Sage Duguay inducted into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi

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Sage Duguay, of Waterville, was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Duguay was initiated at University of Maine.

Duguay is among approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

Vivian Field receives Fairfield’s Boston Post Cane

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Vivian Field, 97 years of age, seated, received the Boston Post Cane as Fairfield’s eldest permanent resident from Fairfield Town Councilor John Picchiotti on April 24. Contributed photo

The town of Fairfield has presented its Boston Post Cane to Vivian R. Field, who recently reached the age of 97 years. The town continues the time-honored tradition of presenting the Boston Post Cane to its eldest permanent resident. The tradition of the Boston Post Cane dates to 1909 for the oldest living man, and in 1930 the tradition was changed to include both men and women. The previous holder of the town’s Boston Post Cane was Mary McCormick, who recently passed at the age of 100.

Erskine group builds seventh house in Costa Rica

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Spanish language class at Erskine Academy. Below, the crew stands in front of the new construction in progress.
Photo courtesy of Bob Bennett

by Bob Bennett

Helping a student engage in a life changing experience is perhaps the most rewarding part of teaching and as a retired educator I can verify that it doesn’t happen very often. However, for Erskine Academy Spanish language teacher Sonia Stevenson, who for the last several years has been taking students to Costa Rica to build homes for that country’s needy citizens, this sensation has become fairly routine. This year’s effort, which produced the seventh dwelling by an Erskine group, occurred in March and was coordinated by a Costa Rican national with previous experience with the international organization Habitat For Humanity. The March dates might lead to a few questions, but are chosen for a specific reason.

Many of the student participants are active in sports and the March time frame avoids conflicts with Spring practices. Headmaster Mike McQuarrie and the Erskine board and staff have been very understanding of this need, and the students have always kept up grade wise. This time also tends to avoid Costa Rica’s rainy season which could obviously put a “damper” on things as well. There are some other potential problems with this fairly early in the year time since the $6,000 required to build a house must be raised generally right after the first of the calendar year. Local Maine businesses are the general source of this money and this year, they came through as usual. In addition, each participant must raise his or her own funding for the trip. Now for some specifics on this year’s adventure.

Above, the Costa Rican house that was replaced by students of the Spanish language class at Erskine Academy. Photo courtesy of Bob Bennett

Fifteen students and adults traveled to the Costa Rican town of Nosara. Their clients were a couple with a young child. The father works as a night watchman and makes about $100 a month. The mother has two jobs cleaning houses and working at a store. Together, they make $200 to $300 a month, $100 of which was required to pay their rent for one room. As for the new house, all that was in place was a concrete slab. The dwelling is built from panels consisting of studs and sheet metal. These panels are constructed while laid out on the ground, and then are raised to create the walls and roof sections. This almost sounds like an old-time Maine barn raising, although on a much smaller scale. The building site was just a three to four minute from the shore of the Pacific Ocean and the EA group saw many exotic animals in their travels. They were awakened every morning by chanting monkeys. The students also visited local schools disbursing school supplies, practiced their Spanish language skills and worked in gardens to help produce fruits and vegetables. Friendship bracelets were also exchanged from both sides.

This Erskine group, as have the ones preceding it, helped foster a solid reputation as having a great work ethic and genuine passion for what they do and accomplish. This is so much so that there is talk of possibly building three houses next year. There is also interest in creating an EA alumni group from previous attendees. As I said earlier, this and the other excursions to Central America are viewed by all of the participants as life changing experiences. This is true for both the “givers” and “receivers.” The local residents get a new, clean and well-built home and the Erskine students and their adult companions are able to share their compassion, time and skills with those in need; it doesn’t get any better than that.

Seven gain CCEMTP certification

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Jeff Tuttle, Jay Vachon, Jessica Dorgai, Kaylee Brown, Jenny Sheriff, Chris Mitchell and Gavin Webb are the latest to earn Critical Care Paramedic (CCEMTP℠) certification adding to Delta’s professional team.

