Egg decorating at China Village Library

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Contributed photo

Some of the eggs decorated.

On April 7, the China Village (ACB) Library hosted a Ukrainian Easter Egg Decorating Workshop with local artist and instructor Lesia Sochor. Using a special tool called “Kistka,” a candle flame, beeswax and dyes, adults and children alike enjoyed learning the ancient craft and made colorful and original decorated eggs to bring home. The library schedules a diverse assortment of monthly events at the library for all who are interested as part of its community and cultural events program. All of the library’s programs are free and everyone is welcome.

INside the OUTside: Natalie Terry chalks up another milestone

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Natalie Terry

Dan Cassidyby Dan Cassidy

Begins 50th year of ski instructing at Sugarloaf

Natalie Terry began another year at Sugarloaf as she has done over the last 49, however, this year has a special meaning. This is the 50th consecutive year that she has been teaching skiing at Sugarloaf since 1951. “I have never missed a year,” she said.

Natalie has received the highest number of requested private and group lessons of any staff member.

“Skiing has been a passion in my life,” she said. She and her late husband, Tim, lived and skied in Waterville with their two children at the Colby Outing Club in the late 1940s and at Baker Mountain, in Bingham, well before any lifts were cut at Sugarloaf.

She began her long skiing career at Sugarloaf around 1951, and has worked with 11 directors at Sugarloaf. “I climbed with Amos Winter to the top of Winter’s Way. We would seal skin up the mountain and ski down,” she said. “It was the only trail that had been cut.”

Natalie is certainly respected by her colleagues at Sugarloaf. “The past few years have been magical for me, three quarters of my life has been on this Mountain,” she said. She was inducted into the Maine Ski Hall of Fame in 2012.

“She is known as a celebrity on the Mountain,” Bob Trip, manager of the Ski and Snowboard School said. “Every coach considers her as a celebrity here. She is considered as family, She never expects anything from anybody he said.

Ski and ride safely, use your head and wear a helmet.

Order Vidalias before the deadline

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By ryan griffis – originally posted to Flickr as Vidalia Onions, CC BY-SA 2.0, Link

The deadline for ordering fresh Vidalia onions is April 25. They will arrive in Palermo the evening of May 16, at the Palermo Community Center on Turner Ridge Rd. Volunteers will call you as soon as the onions are unloaded from the truck, and will give you directions if you need them. They will be available for pick up Thursday evening through Saturday.

To order these juicy spring beauties, please call Connie at 993-2294 or e-mail pwhitehawk@fairpoint.net. Be sure and give us your phone number, so we may confirm the order and let you know when the onions are available. To pre-pay, please send your check or money order for $27.00 for a 25 lb. box to: LCF, P.O. Box 151, Palermo, ME 04354. Orders for four or more boxes will be discounted by $2 a box. These are the onions every good cook wants in the kitchen! Recipes come with every box! With care, these onions keep for up to six months – or more. Half boxes are also available for $16, for those who don’t use a lot of onions.

The Palermo Community Center is run by all-volunteer staff. It sponsors the Palermo Community Garden and the monthly Evolving Communities Film Series (Potluck Dinner-and-a-Movie). It is home to the Great ThunderChicken Teaching Drum (Cultural Outreach Program), and hosts the weekly Palermo Food Pantry. The building is disability-accessible and the nonprofit organization is non-discriminatory. Proceeds from onion sales will go toward maintenance and program underwriting. Your support is greatly appreciated–Thank you!

Obituaries for Thursday, April 18, 2019

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CLAUDE D. DeCHAINE

WINSLOW – Claude D. DeChaine, 91, passed away Tuesday, March 16, 2019, following a long illness. He was born in Millinocket on April 25, 1927, to Pierre “Ned” and Leona (Martin) DeChaine

Claude attended Waterville High School, and as so often was the case for youth of the “Greatest Generation”, his mother gave consent for him to enlist in the U.S. Navy. He proudly served his country during World War II and the Korean War as a hospital corpsman

Claude married Gladys Cormier on September 3, 1948. After the war, he graduated from Coburn Classical Institute, in Waterville, before attending Bentley College, in Boston, earning his accounting degree. Claude worked for several years at Scott Paper Company, in Waterville, in the accounting department. The major part of his working career was 30 years with the National Credit Union Administration, assigned to the Boston office, as a credit union examiner. He was a lifetime member of the American Legion Post#5, Waterville,

He enjoyed big band music, dancing, playing golf and traveling with special long-time friends. Family was very important to Claude and he looked forward to the annual trips to the Samoset.

