Photo by Susan Dutil
Kringleville 2021 is underway thanks to the Waterville Children’s Discovery Museum and these Colby College students who volunteered to spruce up the Kringleville Christmas cabin. Kringleville is seeking volunteers for the 2021 season. If you are interested in being part of the magical Kringleville tradition, please contact Amarinda Keys at amarinda@childrensdiscoverymuseum.org.
Paul J. Schupf Art Center in Waterville, ME. (photo credit: Colby College)
Complementing revitalization within downtown Waterville’s Main Street corridor, Central Maine Growth Council (CMGC) is pleased to announce the successful grantees of its Façade and Building Improvement Grant Program (FBIGP).
The grant program, funded by Colby College and the Bill and Joan Alfond Foundation, provides a reimbursement of up to fifty (50) percent of the total estimated project budget up to $10,000. Eligible projects range from new awnings and signage to brick repointing and the removal of outdated alterations to building exteriors.
The program was established in 2019 to broaden engagement in Waterville’s ongoing revitalization, activated by over $175 million in recent investment by private and public sector supporters. With the façade and building improvement initiative now in its third year of deployment, the grant program encourages new and existing downtown property owners and businesses to invest in their commercial storefronts while restoring the original character of historic buildings. CMGC has deployed 36 grants totaling $175,950 since the program’s launch in 2019, supporting more than $2.25 million in direct investment in less than three years.
“From business revitalization to historical façade restoration, we were thrilled with the quality of the applications we received for the program’s third funding cycle,” states Garvan D. Donegan, director of planning, innovation, and economic development at Central Maine Growth Council and FBIGP advisory committee coordinator. “The grant program has allowed us to leverage additional resources to help expand and grow new downtown private sector investment, incentivize landlords to beautify and improve their buildings, and preserve our historic downtown district while fostering the conditions for small business creation, retention, and economic development.”
This year, the grant awards made through the façade program will stimulate more than $150,000 in direct investment in downtown storefronts and facades during the 2021 calendar year. 22 applications were submitted, and 15 were successful.
Successful grantees of the 2021 FBIGP award include:
● 197 Main Street – Sunset Realty Co.
● 173 Main Street – Portland Pie Company
● 119-123 Main Street – Roisin Enterprises, LLC
● 115-117 Main Street – Costantino Enterprises, LLC
● 80 Main Street – Day’s Jewelers
● 70 Main Street – Holy Cannoli
● 62 Main Street – L. Tardif Jeweler
● 54 Main Street – SBS/Carbon Copy
● 52 Main Street – Children’s Book Cellar
● 48 Main Street – Incense & Peppermints
● 36-44 Main Street – Focus LLC
● 57 Main Street & 14-28 Common Street – MGH Realty Co., LLC
● 5 Concourse East – Sidney H. Geller Trust
● 31 Temple Street – REM
● 14 Temple Street – Universal Bread.
POSING: Tina Richard, of Clinton, was fortunate to capture this bald eagle posing for her camera.
PRETTY BIRD: Joan Chaffee, of Clinton, photographed this male cardinal perched in a tree.
RAINBOW OVER CHINA: Robert Bernheim snapped this photo of a rainbow from Killdeer Point, on China Lake.
Cindi Orlando, left, Luanne Webber, right. (photo by Eric W. Austin)
Can strawberry jam save the world? Two local women think it can. Luanne Webber and Cindi Orlando, both from China, have started a venture called “Just our Jams” to help raise money for their local food pantry. The initiative aims to repurpose leftover fruit from the China Community Food Pantry to make jam, which they sell at events around central Maine. All profits are donated back to the food pantry. In just the last few months, they’ve raised more than $1,400.
Ann Austin, director of the China Food Pantry, says she’s blown away by their success. “It’s really amazing what they’ve done,” she says. “We’ve been able to replace two of our older freezers. That’s going to help reduce future electric bills, which is one of our biggest expenses.”
The two local ladies were looking for a way to give back to their community when they came up with the idea. Last winter, at the start of the pandemic, they became involved in several community efforts. Working with the China for a Lifetime Committee, they sewed more than 500 masks for local residents and school children. They also began cooking soups and meals for the elderly and delivering food boxes from the pantry to residents who could not leave their homes. But it was when they began volunteering for the China Community Food Pantry that their eyes were opened.