CCEMTP℠ was designed in response to the growing need for qualified specialists in the area of critical care inter-facility transfer. It helps to prepare paramedics and nurses to serve with competence and confidence in meeting the needs of critical care patients undergoing inter-facility transports.

While traditional paramedic education programs teach essential skills and provide a knowledge base for the management of patients in the pre-hospital setting, these training programs frequently do not teach the skills and knowledge necessary to manage critical patients between hospitals, specialty referral centers, and extended care facilities.

The CCEMTP℠ program assists the clinician in developing the necessary skills and knowledge to manage critical patients during a high risk transfer.

Feed ME 5K walk/run a big success for local food pantries

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by Eric W. Austin

The China Team starts the race!

It was overcast and chilly, with the threat of rain in the air, but that didn’t stop 180 brave souls from joining the Feed ME 5K Walk/Run event this past Saturday morning.

The charity event took place in Augusta at Capitol Park, and was part of the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger, which has raised more than $7.2 million since 1990. All funds raised are directly distributed to 33 food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, Meals on Wheels and backpack programs in Kennebec and Somerset counties. The event was co-sponsored by eight different businesses from across Central Maine.

The Feed ME 5K race was the first event of the year in the MCU’s Campaign for Ending Hunger. Last year the campaign set a new record, raising nearly $675,000 for local charities.

The China Food Pantry and the Vassalboro Food Station Pantry both sent teams to participate. The teams were led by Ann Austin, of China, and Cindy Ferland, of Vassalboro, and included among them eight teenagers who gave up their Saturday in an effort to end hunger in Maine!

“It was amazing to see so many people turn out to support their local food pantries!” Ferland said, beaming and breathless after finishing the three-mile walk.

For more information or to donate, please contact the China Food Pantry at 968-2421, or the Vassalboro Food Station Pantry at 873-7375.

China Food Pantry team

China Food Pantry Team: (left to right) Cat Durant, Abigail Maxwell, Caley Pillow, Madeline Durant, Eric Austin (and Jazmine & Tiny), Andrew Maxwell, James Maxwell, and Ann Austin.

 

Vassalboro Food Station Pantry team

Vassalboro Food Station Pantry team: (left to right) Mary White, Tina Siglinger & baby, Diane Bailey (& Midget), Cindy Ferland, Cindy Denico, Alexis Haskell, Caitlyn Denico, not pictured: LouAnn Davis, Cheryl & Dave Sherwood

 

CORRECTION: Zumba-thon

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In the caption under the Zumba-thon photo on page 6 of the April 27, 2017, issue of The Town Line, it should have stated the Zumba-thon is annually sponsored by the Madison American Legion Auxiliary, Unit #39. It was an editing error

BBBS plan Putt for Cass fundraiser

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Colby Charette, right, Cassidy Charette’s brother and now “Big Brother” and mentor to his “Little” Harrison Quimby, get ready to “Putt 4 Cass” at Gifford’s Famous Ice Cream & Mini Golf, in Waterville May 20, to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine. To register, sponsor or volunteer, contact monica@bbbsmidmaine.org. Contributed photo

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine will celebrate the life of Cassidy Charette by raising money and awareness for local youth mentoring programs at a mini golf fundraiser “Putt 4 Cass” on Saturday, May 20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Gifford’s Famous Ice Cream & Mini Golf, in Waterville. (Rain date May 21.) Cassidy was a junior at Messaonskee High School when she was killed in a hayride accident October 11, 2014. Since her passing, her school and its surrounding communities continue to find ways to honor and remember the teen whose passion was helping others through community service.

Cassidy was a volunteer for BBBS of Mid-Maine and advocated for a school-based mentoring program at her high school. When it wasn’t available, she asked to mentor a child each week at the Alfond Youth Center, completed training and was just two weeks shy of meeting her first “Little Sister.” In her honor, BBBS of Mid-Maine created three new BBBS school-based programs. Two of those programs pair Messalonskee high school mentors (Bigs) with youth facing adversity (Littles) at Atwood Primary and Williams Elementary schools, in Oakland. A third program was launched last year at the Boys/Girls Club and YMCA at Alfond Youth Center in Waterville, where each week kids in the after school care program meet one-on-one with high school “Bigs” from Messalonskee, Winslow, Waterville and Lawrence high schools.

