Fresh fruits for Christmas (2023)

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Palermo Community Foundation (photo by Connie Bellet)

The Living Communities Foundation, which runs the Palermo Community Center and the Palermo Community Garden, and hosts the Palermo Food Pantry announces that they are, once again, teaming up with Florida Indian River Groves to bring you freshly-picked oranges, grapefruit, and mandarins shipped anywhere in the contiguous USA to arrive before Christmas! What a sweet way to enjoy a healthy treat! Be sure and check out all the options for gift packages. Shipping is by Fed-Ex and the fruit will go from tree to truck in less than 12 hours. All you have to do is go to https://www.floridaindianrivergroves.com/ecomerce/1018996 and pick out what you want and where it is to go. Then you enter your credit card or e-check info, and Boom! You can take care of your whole Christmas list!

If you have any questions or concerns, please call 1-800-468-3168 and a real, live person in Florida will be delighted to help you with your order. All the fruit has a money-back guarantee. Have a stress-free, joyous Holiday Season!

So. China American Legion plans expansion of Veterans monument

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South China Post commander Neil Farrington at the Veterans Monument.

by Eric W. Austin

The Boynton-Webber American Legion Post #179 has recently announced plans to expand the veterans memorial at the four corners in South China Village. The plan entails adding a brick pathway leading up to the monument, with the names of veterans engraved on each brick.

The GAR Hall which used to be at the location of the South China veterans monument.

“My idea for the brick walkway at the South China memorial is to honor our local veterans,” says Post #179 Commander Neil Farrington. “It really doesn’t matter if you served during a time of war or in peacetime. This project is meant to honor all area veterans.”

The site of the South China memorial has historical significance to the town of China. Originally, it was the location of a GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) Hall dedicated to a local hero of the Civil War, Captain James Parnell Jones, who was known as the “Fighting Quaker” for his bravery in that conflict. Later, in 1949, the spot became the site of the first American Legion Hall, in South China, before the current building on Legion Memorial Drive was erected in 1968.

A sample of the engraved bricks.

There is already a memorial at the town office for veterans who served in World War II, but Commander Farrington hopes this project will be an opportunity to honor those who served in other conflicts, including the Civil War, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Gulf War and the war in Afghanistan, as well as veterans who served during peacetime between 1953-1963, a period of service that often goes unrecognized.

The new pathway will be built using 180 bricks purchased by the public and engraved with the names and service dates of local veterans. The cost for a brick is $100, with twenty-percent covering the cost of the engraving and the rest going toward the cost of a new heating and cooling system for the Legion Hall. (The American Legion is a registered nonprofit and donations for the project are tax-deductible.)

Anyone in the area towns around South China is invited to purchase a brick to remember a friend or relative who served in active duty or the National Guard. There will be room for up to three lines of 20 characters per line on each brick.

Bricks can be ordered by mailing a check payable to American Legion Post #179, PO Box 401, South China, ME 04358. Interested parties can request an order form by email at peachclassof68@gmail.com (or download it here), or by phone at 462-4321.

Orders should be submitted as soon as possible, with construction expected to commence in the spring.

The lights here at the monument show the location of the planned brick expansion.

Glidden family honors WWII soldier from Palermo

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The Glidden family, group on left, Buffy, Sam, Nelson, Gayle and Sue. Group on right, Amy, Laraine, Paul, Pat, Clair and Delores. (contributed photo)

Submitted by Patricia Glidden Clark

Saturday, September 30, 2023, family members of World War II soldier from Palermo, Malcolm Leroy Glidden, honored his memory with a gathering at the Malcolm Glidden American Legion Post #163, in Palermo. The presentation was put together by Post Commander Paul Hunter with documentation that he researched and obtained from the National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri, and information from other sources like Newspapers.com, Ancestry.com, Sons of Liberty Museum and American Legion records. It was supplemented by historic records, clippings and photos that Mr. Glidden’s parents, George and Esther Glidden, had saved from the 1940s. Two of their granddaughters, Patricia (Pat) Glidden Clark and sister Laraine Glidden (daughters of Malcolm’s brother Lawrence) provided a great deal of information to the Legion.