Claude is survived by his wife of 70 years, Gladys; a daughter, Claudia Pellerin and husband, Michael; two grandchildren, Kristen Bailey (Jarred) and Marc Pellerin (Stephen Kirsch); two great-grandchildren, Preston and Lily Bailey; brothers, Roland (Vernetta), Donald (Joan); sisters, Gloria Gamache, of Texas, and Theresa Perkins (Russ), of Connecticut; sisters-in-law, Helena Lien, of Wisconsin, Doris Datsis, of Washington; brother-in-law, Robert Cormier, of Wisconsin; many nieces and nephews.

At his request there will be no visiting hours. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 5, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 26 Monument Street, Winslow.

Arrangements are under the direction and care of Gallant Funeral Home, 10 Elm Street, Waterville.

An online guestbook may be signed, condolences and memories shared at www.gallantfh.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in his name may be made to: Mid-Maine Homeless Shelter, 19 Colby Street, Waterville ME 04901.

THERESA M. GILMAN

FAIRFIELD – Theresa M. Gilman, 83, of Fairfield, passed away unexpectedly Thursday, March 28, 2019. She was born in Waterville, May 18, 1935, daughter of Fredrick and Theresa (Albert) Genness.

She attended schools in Fairfield and Limestone. At 16, she moved to Connecticut with family and returned a year later to Maine.

Theresa attended Notre Dame Catholic Church, in Waterville. She was an extremely hard worker, holding jobs in a parachute factory in Connecticut and the shoe shops in Norridgewock and Skowhegan. Theresa cleaned camps and houses, worked in restaurants, and even made and sold Christmas wreaths. Her greatest accomplishment was being an outstanding mother, grandmother, and friend, known as Mom and Nana to all.

Theresa always wanted to be busy, especially enjoying time outside, from working in her gardens, to caring for her chickens, a lifelong passion. Picking fiddleheads, and even hunting and fishing. She target practiced and was an accurate shot, and built campfires with her children and grandchildren. Theresa loved baking molasses cookies for all her children and grandchildren. She was an amazing baker and cook, often creating new recipes from what she had laying around, and enjoyed cooking on the grill and having BBQs with her family.

Theresa loved to relax in her chair during the evenings and knit or crochet blankets, hats, scarfs and mittens for her family. She played poker almost weekly with her family and taught them how to make Christmas wreaths. Theresa loved her dog Mini, she rarely did things without her, including taking her camping every year. Theresa left a lifelong legacy and will be dearly missed.

Theresa was predeceased by her parents,Fredrick and Theresa (Albert) Genness; siblings, Joe Genness, Daniel Genness, Ida Gibbins and Freda Boulier.

Theresa is survived by her husband, Wynne Savage; son, Dave Gilman; grandchildren, Adam and Sara Gilman, Jenny and John Robinson, Christina Gilman, Nikki Gilman; daughter, Maryann and Mike Brann, grandchildren, Michelle Brann, Jason Brann, Maryann and Chad Tompkins, Jessica Tuttle; daughter, Susan Gilman, grandchildren, Bobbi Jo Gilman, Crystal and Todd Mushero, Michael Gilman, Kristina and Ryan Parker; daughter, Pam and Albert Knight; son, Sidney and Dawn Gilman, grandchildren, Riley Gilman, Matthew Gilman; daughter Holly and Jim Marston, grandchildren, Oopie Clement, Brittney Marston; nine brothers and sisters; 21 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews and cousins.

Services will be private with family and close friends.

An online guestbook may be signed and memories shared at www.familyfirstfuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements by Lawry Brothers Funeral & Cremation Care, 107 Main St., Fairfield.

DENNIS E. LINDSAY

ALBION – Dennis E. Lindsay, 85, passed away Wednesday, January 2, 2019, at an Augusta hospital. A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, May 18, 2019, at 2 p.m., at the Lindsay Memorial Garden (The Farm), 34 The Dirt Road, Albion, ME.

Arrangements by Dan & Scott’s Cremation & Funeral Service, Skowhegan.

