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

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

On Sunday, July 1, Carolyn Waugh, of Solon, was honored with a 103rd birthday party at her home. Sixty-four relatives and friends were there to help her celebrate this wonderful event. I was told, by one of her relatives, that there were four or five generations of Carolyn’s family present at the party. Some of the states they traveled from were Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Florida, and California.

The relative that gave me some of the particulars, said she thought every one of those who attended the party went up to Carolyn and hugged her or shook her hand before leaving.

I didn’t know about this party until after the fact, but learned about it when I went to the alumni meeting the week after. (I happened to see one of Carolyn’s relative this week and he apologized and said he was supposed to let me know, but kept forgetting.) I told him that was quite all right. Anyway I went out and called on Carolyn one day this week and had a really nice visit with her at her home on French Hill, in Solon.

She was very pleased about so many of her family coming to help her celebrate, her words were, “It was nice seeing everybody.” And she added, “There was plenty of food and some left over, which was good.” It was lots of fun to visit with her, she still takes a lot of interest in the news and really likes The Town Line and calls Fridays, “Percy Day,” that is when someone picks up the paper and reads his message each week. (It does me good when I hear good reports about people loving Percy and his contributions to our column.) But….another wonderful part of the visit was that I met Annabelle! She is Carolyn’s cat, and a quite active one, I think she and Percy would have made quite a pair. One of the things Annabelle did while I was there was jump up on a high animal tower and knock something down with a loud crash! But Carolyn just laughed, I’m sure she enjoys her cat’s company.

Oh sorry, I got side tracked with animals: more about Carolyn. She received the Boston Post Gold Cane as the oldest resident of Solon on her 100th birthday. She was a teacher in Maryland for 22 years and taught in Maine for ten years. The home where she lives was built in the Civil War era.

We talked a bit about getting older and she said she can’t see much anymore and her hearing isn’t good, but, she said, “I’m Happy!” (And I thought to myself, what a wonderful message that would be to so many people who call themselves “Old” and haven’t lived nearly as long as Carolyn. )

Saturday, August 4, from 10 a.m. – noon, paddle a kayak or canoe up the Wesserunsett Stream with SWT Trustees. This tour is given as a free activity during River Fest, an annual multi-day event of Skowhegan Main Street that celebrates recreation and life on the Kennebec River. The paddle begins at Cleaver Landing on the Kennebec River. After the paddle enjoy a picnic lunch at the Kennebec Banks Rest Area. The picnic starts at 11:30 a.m. and closes around 1:30 p.m. All proceeds help SWT maintain this popular rest area. If you don’t have a canoe or kayak, just ask them! They may have an extra one.

And now for Percy’s memoir: (I’m going to use another one that Percy put in back when he was alive in 2011, entitled, The Gift of Some of the Most Wonderful Wisdom of All. “Beautiful tomorrows are wished for you, beginning today and lasting your whole life through. Have a safe journey on a smooth and steady path… one that will guide you from where you are to where you want to be. One that will bring you so much fulfillment, so many challenges met, and so much serenity. May the words and thoughtful things that have touched your heart… join in the journey., and may they serve as supports to lean on, inspiration to encourage you, and stars to steer by. (words by Douglas Pagels.)

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

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

Reunion Day for Solon graduates is Saturday, July 21, at the Solon Elementary School. 9:30 a.m., starts the registration and coffee hour with the business hour starting at 10:30 a.m. The auction will follow the business hour. Please remember your auction item. Last year the amount raised from the auction was $750. Diane Oliver Poulin was the auctioneer.

Fifty-eight alumni and guests attended last year. The class of 1968 will celebrate their 50th reunion. Members are Kathy Adams Swett, James Bubar, Dianne Hall Lamb, Betty Heald Price, Laurel Perry Duggan, David Rogers, Brenda Whitney Padham, Brian Whitney and Diane Oliver Poulin.

Lunch will begin at 1 p.m., and will be catered by the Solon Pine Tree 4 – H Club.

Last year, the class of 1967 celebrated their 50th with seven members, Cheryl Hanson Edgecome, Eunice Waugh Kenn, Dottie Padham Dunphy, Brent Brown, Michael Bishop, Maurice Robbins and Bill McDonough. Others celebrating were Alice Davis Heald, 77th, Arlene Davis Meader and Albert Starbird 76th, Mary Heald Bishop, 74th, Theona Brann Lagasse, 70th and Marie Boynton Poulin, 68th. Kim Willette received a check from the scholarship fund for $1,100.