Malcolm left Palermo on March 20, 1944, at just 18 years old, to serve his country in the U.S. Army. He served in the European Theater of Operations, Signal Corp, 94th Division of General George Patton’s 3rd Army. Unfortunately, he never made it home, becoming the only soldier from Palermo to be killed in World War ll. Malcolm died in battle in Germany on March 23, 1945, near Luxembourg. He would not be returned home until April 9, 1949, and was buried on April 10, 1949, at Chadwick Hill Cemetery, in South China.

Family members in attendance were: Patricia Glidden Clark and Laraine Glidden (children of brother Lawrence Glidden); Delores Kennedy Douglas (daughter of sister Eloise Glidden Kennedy), Buffy Glidden Whitaker (daughter of Malcolm’s namesake nephew Malcolm) and son Sam, and Nelson and Gayle Glidden (children of Malcolm’s brother George). Additional family present included Amy Glidden, widow of Bruce Glidden who was brother to Buffy; Clair Clark, Pat’s spouse, and Nelson’s wife Sue. We were also joined by Paul’s wife Bonnie and daughter Chelsea.

Paul and Bonnie put together a booklet for the family with many of the significant details of Malcolm’s life and service to his country. The family is looking forward to receiving copies of the booklet for each member. At the close of the visit, Pat and Laraine presented the American flag to the Legion that had been given to them following the death of their father Lawrence in 1982.

Davidson Nature Preserve Full Moon Hike

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Join Kennebec Land Trust staff and volunteer property stewards to take advantage of the full moon for a hike at the Davidson Nature Preserve on Monday, November 27 at 5:30 p.m. Bring what you need to be comfortable for a night walk, including a headlamp or flashlight, warm clothes, water, snacks etc. The family-friendly hike will be approximately one mile long. For more information or to RSVP, contact Marie at mring@tklt.org or 207-377-2848

Directions: From Augusta or Waterville take Route 201 to Vassalboro. Turn east on Bog Road for approximately 2.2 miles to the intersection with Taber Hill Road. Turn north (left) on Taber Hill Road for approximately 1 mile. Look for the KLT sign, parking lot, and sign-in box on the left (west) side of Taber Hill Road, just before Hussey Hill Road.

PHOTO: Harvesting success

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Reese O’Brien became a member of the Big Buck Club of Maine on Saturday October 21, the second day of the youth hunt, when he harvested an eight point Buck which weighed 200 lbs in Vassalboro. This was the third deer that Reese has harvested since he started hunting. Reese is from Winslow and was being mentored by his great-uncle Jim Rafuse. (contributed photo)

SCOUTS: Tristan Morton completes orienteering course

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Tristan Morton, of Augusta, shooting a reverse azimuth.

by Chuck Mahaleris

Tristan Morton, of Augusta Troop #603, moves across terrain and trails as part of his Orienteering Requirement for the First Class Rank at Augusta’s Viles Arboretum. Working over a mile, he navigates to landmarks and cross-country, Tristan shoots a back azimuth to verify his position after boxing around Viles Pond. After verifying his position, he is ready to navigate to his next objective.

Scouts need skills like map reading, terrain identification, and compass work to be at home in Maine’s woods. Since ancient times, rough maps of the Earth and simple compasses have guided explorers, warriors, and pioneers like Lewis and Clark, Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, and Amelia Earhart. The skill of learning to understand a map and compass are vital to anyone who spends time outdoors and is an integral part of Scouting itself.

The World Crest is a Scout emblem that has been worn by an estimated 250 million Scouts worldwide since the Scouting movement was founded in 1907 by Lord Robert Baden-Powell. He later explained the significance of the World Crest, “Our badge we took from the ‘North Point’ used on maps for orienteering.” His wife, Lady Baden-Powell, added, “It shows the true way to go.” The emblem’s symbolism helps to remind Scouts to be as true and reliable as a compass in keeping to their Scouting ideals and showing others the way. It is hard to show others the way if you are not familiar with map and compass skills, and so all Scouting programs teach Scouts orienteering.

