SOLON & BEYOND: Inquiry from afar on the passing of Carolyn Waugh

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, my Friends. Don’t worry be happy!

I didn’t realize The Town Line paper went as far away as Portland, I think that is wonderful! Especially after I received the following very interesting e-mail from Betty Manter who lives there.

She wrote: Dear Marilyn Rogers-Bull, I just learned Carolyn Waugh passed away and found your article/tribute to her. I am grateful to have stopped into the farm summer before last and spent time with her. She was amazing and remembered me and details about me and my last visit, which had been a longtime prior.

I am a direct descendant of the original Solon French family that built her farm, my great-grandmother, Livonia French, grew up there and my grandmother (Mary Berry Manter) and I often visited the farm as my grandmother had so many memories there. The last family member to have grown up there, Esther French, gave me a photo of the farm which I’ve always treasured. It was taken on her wedding day to Earl Spaulding, who lived on a neighboring farm. The last French to own the farm, sold it to Carolyn’s father.

Anyway, I’m writing because I would really love to come to Carolyn’s celebration on June 29. I’d also like to donate my old photo to the Solon Historical Society. (There must be one?) Could you help me here and offer information as to how I might learn more about Carolyn’s celebration?

Thank you in advance for your help.

I am hoping I can find out the answers to her questions and get in touch with her.

Embden Community Center will be putting on their monthly supper on Saturday, May 11, at 5 p.m.

Went to the Solon Town Office one day last week and received this bit of information: “On behalf of the MMA Workers Compensation Fund, we are pleased to send the Town of Solon a grant reimbursement check for $2,000. The check was mailed to Elaine Aloes has been copied on this letter.

“The check is payment for the October 2018 Ed MacDonald Safety Enhancement Grant awarded to your department for purchasing of fifteen Fire Helmets.

“If you have any questions about your grant award please call Jennette Holt at 624-0140. Your interest in workplace safety is appreciated and we are glad the MMA Workers Compensation Fund could assist you with your safety efforts. Together we are building safe communities.”

Again this year BIKES FOR BOOKS PROGRAM is going on at Solon Elementary School. This spring Solon students are participating in the Bikes for Books program. The Solon Masons are sponsoring a program at the school for the fourth year.

In this program, students read books and fill out a form on each book they read. In early June there will be an assembly with a drawing from the book forms that have been submitted. A girl and a boy from each class will win a new bike donated by the Masons. We will also award a prize to the student who reads the most books in each class.

Your child’s teacher has book forms for this program. Students are encouraged to read books at school and at home.

We appreciate the support of the Masons in making this program possible at our school this spring.

In March the third graders participated in a coloring contest sponsored by the Elks for schools in our region. Two of the regional winners came from Solon Elementary School.

Winning fourth place was Levi Hamblen, who received a certificate and a check for $15. Winning first place was Lane Frost, who received a certificate and a check for $75. Congratulations to Levi and Lane!

And now for Percy’s memoir entitled: The Human Touch: ‘Tis the human touch in this world that counts, The touch of your hand and mine, Which means far more to the fainting heart Than shelter and bread and wine; For shelter is gone when the night is over And bread lasts only a day, But the touch of hand and the sound of the voice Sing on in the soul always. (words by Spencer Michael Free.)