In Memory of Mo Kidd by Laurie Lynn Kidd; Light 18 Christmas Tree, In Honor of Past & Present Members by Chapman Ridge Runners Snowmobile & ATV Club; Light 19 Candy Cane, In Memory of Dennis Hoffses by The Mapleton Lions Club; Light 20 Snowflakes, Donated by Estey Water Wells; Light 20 Reindeer, In Memory of Carl & Emily Lovley.
Light 21 Cheery Snowman, In Honor of Vinal & Dorothy Turner by Terry, Charles and Dennis; Light 22 Reindeer, In Honor of Dale & Sylvia McHatten by Their Children; Light 23 Candy Cane, In Memory of Llewellyn & Margaret Hoffses by Dennis & Myra Hoffses, George & Tammie McGlaughlin, Kelly Hoffses, Christopher & Denise Condon and Russell & Pam Hoffses; Lights 24 & 25 Heavenly Angel and Christmas Angel, Over 150 years of Community Ministry and we have only just begun by Mapleton United Baptist Church; Light 26 Cheery Snowman, Donated by Embleton Auto Sales; Light 27 Snowflakes, In Honor of Blake & Rose Buck by Their Children; Light 28 Christmas Tree, In Memory of Heidi Graham by her loving Husband & Children; Light 29 Christmas Ornament, Donated by Debbie & Jonathan Roark, CDR USN(Ret); Light 30 Reindeer, Donated by Buck Family Farms.
Light 31 Candy Cane, In Memory of Forest & Gladys Chandler by Don & Alice Chandler & Family; Light 32 Snowflakes, In loving Memory of Peter & Aaron Piper and James Thompson by Scott, Tammy & Dylan; Light 33 Reindeer, In Memory of Katie Buck by Wes Buck & Family; Light 34 Cheery Snowman, Donated by Mapleton Oil Co.; Light 35 Christmas Tree, In Memory of Willard & Pearl Doyen and Willard Jr. & Martha Doyen by The Doyen Family; Light 36 Christmas Wreath, In Honor of Mapleton Lions Club by the Towns of Mapleton, Castle Hill, and Chapman; Light 37 Christmas Tree, In Loving Memory of Anne Braley by The Braley Family; Light 38 Candy Cane, In Memory of Neil Buck by His Family; Light 39 Heavenly Angel, In Honor of The United Methodist Church by Terry & Susanne Sandusky; Light 40 Reindeer, In Honor of Rino & Flora Boucher by their children, Reno, Tony and Curt. Light 41 Cheery Snowman, In Memory of Kenney & Cleo Sandusky and Charlie & Barbara Wyman by Terry & Susanne Sandusky; Light 42 Christmas Tree, Donated by LaJoie Electric; Light 43 Candy Cane, In Memory of Jennie Downing and Edith Grendell by Leroy & Alice Shepard and Paul & Sheryl Grendell.
The Mapleton Lions Club would like to recognize several other individuals and businesses who made the Mapleton Holiday Lights Project possible. They made financial and service contributions that helped with the success of bringing that special holiday spirit and happiness to Main Street Mapleton. Financial donations came from Matt Gregg and Lois Nickerson, who donated in memory of Merle Nickerson. The Club thanks the many others who gave monetary donations towards the cost of getting these pole decorations installed, powered, and maintained.
Special thanks goes to Jeff and Elizabeth Clark of J & E Oddments for all their dedication, guidance and donations to this project. Special thanks also goes to LaJoie Electric for helping with the installation of the connections needed to power the lights.Additional thanks goes to Ricky Jordan for making the Dedication Display Case. Finally the Mapleton Lions Club appreciates the creative decorating that the Jake Pickens and Andrew Blackstone Families did to make the town gazebo sparkle and glow in the night for all to enjoy!
The Mapleton Lions Club invites everyone to drive Mapleton’s Main Street and enjoy the beauty and joy of the lights that people of Mapleton have made possible. Come and enjoy.
Mapleton Lions announce change in hall rental
Due to the untimely passing of Lion Dennis Hoffses, who had served for many years as the Mapleton Lions Hall Manager, a change in hall rental contact has been made. For individuals, businesses or groups wishing to rent the Mapleton Lions Hall, please call Rick or Theresa Fowler at 207-554-6605 or email at tmkeenanfowler@gmail.com. They are now responsible for scheduling the rental of the hall. Potential hall renters may contact them to find out about the availability of the hall and the charge for renting the hall.
Terry Sandusky is the Star-Herald correspondent for Mapleton, Chapman and Castle Hill and can be reached at 207-764-4916 or at starherald.Tsandusky@gmail.com.