Scouts hold haunted woods event at Camp Bomazeen

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Dread Pirate Eric Handley, of Sidney, helped with registration for the Haunted Woods. He is also Scoutmaster of Sidney Troop #401 who camped over the weekend.

Text and photos
by Chuck Mahaleris

Sullivan Mudie, of Augusta, was at camp with his mom Lynette Mudie. Sullivan is a Lion Cub in Pack #684 and is in kindergarten. “I liked seeing the bumblebees,” Sullivan said. “And shooting the pumpkins with the BB Gun.”

Kids and parents clad in cute or creepy costumes skulked through Camp Bomazeen on October 14 for the annual Haunted Woods event. Cub Scouts and their parents donned fantastic or phantasmic costumes on Saturday and visited different activity areas around camp such as Archery, BB Gun Shooting, the Haunted House run by Augusta Troop 603, outdoor cooking, the obstacle course, pumpkin painting, and arts and crafts. In the evening, after the younger Scouts went home with their parents, the older Scouts from area Troops took part in the haunted hike that lasted until the witching hour (11 PM). Julie McKenney of Belgrade organized the program. “It is so much fun to watch the younger kids and their parents have fun together at Camp,” she said. “Everyone loves to get into the spirit of Halloween and it is a great family program. Then at night, the older Scouts test their Scouting knowledge and their courage as they have to survive the Haunted Trail at night.” The Troops also had a gateway competition and a stew cookoff.

The Haunted House beneath the dining hall was guarded by the Grim Reaper (Joseph Maranda) and his son Owen Maranda, of Augusta and Chelsea. Owen is a Tenderfoot Scout in Troop #631, where his dad is one of the Assistant Scoutmasters. “I’m having fun directing people into the Haunted House,” Owen said.

Vassalboro scouts learn orienteering

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Front row, from left to right, Lion Scouts Alex Madison and Boone McLaughlin, Tiger Scouts Greyson Malloy and Kasen Maroon. Second row, Webelos Scouts Henry Gray, Anthony Malloy, and Eli Richmond, AOL Scouts Christopher Santiago, Hunter Brown, and William Vincent, Wolf Scouts John Gray, Sam Madison, Beckett Metcalf, Connor Millett, Lux Reynolds, and Declan McLaughlin. Back row, Cubmaster Chris Santiago and members of the Maine Wardens Service. (photo by Chuck Mahaleris)

by Chuck Mahaleris

Members of the Maine Warden Service took time out of their schedules to teach Scouts in Vassalboro Cub Scout Pack #410 orienteering to help the Scouts understand how to navigate their way in Maine’s woods. The compass training took place at Thurston Park, in China, on Monday, October 16. Jessica Murray was very pleased, “Thank you wardens,” she said. “My kids learned a bunch and we appreciated the time everyone gave the kids and parents.”

Mid-Maine Chamber names new community engagement specialist

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Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce welcomes Michael Guarino as its new Community Engagement Specialist.

Michael Guarino

Guarino, who was the associate director for the Maine Sports Commission and former community relations director at Snow Pond Center for the Arts, in Sidney, has 25 years of tourism, community relations, and event experience in Maine. He currently chairs the Kennebec Valley Tourism Council and has operated Maine Wilderness Tours since 1996.

Guarino is a graduate of Thomas College, in Waterville, with a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in marketing/management.

This new position will work with event organizers to secure the Mid-Maine region as their destination for a variety of events and conferences while developing and implementing strategies to engage local businesses.

Mid-Maine Chamber President and CEO Kimberly Lindlof said of Guarino, “Mike brings a vast knowledge of event and tourism expertise, destination management experience, and business connectivity to our team. We are excited to have a point person here at the Chamber to roll out the red carpet for event organizers interested in bringing their activities to our region. Staff and volunteers alike are pleased to welcome him onboard.”