MARY JANE COBB

OAKLAND – Mary Jane Cobb, 76, passed away on Friday, March 29, 2019. She was born on July 13, 1942, in Hartford, Connecticut, the only daughter of Lucien and Marie Drouin.

Mary Jane was blessed to have been lovingly cared for by her daughter Debra and son-in-law Mike until her passing.

Mary Jane spent most of her life in central Maine. She learned the value of hard work at her father’s restaurant, the original South End Café. This trait served her well throughout her life.

Mary Jane married Billy Cobb on March 25, 1960. Together they raised three children, Debra, Bill and Michelle. The camp and home in Pinkham’s Cove was a special place for many years. A resilient woman Mary Jane picked up the pieces and started a new chapter in her life after the early passing of her husband Billy in 1995. Mary Jane moved to Fairfield and shared a home with her companion Peter White. Mary Jane and Peter spent several summers camping at Green Valley Campground, in Vassalboro. Peter’s greatest gift to Mary Jane was her beloved golden retriever Molly. Molly was her best friend and companion after losing Peter to lung cancer in 2008.

When Mary Jane’s health started to decline she moved in with her daughter Michelle at the family home in Belgrade. Michelle and Mary Jane had a special relationship and Mary Jane was devastated when she lost Michelle in 2017. For the past 18 months, Mary Jane spent time living with her daughter Debra and son Bill. This was a special time for her grandchildren as they had the gift of hearing her stories and learning family history.

Mary Jane was predeceased by her husband Billy Cobb, Sr.; daughter Michelle Vintinner; great-granddaughters Olivia Jean and Carlie Rae Pelletier; brother Roger Drouin and special friend Peter White.

Mary Jane is survived by her daughter Debra Remmers and Debra’s husband Michael Remmers, and son Bill Cobb and his wife Martha; grandchildren, Joshua Doody, Megan Grard, Jennifer Biette, Christopher Mares, Cory Grard, Max Cobb and Katie Cobb; great-grandchildren, Braydyn and Ariya Grard; brothers, Herman and Henry Drouin; sister Lou Raynes; “son” Don Woodbury, Sr.; granddaughter Bridget Charrier; grandson Shane Remmers; great-grandson Michael Remmers and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary Jane’s and Molly’s memories to The Humane Society Waterville Area, 100 Webb Road, Waterville, ME 04901.

Arrangements under the direction and care of Dan & Scott’s Cremation & Funeral Service, 445 Waterville Road, Skowhegan, ME 04976.

JOSEPH A. LEE

WINDSOR – Joseph Ancel Lee, 57, of Windsor, passed away on Monday, April 1, 2019, at MaineGeneral Medical Center. He was born on September 26, 1961, to Elmer (Sonny) and Simonne (Colford) Lee, in Waterville.

He lived in Maine until he was four and then moved to Enfield, Connecticut, with his family. A few years later two uncles moved to Connecticut with their families and a close extended family was nearby once again. He attended school in Connecticut until the family moved to Palermo, where he attended Erskine Academy, in South China, and graduated from Cony High School, in Augusta.

As a child, he enjoyed playing with his various cousins and going to his grandfather’s camps at Togus Pond and Caribou Lake, boating, swimming, fishing, building rafts and generally horsing around. The memories he made there stayed with him his whole life. He loved snowmobiling with Grampie Martin, and stock car races with his Aunt Joyce and Uncle Gerald Nelson.

He began working for his father’s business, Lee’s Maintenance, mowing lawns and cleaning offices while still in school which taught him his work ethic. He worked 27 years in various nursing facilities as maintenance supervisor, and was self-employed as a painter for many years after, continuing until no longer able to work. He helped his father raise and train race horses and was a trainer and driver in the harness racing industry in Maine from 1985 to 1995. After retiring from the driving aspect of harness racing he worked for the Windsor Fair Association during fair week helping to maintain the track.

Joe’s focus in life was his sons and he enjoyed camping with them, their annual excursion to Fryeburg Fair, and teaching them how to hunt. They had a fun trip driving to Texas to visit his Aunt Pam and Uncle Bob seeing many sites along the way and touring the greater Dallas area. He loved the heat there and used to say when he retired he was moving there where he could always be warm. He enjoyed cooking good meals for two growing boys perfecting his recipes and was honored when his new daughter-in-law asked him how to make his recipes and teach her how to cook. They enjoyed “Survivor Night” when they had special meals and they watched Survivor as a family.