“Helping others, especially children, was Cassidy’s passion,” said Monica Wilcox Charette, Cassidy’s mother and event coordinator. “These special mentoring programs will support hundreds of local kids, give high school students the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in a child’s life, and will honor Cassidy for years to come.”

The new mini golf event replaces “Bowl for Cassidy’s Sake,” a successful bowling fundraiser that in the last two years raised $80,000 for local BBBS programs. This year, schools, athletic teams, service groups and businesses are invited to form mini golf teams of four players, choose their preferred time to golf, register online (or call to register) and raise funds for local mentoring programs, then join the community May 20 to “Putt 4 Cass.”

The event will include course challenges with prizes, music, food, and ShineOnCass T-shirts for team fundraising. “Putt 4 Cass” is sponsored by Aetna, Fabian Oil, Golden Pond Wealth Management, Hammond Lumber, Mainely Trusses, New Balance, Smile Solutions, and Gifford’s Famous Ice Cream. Additional sponsoring opportunities are available, including hole sponsorships on the course.

To register a team, sponsor, volunteer, or for more information, call 314-6996, email monica@bbbsmidmaine.org or visit http://www.bbbsmidmaine.org.

Violette earns academic merit scholarship to Delaware Valley University

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Delaware Valley University, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, congratulates the recipients of the University’s top three merit-based Admission scholarships:

Nathan Violette, of Oakland, has been selected for an academic merit scholarship to Delaware Valley University.

DelVal awards admission merit scholarships to high-achieving high school students based on GPA and test scores.

Winslow High School second quarter honors

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SENIORS

High honors: Jenna Goss, Adrienne Lakey and Samuel Lambrecht. Honors: Benjamine Abbott, Michael Ayer, Danielle Berard, Melody Chapman, Mariah Cruz, Cathryn Fyfe, Adam Green, Sierra Harmon, Wyatt Hughes, Ciara LeClair, Edilene McCaslin, Cmeron Morrison, Joshua Olin, Samantha Pomerleau, Courtney Pomeroy, Tyler Sheets, Benjamin Smith, Paige Smith, Raymond Spaulding, Morgan Theriault, Ava Toothill, Elizabeth Turner and Joshua Veilleux. Honorable Mention: Carter Bradford, Jacob Clark, Grace Drummond, Nathan Gagnon, Susan Grant, Katelynn Larsen, Bethanie Lovely, Emily Manocchio, Avery Mills, Jenna Pelletier, Lisa Robinson, Faith Rogers, Jamie Sears, Samantha Washburn and Hope Winkin.

JUNIORS

High honors: Devon Gleason. Honors: Andrew Beckwith, Andrew Bolduc, Marissa Carpenter, Devin Carter, Cierra Clyde, Hannah Crayton, Dakota Cunningham, Alyssa Currie, Logan Denis, Jacob DeRaps, Ashley Dineen, Brandon Dineen, Jade Freeman, Broghan Gagnon, Natalie Greene, Roy Greenleaf, Sarah Guimond, Bryce Hillier, Olyvia Kelley, Jacob Krshner, Jake Lapierre, Brenna Martin, Kathleen McCowan, Nicholas Morris, Liz Nadeau, Alexa Petrovic, Garrett Pooler, Christine Quirion, Bailey Robbins, Kirstie Rogers, Lidia Santos, Carmen Smith, Sarah Stevens, Marcel Swiercz, Joshua Vashon, Haley Ward and Michael Wildes. Honorable Mention: Haylee Barrett, Christopher Bouti, Cory Briggs, Emily Coates, Colby Cote, Cassandra Demers, Arnold Maroney, Tyler Martin, Cassie McCaslin, Olivia Moody, Jackson Morneault, Alister Piccini, Madison Roy and Mackenzie Small.