Sheepscot Lake Association fall newsletter

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submitted by Maria O’Rourke,
SLA President

The saying, “time flies when you’re having fun” certainly holds true when it comes to summer on Sheepscot Lake! The 2023 season is now in the books and the Sheepscot Lake Association is reflecting on our activities and projects, as well as looking ahead to 2024.

June had us hiring and training our three Courtesy Boat Inspectors, who check for invasive species on boats and trailers entering and leaving the lake. This program is made possible in part due to a grant from the Maine DEP, as well as your membership dues. The rainy season was tricky to navigate, but 85 inspections were completed this season and zero invasive species were found! Thank you to our CBI team for your efforts – Alex Reichtel, Addison Turner and Olivia Childs.

Our annual 4th of July Boat Parade was successfully held in between the raindrops! Despite the questionable weather, 26 boats participated. Thank you to our 2023 Grand Marshal Tim Paul, a former board member and original CBI Coordinator. We look forward to another fun-filled parade in 2024!

SLA’s annual General Membership meeting was held in July at the Fish and Game on Rte 3. This year was a “dessert potluck,” and there were numerous yummy treats shared! This was a chance for residents to meet with neighbors, learn about our programs, renew memberships and hear our guest speaker. This year we were visited by Shawn Herbert, the Harbormaster of Naples, who discussed the recent Mooring Ordinance passed by the Town of Palermo. This ordinance will go into effect in 2024. For more information about the ordinance and its importance, please visit www.townofpalermo.org and look under Ordinances.

Sheepscot’s water quality has been tested throughout the summer for clarity, dissolved oxygen levels, and phosphorus levels. As has been the case over the years, Sheepscot has healthy levels in all categories, and we have a lot to be grateful for! Thank you to Jeff Levesque, our volunteer water quality tester!

Our online store has been filling merchandise orders all summer. In addition to the shirts and tote bag from last year, we have now added more shirt designs, sweatshirts, and a coffee mug! Your purchase enables us to continue to provide programs that help keep Sheepscot Lake healthy. Please visit www.bonfire.com/store/sheepscot-lake-association to browse our selections!

If you have not renewed your membership, or have yet to become a member, please visit our website at https://sheepscotlakeassociation.com where you can renew or join by paying via paypal. Or, you can send a check to Sheepscot Lake Association, Box 300, Palermo, ME 04354. Our membership dues have not risen since our inception over a dozen years ago! Can you say the same about anything else these days? Individual – $20, Family $30, Patron $50. We would not be able to provide what we do without your support!

We could also use your help by volunteering as well. Our LakeSmart Team needs some evaluators, and if you are interested you would receive training online this off-season and be able to join us in 2024. LakeSmart is a state-wide educational outreach program coordinated by Maine Lakes that helps waterfront property owners keep their spaces “lake friendly” and free from erosion. Interested homeowners reach out and evaluators determine whether the property has any erosion issues and offer advice on how to combat it. Stormwater runoff from roads, driveways, and properties can be detrimental to the health of the lake. LakeSmart gives homeowners tips and tools to keep erosion at bay. The Lake Association completed two evaluations this season and we hope to increase that next year. If you are interested in having your property evaluated, or in being trained as an evaluator, please email us at sheepscotlakeassoc@gmail.com

Another opportunity to become involved will present itself in the late spring/early summer of 2024 when we hope to host an on-site Invasive Plant Patrol Training Workshop. This program is run by the Lake Stewards of Maine, who will come to our lake to train us on determining the difference between invasive and native plants. After the training on land, we will go on a “paddle patrol” in kayaks to inspect the plants in their habitat. Once the training is completed, participants will then feel confident to go on “patrol” whenever they are on a kayak ride. This will enable us to “inspect” the lake much more broadly than just the boats coming in and out of the launch. If you are interested in being put on a list to join the Invasive Plant Patrol training in 2024, please send us an email at sheepscotlakeassoc@gmail.com

To keep up with Sheepscot Lake Association’s activities, please visit our website and “like” and join our Facebook page. Thank you for your continued support in keeping Sheepscot Lake as healthy as it is! Please enjoy a happy winter season and we will see you on the lake in 2024!

Thank you for your support.