“The first day I volunteered,” says Orlando, “I went home with a whole new respect for these people.”
“We only saw it at the end, when we picked up the [food] boxes and left,” adds Webber, “but to be included from the beginning to the end – it was exhausting!”
Although the food pantry is only open from noon to 1 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, work for pantry volunteers extends far beyond those hours. Donated food needs to be picked up and delivered to the pantry for marking and sorting. Floors have to be swept and counters cleaned, and since the pandemic, food boxes must be prepared before the pantry opens.
“We started seeing how much fruit was left at the end of the day,” remembers Webber. “There were buckets and boxes.”
Often, food is donated to the pantry because it has reached the end of its shelf life. The food that is too far gone for human consumption is removed and given to volunteers who live on homesteads with farm animals. Nothing ever goes to waste, but Webber and Orlando saw a way to repurpose some of the leftover fruits and vegetables to further support the work of the pantry. They began taking home some of these supplies to make jam.
The first event they attended was a bit of a disappointment. It was a vendor’s fair in Waterville and they only sold eleven jars of jam. Next, they set up at the Olde Mills’ weekend farmer’s market in Vassalboro, selling 30-40 jars. It was there they met one of the organizers of the Taste of Waterville event and were invited to attend. This was their big breakthrough. They sold more than 150 jars of jam and were interviewed by a reporter for a story about the event from the Morning Sentinel. A few weeks later they were featured in a segment on WMTW Channel-8, a local ABC News affiliate.
Word was getting out.
Cindi Orlando, left, and Luanne Webber, display their banner in front of the China Food Pantry van. (photo by Eric W. Austin)
Since then they have had a booth at the recent China Community Days festival, where they raised another $400, and this coming weekend, September 10-12, they will be attending the Vassalboro Days celebration.
The personal history of their friendship is also an interesting one. Both grew up in a small town in Rhode Island called Scituate, attending the same school and church, before moving to the nearby town of Pascoag. Then life happened and the two drifted in different directions.
“I disappeared,” says Orlando. “I moved to Maine.”
“When you’re raising your kids, time gets busy and you lose track of so many people because you’re so involved. That’s what happened,” affirms Webber.
Cindi Orlando moved her family to Maine in 1987 and pursued her career, in between parenting, as a chef. Eventually, Webber made her own way to Maine, moving to Madison. Then, a little over five years ago, Orlando bought a house in China. A year later, unbeknownst to Orlando, Webber and her husband also relocated to China. They lived several years without being aware of each other, but then, two years ago, they ran into one another at the Hannaford store, in South China. They hadn’t seen each other for 30 years.
At the time, Webber’s husband, a disabled veteran, was very ill. He passed away six weeks later. “She really needed me to walk into her life at that time,” says Orlando, “and we’ve been together ever since. We just work together on things. I helped her through the loss of her husband, and we repainted both of our houses inside this winter. We’re just busy people. We like being busy, and that’s when we said we’ve got to start volunteering. Being retired, sitting at home is just not our thing. So, we did this. We thought this would be a good cause.”
The ladies do a lot of experimentation to come up with their jam flavors. “Our number one bestseller came from necessity,” explains Webber. “We had an overabundance of pineapple and an overabundance of jalapenos.” That resulted in their jalapenos-pineapple jam, a fan favorite. “It also has carrots in it so it has a lot of body to it,” she says. “Put that over cream cheese, or over Brie. Put it on salmon or pork chops as a glaze.”
“We make 32 different kinds, or about that,” says Orlando.
“We lose count,” admits Webber. “When we get a fruit – like recently we were inundated with peaches – we try to come up with every concoction we can for peaches, so we have a peachy-orange marmalade, a peach and mango, a ginger peach butter, a bourbon peach and a plain peach.”
“What we make, you cannot buy in stores,” points out Orlando.