Deaths reported were Alma Kelly Withers French class of 1937, Arlene Davis Meader, 1941, Phyllis Hilton Whitney 1953, James L. Mayhew, Jr.,1957, Earlene Waugh Peters, 1967, Vernal Hight Jr., 1963, Dana Hall, 1967, Lynda Russell Staples, 1969 and Zachary Corson 2000 from Carrabec.

Now for some sad and shocking news about the Solon Thrift Shop and Food Cupboard on Pleasant Street in Solon.

Could not believe it when I first heard about it, but it is true! The workers there received a notification from their home office there are plans in the works to close the Solon Thrift Shop and Food Cupboard at the end of October. The workers there do not want to see this place close. They are asking for help from anyone that wants to see the thrift shop and food cupboard stay open.

I talked with Linda French who manages the above, and she said the building needs to be weatherized so it will be easier to heat. Someone has been stealing fuel, so the fuel needs to be secure. Someone has donated lumber to enclose the fuel tank and that will be a big help.

They are looking for any help that people can give to keep this very important thrift shop and food cupboard open. Linda said that to close it as fall and winter approaches is the worst possible time to be without it. Linda said, “Closing the thrift shop and food cupboard at this time of year would create a hardship for families that rely on the shop and cupboard for holiday meals and Christmas. Many families would not have a very good Christmas without them.”

And so I hope all those of you reading the above will stop in and tell them of your support and appreciation for this wonderful thrift shop. Many of my clothes have been purchased there and I would surely miss it very much. It is open Tuesday – Saturday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. The Food Cupboard hours are second and fourth Thursdays and Fridays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Emergency and by appointment call 643-2855.

The building is owned by United Methodist Ministry.

The town of Solon had two churches when we moved there in 1950, the Congregational Church on North Main Street and the Methodist Church (where the Thrift Shop is located. on Pleasant Street.) It was Federated Congregational and Methodist, we had Sunday services in the winter at the Methodist Church and summer services at the Congregational Church. There wasn’t any kitchen at the Congregational Church, but there was one at the Methodist Church so all public suppers etc were held there. Ministry was divided up evenly, a Methodist minister for awhile and then a Congregational minister. After awhile we lost the Methodist Church to the United Methodist Ministry and they started the United Methodist Ministry Thrift Shop in Solon around 1990.

And now for Percy’s memoir entitled God’s Design: Philosophers may reason why But I won’t take the time, I only know I’m here on earth Because of God’s design. So I will just continue on And do the best I can, And know that God will do the rest Because He made the Plan. (words by Ed Kane.)

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

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

Received the following e-mail from the Solon School News: We want to extend our best wishes and good luck to our fifth grade students who will enter sixth grade at Carrabec Community School in the fall.

Goodbye and good luck to…Tyler Ames, Gavin Atwood, Delena Cabral, Michael Crane, Charlie Golden, Courtney Grunder,Zackary Hemond, Alexis Leidy, Ciara Myers-Sleeper, Abigail Parent, Machaon Pierce, Allison Pinkham, Cailan Priest, Paige Reichert, Desmond Robinson, Gerald Rollins, Lawrence Soucie, Brooks Sousa, Carl Ward, Braden Wheeler, Ciarrah Whittemore and Nicholas Wildes.

Solon students participated again this year in the annual Bookmark Contest in conjunction with the Coolidge Public Library. Each student designed a bookmark with a theme that promoted reading. Town librarian Megan Myers and art teacher Richard Reichenbach judged the contest and picked a winner from each class. These students each received a book from the library, and their bookmarks were duplicated to hand out to patrons at the library.

Winners were kindergartner Evangeline Mullinax, first grader Dylan Priest, second grader Lane Frost, third grader Katelyn DeLeonardis, fourth grader Macie Plourde and fifth grader Ciara Myers-Sleeper.

The top readers in each class were Olive McDonald, Charlotte Hamilton, Annabell Roderick, Jillian Robinson, Cody James, Courtney Grunder, and Ciarrah Whittemore.

Congratulations for reading all of those books!