He was predeceased by his father, grandparents, several aunts and uncles and three cousins, Randall Lee, Bruce Lee Jr. and Bruce Tompkins all very dear to him.

He is survived by his mother; sons, Zachary and (Abby) Lee, of Windsor, and Dalton Lee, of Whitefield; many aunts, uncles and cousins.

A celebration of Life will be held at St Mary’s Catholic Church, 41 Western Ave., Augusta, ME, on Saturday, April 13, at 11 a.m.

A graveside service will be held at Rest Haven Cemetery, Ridge Road, Windsor, ME, later in the Spring, the date of which will be communicated later.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations towards Joe’s headstone may be made to Zachary Lee, 35 Finley Rd., Windsor, ME 04363.

Funeral arrangements under the care and direction of Dan & Scott’s Cremation & Funeral Service, Skowhegan.

STEVEN C. RUSSELL

Steven Curtis Russell, 67, passed away on Wednesday, February 6, 2019. He was born April 22, 1952. Steve grew up in the town of Whitefield, the son of George and Georgia Russell.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, April 27, at 1 p.m., in the family lot in the Whitefield Cemetery.

If you would like to say your goodbyes, you are welcome to attend.

SOLON & BEYOND: Revisiting a past interview

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

Good morning, my friends. Don’t worry, be happy.

Baker Mountain Ski Tow, in Moscow, had a great ski season with all the wonderful snow. Thank you to all the volunteers who made that possible. On March 24 they held age-category and male/female races and a BBQ. Winners of the races included snowboarders: (kids) first place winners, Levi Hills; (age 13-17) Drake Whittemore, Jada Ward, and Alvaro Martin; second, Nikk Dube; (adults) first place, Dennis O’Connor and Kelly Vicneire. Ski winners included: first place, Hunter Tewksbury, Cylee Pratt, Tian Jacques, Tyler Jacques; second, Fisher Tewksbury, Hallam Singer, Ethan Wyman, and third, Xavier Belanger, (adults) first, Damian Belanger and Maria Cirelli; second, Tanya Langly; third, Rachel Tremblay.

The above e-mail was sent to me by Judy Belanger.

And….sad but true, that is all the local news that I have received for this weeks column. By now you know that I have been going through old papers from times gone by. They all had long columns of what people had been doing, who had been visiting who, etc… the times, they have changed in these modern days.

I am sad to tell you of the death of my brother-in-law, Howard Rogers, of Solon, who died last week at the age of 97. He had just recently received the Boston Post Cane as Solon’s oldest resident.

Howard and his wife Peggy moved from Flagstaff to Solon back when we were flooded out and had to move. I always enjoyed talking with him about the friends we had there, and the good old days. I’m afraid that I’ll be the only one left soon that remembers way back then.

The other day I came across a, issue of The Town Line paper printed on September 18, 2008, with Percy’s and my picture on the front page. Under the picture, these words were printed: Marilyn Rogers discusses Percy’s philosophical contributions for her weekly column, Solon and Beyond. The article was written by Lyn Rowden , and the picture was of Percy and me laying on the floor, ( and it did look as if we were discussing something!) Lyn also took the picture.

The following is some of what Lyn wrote about Percy and me: “I like to write , I have no formal training but I like to record history, and have it to go back to,” she said. For nearly 25 years she has been doing just that, writing of local events for local papers. She had a weekly column in the Morning Sentinel. She wrote for the Skowhegan Reporter which became the Somerset Reporter and later the Somerset Gazette. She also contributed articles to the Carney Brook Chronicle of Bingham and the Chronicle of Jackman. She had her first front page in 1986 with the Somerset Reporter. In that paper she liked to add old photos and write about historical events such as log drives, which ceased in 1976. “My step-father was on the drive: I wish he would write it all down, she said, noting that it is important to record these happenings while people are still here who remember them. Then, I just had to admire her spunk when she put aside her documentarian side and added, ‘I don’t write about political things anymore, but I can get controversial if something doesn’t seem right to me. Even if sometimes people don’t like it. I stand up for what I believe in,’ she avows, a true believer in the freedom and power of the press. (It was a wonderful long column, with lots of other complements to Percy and me, and our writing, on a blustery, cold, snowy day recently, it really lifted my spirits!

