Vassalboro Community Calendar contest underway (2025)

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This 2025 Community Calendar photo was taken at the East Vassalboro boat landing on China Lake by Methodist Pastor Karen Merrill during the 2024 Easter Sunday sunrise service. Photo entries are requested for consideration for the 2026 calendar. (contributed photo)

Each year a photo is featured on the Vassalboro Community Calendar – examples of past years are the Community School, the town office, Veterans Park; the Historical Society or pretty scenes from around town.

Photographers can be from anywhere but photos must have been taken after July 1, 2024, within the town of Vassalboro and depict a special place, activity or scene in town. Include the photographer’s full name, age, and the date when and location where the photo was taken. If people in the photo are recognizable, include their written permission with submissions as well. All ages are encouraged to participate!

Send high-resolution (300-600 dpi) JPEG or .jpg by noon on Sunday, July 6, to crossings4u@gmail.com. Entries will be reviewed and the winning one chosen by a group of six impartial Vassalboro residents and the winner will be notified by email. Their photo will be featured, with due photographic credit, on the 2026 Vassalboro Community Calendar.

Those who wish to have free listings of birthdays, anniversaries or memorials added to the 2026 calendar; or to inquire if space is still available for business ads, contact Cindy Shorey at (207) 873-5544 or info.vumc@gmail.com by July 10. The 2026 Vassalboro Community Calendars will be distributed by members and friends of the Vassalboro United Methodist Church throughout town this October-November. Follow this photo contest and future special events and public meals on the Vassalboro United Methodist Church Facebook page.

Renaissance awards at Erskine Academy (2025)

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June Seniors of the Trimester recipients, from left to right, Andra Cowing, Carlee Sanborn, Chase Larrabee, and David Thompson III. (contributed photo)

On Friday, June 6, Erskine Academy, in South China, students and staff attended a Renaissance Assembly to honor their peers with Renaissance Awards.

Renaissance Recognition Awards were presented to the following students: Stella Martinelli, Sabrina Studholme, MacKenzie Chase, Shannon McDonough, Brandon Hanscom, Jordyn Smith, Kaden Crawford, Victoria Rancourt, Lillian Crommett, Kaiden Kronillis, Josiah Fitzgerald, and Eleanor Maranda.

In addition to Recognition Awards, Senior of the Trimester Awards were also presented to four members of the senior class: Carlee Sanborn, daughter of Jennifer and Robert Sanborn, of China; Andra Cowing, daughter of Kirsten and Anthony Cowing, of Palermo; Chase Larrabee, son of Carrie and Jeremy Larrabee, of China; and David Thompson III, son of Laura Thompson, of Jefferson. Seniors of the Trimester are recognized as individuals who have gone above and beyond in all aspects of their high school careers.

In appreciation of their dedication and service to Erskine Academy, Faculty of the Trimester awards were presented to Celina Page, Foreign Language Instructor; and Ryan Nored, English Instructor.

Congratulations to all award recipients!

June Faculty of the Trimester recipients Ryan Nored, left, and Celina Page. (contributed photo)

Whitefield Lions support local youth

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Contributed photo

One of the many missions of the Whitefield Lions Club is to support local youth. Each year the Whitefield Lions Club Scholarship Committee chooses among deserving applicants based on academic performance, perseverance, leadership, community service and career goals. The Whitefield Lions recognizes six graduating seniors. These students will receive a $1,000 scholarship towards furthering their education after their completion of their first semester.

This year the club is proud to recognize LilliAnn Brooks, of Lincoln Academy, who will receive the Lion Ronald Kenoyer Scholarship and will be attending Central Maine Community College, and Husson University, in Bangor, to become a Certified Public Accountant, Joslyn Sandoval, of Erskine Academy, in South China, who will receive the Legacy Award and will be attending Aveda Institute of Cosmetology, Loralie Grady, of Cony high School, in Augusta, who will receive a scholarship and attend University of Maine Farmington for Psychology-Social Work, Carter Rau, of Erskine Academy, in South China, who will receive a scholarship and attend Southern Maine Community College, and study Communications and New Media with a Videography focus, Ashley Kalloch, of Hall-Dale High School, she will be attending Kennebec Valley Community College and Study Business Administration, and Emmet Appel, of Erskine Academy, in South China, who will be attending Princeton University and study mechanical engineering and public policy.