Winners of the Portland Seadog’s Most Improved Student Contest this spring were kindergartner Eva Mullinax, first grader Hunter Pouliot, second graders Gavyn Perigo and Levi Hamblen, third grader Hunter Emmy Golden, fourth grader Cody James, and fifth grader Abby Parent.

Received the following e-mail from Somerset Woods Trustees of Skowhegan: We have declared June 30 as Mountain Biking Day at Coburn Woods. The town of Skowhegan, Somerset Woods Trustees, the Somerset Trails Committee, and the Central Maine New England Mountain Bike Association have teamed up for a great morning of mountain biking. Bring your own bike and helmet or borrow (ages 10-adult) from them from the town. Bikes will be on site to borrow. Tours of the trails will be lead by experienced bikers. Again, thanks so much for sharing, sounds like a fun day.

Lief and I started out for Dave and Eleanor’s camp up to Flagstaff, where they were staying for a few days. Mark and Karen and Peter and Sherry were also staying the night. As always, there was perfect peace and quiet up in God’s country.

We had seen one beautiful doe on our ride up, which was great! We had intended to spend the night also, but something came up, so after a scrumptious supper we started back to Solon. When we left camp the sky was threatening rain and the bank of the road is very close to Flagstaff Lake, so we wanted to get out closer to civilization before darkness over took us.

We did get out to the main road when all of the miracles started to happen! The first wildlife was a fox that ran across the road in front of us. Soon after that, it started to rain lightly, and we couldn’t help exclaiming when a moose appeared in the road just up ahead of us, soon followed, by the tiniest baby moose. I got out of the car and took a few pictures, but not wanting to get wet or ruin my camera, I doubt that they will be very good.

By the time we had calmed down it had started to pour and darkness had overtaken us. Usually when we are up in that country we don’t see quite that much wildlife, it was a joy. But we decided, since the weather was definitely getting really rough we started out once more. We had traveled several miles, when to our wondering eyes, what should emerge from the bushes but a deer followed by her two babies!

Forgot to mention that when we left camp, to head home, an eagle was soaring over us, and miracles do happen!

Now for a quick one from Percy…..Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be. (words by Grandma Moses.)

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

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

Stewart Public Library in North Anson will hold its annual book sale, Saturday, June 30, 9 a. m. to 2 p.m., at the North Anson Fire Station. Books, audio books, magazines for adults and children. Come and stock up for summer and winter reading!

Comedian Bob Marley will be at Embden Community Center on Friday, June 29 (7:30 – 9:30). Tickets are available online at www.bmarley.com and at the door.

The Solon Pine Tree 4H Club met on Saturday, June 9, with Cooper Dellarma presiding.

The members discussed doing an educational exhibit at Skowhegan Fair in August.

Seven members, two parents and one leader are planning to attend 4-H Fun Day at Lake George on Wednesday June 20th.

After the meeting the club members, leaders and parents went to the Kennerson Farm in South Solon. for an educational tour. The Kennersons told how they got started with Lamers and Buffalo. A great time was had by all.

The next meeting will be July 13 – 15 at the Evergreen Campground for a weekend of camping.

The Madison Kennebec Valley Grange will be having a Father’s Day ham dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Sunday, June 17. For more information you may call 474-5006.

I am putting in some news rather early in the month so it will surely get to be read. I don’t know about you, but the days seem to fly by, and another month has come and gone already!

The above real news is all I have to share with you this week, and as always I would love to hear from more of you. I truly do appreciate when you share your news with all of us. (I am amazed to hear from so many of you about how much you like this column, it makes my day!)

And so with July 4 fast approaching, I came across one of those old yellowed newspaper clippings about the last celebration of July 4th in Flagstaff! In large letters it starts with, Rev. Arthur MacDougal To Give Address: One of the highlights of the entire celebration will be a fitting address to be delivered by Rev. Arthur MacDougal, of Bingham, well-known preacher and sportsman. A softball game between Flagstaff and Dead River will occupy the attention of the crowd from 3 to 4 p.m., and this will be followed by a baseball game.