Lyn ended her column that day with these words about Percy: Percy was adopted as a stray kitten nine years ago and has made himself at home. I would say his philosophy is like Marilyn’s: he adopted a home and embraces it as she does Solon.; “he’s a different animal,” she says, and she’s a positively uncommon soul too; he is beautiful, talented, sharp-witted, playful, a great and loving companion and “a good judge of character,” and full of the very words Marilyn would use if Percy didn’t come up with them first.

I asked Percy if he could come up with some lines to pay tribute to Marilyn at the end of my article, and he obliged saying:”To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty; To find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived; This is to have succeeded.” Marilyn, you have succeeded; Solon and way, way beyond love you!”

Vassalboro budget committee, selectmen agree on suggested expenditures

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by Mary Grow

Vassalboro Budget Committee members went through most of the proposed 2019-2020 municipal budget at their April 11 meeting, agreeing with the selectmen’s suggested expenditures. There was no dissent on any recommendation.

Before any votes were taken, Lauchlin Titus, chairman of the board of selectmen, explained some of the issues selectmen had discussed as they reached their recommended figures, issues like what to do about the elderly town grader, whether the police officer needed a vehicle and to what extent the town should assist the Vassalboro Sanitary District’s costly connection to Winslow and Waterville.

The last issue remains up in the air, Titus said. Selectmen intend to provide Tax Increment Finance (TIF) money to the Sanitary District, as they have done in the past; residents might also add by petition a request for tax dollars, or a rejection of using TIF money for the Sanitary District, or both.

After the voting, Titus introduced additional topics. Budget committee members unanimously endorsed matching funds in case grant applications were successful and establishment of an accrued compensation fund. The latter would cover costs if an employee retired with the town owing him or her compensation for unused vacation pay or other benefits.

With the committee’s usual two-hour deadline exceeded and Titus prepared to add five or six more items, further discussion was postponed to an April 16 meeting.

Vassalboro selectmen are scheduled to review the draft warrant at their April 18 meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the town office. Voters will make the final decisions on 2019-2020 expenditures at the June 3 town meeting.

China budget committee acts on two proposed June expenditures

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by Mary Grow

China Budget Committee members have endorsed one of the selectmen’s two proposed June expenditures, by a split vote, and unanimously advised voters to disapprove the other.

At their April 9 meeting, Town Manager Dennis Heath presented the questions approved by selectmen for a June 11 written-ballot vote:

  • To see if voters will authorize the selectmen to buy the Hall lot on Lakeview Drive abutting the Four Seasons Club lot “for public lake access,” using $125,000 from the lake access reserve fund and $25,000 in Tax Increment Finance (TIF) funds and;
  • To see if voters will authorize spending up to $25,000 from the Undesignated Fund Balance (surplus) “to contract for the engineering and costing of a consolidated emergency services building and a community building.”

Four of the six budget committee members voted to recommend approval of the lakefront property purchase. Wayne Chadwick and Kevin Maroon were opposed; Chairman Robert Batteese, Timothy Basham, Jeffery Furlong and Thomas Rumpf voted in favor.

Chadwick’s main objection was the difficulty of policing and protecting an isolated area invisible from the highway. He pointed out that other towns have closed similar facilities because of vandalism and misuse. Also, he said, town ownership takes the property off the tax rolls; and he wondered whether the state Department of Transportation would authorize a new driveway entrance onto Lakeview Drive.

Much of the discussion was over the relationship of the new proposed beach to the existing boat landing at the head of the lake, where the town is in process of acquiring ownership of the unofficial parking area. Heath said state officials have agreed to maintain the landing for another year, but do not approve of the unprotected location and therefore want it moved.

Discussion of the second ballot question covered both a new building for the China Village Volunteer Fire Department with space for Delta Ambulance and a police office, and a community center.

Heath reminded committee members that voters have already spent $5,000 for concept drawings for the buildings. The drawings are on the town website, the first item under “News.”

The June request would be for engineering – not to build either building, but to prepare cost estimates for building, the manager said.

There has been ongoing discussion of moving the China Village fire station, partly for more space for future expansion and partly to let the China Baptist Church, its neighbor to the east, turn the lot where the station now stands into parking. The present church parking lot closer to the causeway and boat landing would then be available for boaters’ parking.