These students and their parents/grandparents were honored at the Lions Club dinner on May 22, 2025.

Bill Bonney presented with Paul Harris Fellowship Award

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Waterville Police Chief William Bonney

The Waterville Rotary Noon club has named Bill Bonney, Waterville Police Chief, as the 2024-2025 Rotary year Paul Harris Fellow Award recipient.

Paul Harris was the founder of Rotary in 1905 after persuading several business associates to discuss the idea of forming an organization for local professionals. In 1957, Rotary International established recognition for Rotarians who contributed to their clubs in substantial service and financial support. Rotary clubs may award a fellowship to an individual who meets the high professional and personal standards exemplified by Paul Harris, without the honored individual having made any monetary contribution. A Paul Harris Fellowship is an accolade that a Rotary Club can vote to present to a worthy individual in the community who may not be a part of the Rotary organization.

Waterville Police Chief Bill Bonney has served in many positions while on the police force. During his time as a patrol officer, he would often visit the South End Teen Center after it was opened by KVCAP. He spent time building relationships with the teens and would often participate in the activities with the youth members. He also spent time in the KVCAP Head Start program, reading to the young children.

When asked about Chief Bonney, Andrea Pasco, KVCAP’s Development Director, states “One of Bill’s defining features throughout his career with the Waterville PD is his ongoing commitment to the community…”

Bonney became police chief in June 2023, after serving over 25 years with the Waterville Police Department and receiving several promotions throughout the years. To the Waterville Rotary Noon Club Bonney exemplifies the characteristics of a Paul Harris Fellow by his “exceptional service” and demonstrates Rotary’s values in his efforts to make Waterville a safer and healthier community for all, building goodwill among all groups while doing his best to remain fair to all involved.

(contributed photo)

PHOTOS: Flag retirement in Palermo

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Post Adjutant Duane Alexander placing the first flag in the fire. (contributed photo)

American Legion Post #163, in Palermo, held a flag retirement ceremony on Flag Day, June 14.

Post #163 worked in collaboration with the Palermo Fire Department, Cub Scout Pack #609, American Legion Auxiliary, and the Sons of the American Legion. (contributed photo)

Cub Scout Pack #609, led by pack leader Shawn McFarland, assisted in folding the flags in preparation for the ceremony the week before. (contributed photo)

EVENTS: Summer blood and platelet donations vital to avoid blood supply impact

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Receive $15 Amazon.com Gift Card by email, also entered to win $7K gift card for blood donation in June

Disasters like hurricanes and severe summer weather can disrupt blood drives for several days and impact the momentum of a growing blood supply. Help the American Red Cross plan for the unexpected by making an appointment to give blood or platelets.

Even when hospitals are fully stocked with blood products, sudden events can cause a rapid drop in the availability of lifesaving transfusions. The Red Cross asks people to continue making and keeping donation appointments a part of their June plans.

Blood has a shelf life of 42 days, which means ongoing donations are key to ensure medical needs are met. Type O blood donors and those giving platelets are especially needed as the summer season continues.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities will take place in Waterville on Friday, June 20, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., at O’Brien’s Event Center, 375 Main St., and in Augusta, on Monday, June 23, 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Augusta Elks, 397 Civic Center Drive, P.O. Box 2206.

PHOTO: Third degree brown belts

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Six students from Huard’s Martial Arts Dojo, in Winslow, recently earned Third Degree Brown Belt rank levels, on Saturday May 31. Left to right, Lane Irish, Aiden Robichaud, Jude Randazza, Kayla Joseph, Elsei Dumont and Addilyne Gallagher. (photo courtesy of Mark Huard)

TEAM PHOTO: Belgrade Majors Softball Team

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Front row, from left to right, Bella Allarie, Jaidyn Gardner, Piper Levenseller, Aubrey Woodman, Emery Voll, and Brooke Kidd. Back, Ann Bedard, Izzy Hockmeyer, Izzy Castner, Eleanor Paige, Hadleigh LaChance, and Blakely Shore. Coaches, Stephanie Koetzle, Meagan Woodman, and Kayla Levenseller (photo by Missy Brown, Central Maine Photography)

China voting results (June 2025)

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by Mary Grow

The small number of China voters who came to the polls on June 10 approved all ballot questions presented.