All of their jams are low sugar. A selection of their jams are available at McGrath’s farm stand, in South China, (next to the school), but their jams will never be available in stores. As a not-for-profit business, they get by with a home-kitchen license and a vendor’s license that lets them sell at local events. To sell in stores would require them to upgrade to a commercial kitchen license and they have no plans to go pro.
“We will never go commercial,” says Webber. “Neither of us wants a fulltime job.”
Those interested in supporting their work can order jam by contacting them through their Facebook page, via email at justourjams@gmail.com or by text at 401-486-0076, or through the China Food Pantry at 968-2421. Jams sell for $7 for an 8 ounce jar, or $12 for 16 ounce. If you are local, they will happily meet you in the Hannaford parking lot to deliver your order.
The ladies are also in need of donations of 8 and 16 oz canning jars, sugar and pectin (low sugar only). Donations can be dropped off at the China Community Food Pantry, 1320 Lakeview Drive in China Village.
Eric W. Austin writes about local community issues. He can be reached at ericwaustin@gmail.com.
Female Healthcare workers at a nursing home wearing protective face masks
(photo by Roland D. Hallee)
On April 5, 1953, these met at the Branch Mills Grange Hall and formed their club. By the next meeting, in May, they had people offer to donate their trees and a local sawmill volunteered to cut and deliver the lumber. Other local people offered to donate time and materials. They found a great spot on Sheepscot Lake and the land owner, Charlie Hannon, offered them a 99-year lease. The Sheepscot Lake Fish and Game Association, Inc., was formed.
The fifth annual Share the Road with Carol memorial bike ride will take place on Sunday, September 19. Share the Road with Carol is an all ages commemorative bike ride planned for Sunday, September 19, 2021, in Windsor and Whitefield. The ride, which has 12-mile and 27-mile options, starts and ends at the Windsor Town Office.
This annual ride honors the memory of Carol Eckert, M.D. Carol was tragically killed as a result of a bike accident that occurred in Windsor, on October 10, 2016. Biking was Carol’s passion and everyone is invited who feels the same to join in remembrance of a life well pedaled and to further the cause of bicycle safety in Maine.
The registration fee is $20 for adults, and $10 any person under 15 years of age accompanied by a parent or guardian. Register online (https://www.BikeReg.com/share-the-road-with-carol) or at the event from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. (pre-registration is encouraged). Ride organizers will be following any Covid-19 safety precautions that are still required or recommended by the Maine CDC at that point and participants are asked to wear face coverings inside the Windsor Town Office.
There will be one rest stop on the 27-mile ride. Please join us after the ride at the Windsor Town Hall for fellowship, remembrances and light snacks.
Whether you knew Carol or not, this ride is a wonderful opportunity to explore the lovely rolling hills along the border of the Kennebec and Lincoln counties.
Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/CarolsRide
Photo source: Skowhegan American Legion Facebook page.
Skowhegan American Legion Post #16, will hold two events during the month of September.
Doors open at 9 a.m., drawings starts at noon.
Money raised will be used for charities the Auxiliary donates to all year long. Some of these include, but are not limited to: Togus VA Center, Annual High School Scholarship, Songs of Love Foundation, Hospice Volunteers of Somerset County, Local Food Cupboards, and direct assistance to veterans and citizens in our community.
From 10 a.m. ‘til 3 p.m. both days. Auxiliary members will be collecting personal care, and activity items that will be distributed for free to Veterans receiving care at the Veterans Hospital, or one of the Veteran Homes.
Ideas for donations at the event:
Personal Care: Deodorant, Soap, Razors, Shampoo, Lotion, Chapstick, Tooth Brushes, Tooth Paste, Chapstick, Hair brushes/combs, lap blankets, T-shirts of all sizes, and socks.
Activity items: Word Search, Sudoku, crossword, or adult coloring books. Also colored pencils, stationary to write to family, and card games.
For more information call Ann Spaulding at 399-5602.
by Debbie WalkerI found this information on Facebook, and I have no idea who originally wrote it, but I applaud them. The title is 40 Old-Fashioned Skills That Kids Need to Know Today! I was pleased when I realized Kathy and I taught some of these to our little first graders. They are not in any particular order, but I wish I had seen this when I was raising my daughter. A check list for parents to go by would have been helpful.