Street Dancing Will End Celebration: Promptly at 8 p.m., there will be heard the strains of music from the instruments of Keefe’s Orchestra, well known to the dance lovers in this section. Dancing will continue until midnight, and when the last street dancer has finally decided to call it the end of another day, there will be happiness in the hearts of some, while to many it will be a sad affair – the thought of never treading on the streets of their home town again. Then the next headline states: Town Will Be Flooded Next Year: The cause for all the excitement and celebration is all due to the fact that just a year ago, July 5 to be exact, work was begun on the clearing of the famous Dead River Storage Project with the Central Maine Power Company, Great Northern Paper Company, Hollingsworth & Whitney Paper Co taking active part in this gigantic project which is expected to be finished in its entirety by July 1950. When the land is cleared and the houses removed, it will be the end of something for which plans had been made nearly a quarter of a century ago. Surveys and buying of property began as far back as 1926.

O. K., I’m sure Percy would not have let me put in all that sad news, if he was still here, so his memoirs this week are:

Cultivating Friends

Sow a word of praise today,
Plant a kindness-seed;
Listen to a troubled friend,
Help someone in need.
Compliment a weary soul
Too fatigued to try;
Shine forth rays of hope on all,
Comfort those who cry.
Scatter deeds of love each day,
Plant each row with care;
Sprinkle joy along your way,
Soak each one in prayer.
Ask the Lord to bless each one,
And one day you’ll reap
A harvestful of loving friends
To cherish and to keep.

(words by Connie Hinndn.)

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

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

The Solon Pine Tree 4-H Club met on Saturday, May 12th at the Solon Fire Station with Cooper Dellarma presiding.

Several members and four leaders helped at the Luck of the Draw on May 5.

On Mothers Day four members and one guest passed out flowers at the Solon Congregational Church.

Seven members are planning to attend Fun Day at Lake George on Wednesday, June 20.

After the meeting Logan Miller showed the members how to make key chains and dog leashes.

The next meeting will be on Saturday, June 9, at the Solon Fire Station. After the meeting the members will be going on an educational tour to the Buffalo Farm in South Solon.
My apologies that I don’t have anything else for real news this week. Since it is Memorial Day as I sit here at my computer, I am going to print this letter I wrote, (probably in 2005) in memory of Percy.

Dear Friends, Percy and I have missed you. He took it really hard when his picture and advice were no longer in this paper. In fact, he was down right impossible to live with! He needed more cuddling than I really had time for as I was trying to get things made for a craft fair I was doing. My patience ran thin on days when he wouldn’t let me knit. He would climb up in my lap and I would insist that that he lay across my legs so I could still maneuver the knitting needles. He would keep trying to get his face closer to mine and the knitting needles would hit him on his nose, he would get this martyred look on his face, and I would give up and put the knitting aside and cuddle with him.

My heart has swelled to its capacity from all the nice things that have been said and written to me about how much you have missed Percy’s and my column in this paper. As I stressed several times at meetings in South China, my goal in writing all these years has been to bring love and laughter to you, my old and new friends. And so it is with great appreciation and love and many thanks for your kind words, that I write this letter to you.

Percy and I also appreciate all the calls we received, asking if his bowels had moved yet. There were even more calls than I received before the election when all the campaigning was going on! Percy is a famous and special cat from all the good advice he has given out.

I checked, and he would like to end this letter with the best advice yet; “Live well, Laugh often, Love much (even if it hurts at times).” With love, from Marilyn and Percy.

For those of you who don’t know, Percy died two years ago in November. We still miss him immensely, he was truly a very special animal!

And now for Percy’s memoir: “Money will buy a bed but not sleep, books but not brains, food but not appetite, finery but not beauty, a house but not a home, medicine but not health, luxuries but not culture, amusement but not happiness, religion but not salvation, a passport to everywhere but heaven.”

Also came across a memory from 2004 from Walter Jones, who lived in Solon. It was a short e-mail: Marilyn, I was so happy and surprised to get The Town Line I read it and re-read it again, that was my first issue. I felt like I was back in Solon. I know my folks get it, Richard and Jean LaCasce, and I know they didn’t want me to be left out. Now I look for it. We don’t get much news here. Sometimes we can get on the internet and find out what is happening in our back yard and around the world but I really enjoy The Town Line. It makes my days go so much faster. Keep sending it to my unit in Iraq. Thanks.

(I had forgotten how far this little paper has traveled over these many years. So glad I had saved this precious scrap of paper with its heartfelt memory.)