SOPHOMORES

High honors: Sara Doughty, Arianna Hatt, Emily Robertson, Elyse St. Pierre and Jacob Witham. Honors: Maddie Beckwirth, Maeghan Bernard, Adam Bickford, Suzanne Bryan, Elizabeth Farnham, Noah Gagne, Jared Goss, Kyle Gurney, Lily Harriett, Mackenzy Labrie, Isaac Lambrecht, Weslee Littlefield, Grace Paradis, Anna Pellerin, Mikayla Reynolds, Katie St. Amand, Nicholas Tiner, Paige Trask, Desiree Veilleux, Cameron Winslow and Amber Worthley. Honorable Mention: Shawn Bryan, Alyssa Burbank, Kyle Camire, Devin Daigneault, Izaak Gajowski, Emily Glidden, Joshua Gordon, Alexander Jason, Justin LaFlamme, Andrew Mattingly, Anna Petrovic, Cheyenne Raymond, Sean Staton, Haley Twitchell, Dacota Waldie, Ely Yang and Sebastian York.

FRESHMEN

High honors: Katie Doughty, Brennan Dunton, Cameron Goodwin, Jacob Huesers, Wesley O’Neal, Carrie Selwood, Mallory Sheridan and Grace Smith. Honors: Savannah Adams, Kathryn Bailey, Rylee Batey, Devin Bettencourt, Logan Bolduc, Eri Booth, Sebastin Bouchard, Silver Clukey, Alexander Demers, Micah Dickson, Hannah Dugal, Isaiah Goldsmith, John Hankey Aaron Harmon, Gabrielle Hatt, Sadie Irza, Kaelyn Lakey, Juliann Lapierre, Riley Loftus, Caleb Mills, Christopher Mills, Madison Morin, Elena O’Hara, Madalyn Phillips, Justice Picard, Colby Pomeroy, Kristen Rancourt and Kasaundra Reynolds. Honorble Mention: Teagon Baros, Cameron Brockway, Brielle Carter, Gabriella Chambers, Abigail Cochran, Brady Corson, Ronan Drummond, Isaiah Gidney, Ross Hughes, Savannah Joler, Haylee Morse, Mariah Morrison, Shaylie Morrison, Cora Mushero, Skylar Nye, Jillian Pion, Jackson Reynolds, Gage Vaughan, Abigail Washburn and Abigail Wright.

Over 100 local Special Olympians set for games in Skowhegan on May 5

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Special Olympics Maine Area events are underway across the state. Local Special Olympics programs have been or are soon to be participating in area track and field events at the local levels as they prepare for the state Summer Games. The Special Olympics Maine state summer games will take place June 9 – 11 at the University of Maine at Orono this year. Over 1,500 Special Olympic Maine athletes, both children and adults, are expected to compete at this year’s event.

Prior to the state games, athletes must participate in local games to get times, distances, and ability levels which will help put them into appropriate divisions at the state level competition. The Somerset County Area Spring Games have been a longstanding tradition that our athletes look forward to each year. Each year, we have over 100 athletes registered to compete in our track and field events with over 50 volunteers in support of them. We thank all the local volunteers and coaches who have pulled together in support of our efforts. A special thanks to Skowhegan Area High School for letting us use their space. The opening ceremonies are accompanied by the SAHS Band. SAHS’ track and field coaches and athletes and SAHS Jobs for Maine Graduates student volunteers provide guidance throughout the day, ensuring proper tracking of times and distances. The Lion’s Club provides the almost 200 lunches hot off the grill. Several local emergency responders are available to aid and safety for all attendees.

Special Olympics Maine is a year-round sports training and competition program for children and adults who have intellectual disabilities. In Maine, they serve over 4,000 athletes.

For more information about the Somerset County Area Spring Games, please contact Maxine Briggs-Buzzell, Somerset & Upper Kennebec County Area manager at 207-293-4577 or Kim Garland, Somerset Area Spring Games coordinator at 207-566-5766.

For more information on Special Olympics Maine please visit www.somaine.org or call 207-879-0489 or find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SpecialOlympicsMaine.