{ } How to write a letter; { } How to make a phone call. {1 } How to take a message. {2 } How to get to know an older person. { } How to play with a baby. { } How to sew on a button. (There are people who throw away a shirt or a blouse because they lost a button! Not in my house!); { 3} How to make a genuine apology. { } How to read slowly. { } How to hammer a nail. { } How to shake hands. { } How to introduce yourself. { } How to take notice of needs around you. { 4} How to make a scrambled egg. { } How to see a job/task through to completion. { } How to write a thank you note. { } How to fix something instead of replacing it. { } How to hang a picture. { } How to wash dishes. { } How to wait and save for something. { } How to ask questions to get to know someone better { } How to read a map. { } How to find a book in the library. { } How to ask for assistance from an elder. { } How to select a gift that the receiver will appreciate. { } How to admit a mistake. { } How to iron a shirt. { } How to give someone the benefit of the doubt. { }How to weigh out the pros and the cons of a decision { }.
{1} If your child is not old enough to take a message properly, hands off the phone. {2}Practice on the grandparents either on the phone or in person; You will be giving them both quite a gift, { 3 } An apology given with rolled eyes or a sarcastic voice is worse than never getting one, it’s the same thing. {4 } Allow your child to make scrambled eggs before he/she becomes 18. Yes, that was sarcastic because I have seen parents cutting meat for kids who were 16: they didn’t want them to get cut.
I am sure you have some answers or two for some of these comments as I do. Would you like to share them with me or just add them to the list? My thought behind these is for parents to use as a check list for teaching their children. Little things like a child who has not learned to tie their shoelaces before they enter school, please put them in Velcro sneakers. Teachers don’t need to tie 19 pairs of sneakers once or twice a day. And not all teachers have an aide.
Ok, that’s enough time for me, now it’s your turn. I’m just curious how many of you will share with me. I’ll be waiting at DebbieWalker@townline.org. Have a great week and thanks for reading.
by Peter CatesA ten-inch acoustically recorded shellac, Columbia A2179, featured singer and banjo player Harry C. Browne (1878-1954) performing Balm of Gilead, while side two contained another banjoist Fred Van Epps (1878-1960) playing Southern Medley, comprised of such quaint tunes as Old Folks at Home, Jordan Is a Hard Road to Travel, Kentucky Home, Clime Up Chillern and Carve that Possum.
Harry C. Browne was a native of North Adams, Massachusetts, and fought with his home state regiment in the Spanish American War. He was also a noted actor and appeared in several staged productions, including Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (whose author Kate Douglas Wiggin attended Gorham Female Seminary, now University of Southern Maine, and whose home in Hollis still exists and can be seen in a Google photograph) and later found his way to Hollywood where he starred in several films during the silent era.
Browne was a very active campaigner for the Democratic party and, in 1914, was offered a diplomatic post by then Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925) which he declined.
During the late 1920s, Browne was an announcer for CBS radio.
He started recording for Columbia records in 1916, scoring a hit with Turkey in the Straw; that selection’s initial title was horrifically racist and won’t be mentioned here.
Balm of Gilead was recorded later the same year on October 16; side two was set down for posterity on November 29.
Fred Van Epps was the father of jazz guitarist George Van Epps (1913-1998), one of the busiest studio session players for various LP record labels.
Continuing with paragraphs from Robert PT Coffin’s essay Kennebec Crystals:
“Inside, men caught the thundering cakes and switched them, this one to the right, this one to the left, to their places. The walls of cakes rose gradually, aisles of air spaces left between the walls of solid crystal. The workers here were in their shirt sleeves. They were the youngest of the men, sons more often than fathers. Their work made them glow inside like cookstoves. The sweat ran down their faces. They stood by the cataracts of ice and flung the bright streams each way, stepping as in a dance to keep clear of a blow that would shatter their bones. The work was like the thunder of summer in their ears, thunder all day long. And the house filled up with the cakes. Square cakes piled as even as the sides of a barn, true and deep blue in the steaming dusk. The men walked between walls of Maine’s cold wealth.”