China’s three fire chiefs were in the audience. They said an original proposal to relocate the station got expanded beyond their wishes when “one of the selectmen” (China Village Fire Chief Timothy Theriault’s words) started talking about a municipal fire department.

“We’re completely against that,” Theriault said. “It’s not going to be beneficial to the town.”

Weeks Mills Fire Chief William Van Wickler said if the boat landing won’t be used much longer, additional parking won’t be needed and nobody will have to spend several hundred thousand dollars for a new fire station.

“I don’t want to do Tim [Theriault] out of a nice building,” he continued, but he thinks a new station isn’t necessary.

Heath said China’s comprehensive plan calls for a community center. He envisions a single-story building that would accommodate a couple hundred people, larger than any present gathering room except the Middle School gymnasium and the Baptist Conference Center.

“We have halls all over this town,” Chadwick said, announcing himself opposed to the project and generally in favor of smaller government.

Additional locations, like the town-owned lot south of the town office where the red storage barn stands or some other property near the head of the lake, were suggested for either building, but budget committee members were still not persuaded to support the investment.

Give Us Your Best Shot! Week of April 18, 2019

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To submit a photo for The Town Line’s “Give Us Your Best Shot!” section, please visit our contact page or email us at townline@fairpoint.net!

FROZEN SUNSET: Michael Bilinsky, of China Village, captured this sunset over a frozen China Lake.

 

COUNT THEM: Pat Clark, of Palermo, snapped these two dozen grackles in her back yard.

 

LONER: Betty Dunton, of Gardiner, photographed this bluebird on her deck.

JMG students help at 2019 China town meeting

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Front, from left to right, Andrew Perry, Sydney Laird and Hailey Estes. Back, custodian Tim Roddy and students Jack Lyons and Dakota Hoffman. (Photo courtesy of Ryan Sweeney)

Jobs for Maine Graduates students helped set up for China’s annual town meeting on April 6.

Windsor awards years of service at VFD annual meeting

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Recognized for their years of service to the Windsor Volunteer Fire Department at their annual meeting on April 11 were, from left to right, Carroll York, 70 years, Arthur Strout, 60 years, Dennis Strout, 40 years. Not pictured Jon Mittleman, five years. (Photo by Eric Austin)

by Eric W. Austin

Nearly 40 people gathered at Aunt Gin’s restaurant, in Whitefield, for the Windsor Volunteer Fire Department’s annual meeting on Thursday, April 11. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of distinguished service awards to four individuals who have contributed significantly to the Windsor VFD over the years.

Jon Mittelman, who was on vacation and unable to attend the meeting, was honored for five years of service.

Dennis Strout was honored for 40 years of service with the Windsor Volunteer Fire Department.

Arthur Strout, the current fire chief for Windsor, was honored for 60 years of service.

Carrol York, a former fire chief, former fire warden and founding member of Windsor VFD, was honored for 70 years with the department.

The audience listens as assistant chief Mike Dostie tells an amusing story of attending his first fire with former chief Carrol York. (Photo by Eric Austin)

Theresa Haskell, town manager for Windsor, also expressed her appreciation for the work of the VFD. “I want to thank the fire department for everything that you do for the town of Windsor,” she said. “You guys put a lot of time, hours, efforts – everything that you do – and don’t truly get appreciated as much as you should. So, I want to definitely thank you as the town manager. Thank you for your dedicated service to the town. I love the camaraderie that we have with each other, so that’s wonderful. It’s good to see that. I appreciate everything!”

After the ceremony, Carrol York spoke with me about his many years with the Windsor Fire Department. York, who turned 94 years old this month, served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II as a tail gunner on a B-17 bomber. He flew 27 missions and was shot down three times. “I come home from the service, Christmas 1945,” he tells me, “and then in ‘46 we started trying to get a truck together, with a tank on it and everything.”

Since then, Windsor Fire and Rescue has grown to 21 active members of the fire department, five members of the rescue team, and has become an essential part of the community. They maintain a station with seven trucks: two fire engines, two tanker trucks, a forestry brush truck, a utility truck, and a basic life support vehicle used by the Windsor Rescue team. The department responds to an average of 80 fire calls and 250 medical calls each year.

Windsor VFD holds monthly business meetings on the third Tuesday, and training sessions every second and fourth Thursday of the month. They are always looking for volunteers, and anyone interested should contact them at windsorfd@gmail.com or 445-2611.