A 34-article annual town business meeting ballot authorized town government funding and various select board actions for the 2025-26 fiscal year, plus repealing two ordinances and amending two others.

Town Clerk Angela Nelson’s tally said 277 voters filled out these ballots. Of the 34 questions, only three received fewer than 200 “yes” votes.

— The vote to repeal China’s recreational marijuana ordinance (because state regulations supersede it, Town Manager Rebecca Hapgood had explained) was 156 in favor, 112 opposed.
— The vote to repeal China’s quorum ordinance (because it is not legal, Hapgood had said) was 163 in favor, 107 opposed.
— The vote to appropriate $64,000 for community support organizations was 199 in favor, 76 opposed.

On the two-question Regional School Unit #18 ballot, 192 voters approved the annual budget referendum, endorsing the 2025-26 school budget approved in May. Seventy-nine voters were opposed; five left the question blank.

The second question, whether to continue the annual referendum for another three years, was approved 199 to 68, with nine blank ballots.

Complete results from the June 10 voting are on the town website, chinamaine.org, by clicking on the Elections tab on the right-hand side of the main page.

Successful completion of the watershed survey

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Volunteers and team leaders for Webber Pond. (contributed photo)

by Mary Schwanke
Webber Pond Association
Water Quality Committee

For the first time in more than 20 years a complete watershed survey has been accomplished for the 14,226 acres (22.5 square miles) of land surrounding three connected ponds in our area. Three-cornered Pond is the headwater for the two larger ponds, draining into Three mile Pond via Barton Brook, which then drains northwest into Webber Pond via Seaward Mills Stream. Twenty volunteers, including 17 local community members and three environmental stewards from the Maine Conservation Corps, joined 10 technical leaders from Ecological Instincts (Manchester), Kennebec County Soil and Water Conservation District, and Maine DEP for three full days of survey work. Teams of three spent the days walking shoreline proprieties, inspecting driveways and camp roads, and checking culverts at stream crossings for signs of erosion and storm water runoff. Runoff is the leading cause of excess external phosphorus in lakes, fueling algal and cyanobacterial blooms, including some that can release toxins harmful to children, pets, and wildlife.

In addition to the surveys of developed land conducted May 15-17, a team from Ecological Instincts has undertaken surveys of agricultural and forested lands in the watershed to help complete the picture. Only about five percent of land owners opted out of having their properties surveyed, which is great news for generating a very comprehensive data set to help us understand factors affecting our water quality. The watershed survey data, along with data from water sampling in 2024 and this summer, will be used by our professional consultants to model external and internal sources of phosphorus and generate recommendations to reduce total phosphorus in all three ponds. A summary of survey results will be shared with the public and will be used in the development of a 10-year watershed based management plan to help improve water quality.

This project is being funded by two grant programs administered by Maine DEP, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and the Nonpoint Source Grant for Pollution Control Projects (NPS) totaling nearly $100,000. Additional support has been provided by the Towns of Vassalboro and Windsor, the John Sage Foundation, the China Region Lakes Alliance, and Maine Lakes/Lake Stewards of Maine. Two additional proposals were recently submitted to the 2025 CWSRF and NPS programs to fund the project’s remaining tasks: completion of all data analyses and modeling, review and prioritization of management strategies including potential remediation options, and the writing of the new Tri-Watershed Based Management Plan by late 2026/early 2027. The plan will be used to guide watershed restoration and protection efforts over the next 10 years.

Special thanks go to our intern, Ellie Hatt, an environmental steward with the Maine Conservation Corps. She was instrumental in preparing the property lists and sector maps for the watershed survey, as well as helping with the training of volunteers for this project.

Volunteers and team leaders for Three-cornered and Three-mile ponds. (contributed photo)