4th annual China Lake Ice Fishing Derby to be held on Maine’s free fishing weekend

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Families were scattered about China Lake last year during the Four Seasons Club fishing derby. (photo by Cindy Senbell)

by Sandra Isaac

The China Four Seasons Club and the China Village Fire Department are co-hosting the 4th Annual China Lake Ice Fishing Derby to be held on Sunday, February 19, during Maine’s Free Fishing Weekend.

Similar to last year, there will be town-wide “China Ice Days” activities starting on Friday night with a dinner at the China Mason’s Lodge and a guided snowmobile run directly after. More events including sledding, ice skating and a Cornhole tournament will be occurring throughout the day on Saturday. Sunday is still dedicated to the ice fishing derby with fishing limited to China Lake. The ice fishing derby will finish with a fireworks display after the derby’s award ceremony. All the weekend’s activities will be open to the public.

Two hardy young anglers show off their haul during the weigh-in at last year’s event. (photo by Cindy Senbell)

“We were a little nervous about the lack of ice early in the season, but Mother Nature seems to be doing her part and we fully expect there to be a good, solid layer of ice for fishing,” said China Four Seasons Club President Tom Rumpf. “We still need to keep our fingers crossed for snow and more ice. The lack of snow, for example, caused The China Lake Camp & Conference Center to cancel sledding last year. We encourage people to check out our website and look at the Ice Derby’s Facebook page for updates.”

Reservations are requested for the lasagna dinner at the Mason’s Lodge, as well as for the Cornhole tournament. Both activities have fees involved. Sledding and the cardboard sled race at the China Lake Camp & Conference Center and the ice skating at the town rink are free and open to all.

Rumpf continued, “The China Ice Days and the Annual Fishing Derby are a great way for individuals and families to come out and enjoy the outdoors and be part of a China area tradition. Last year was amazing and so much fun! This is also Maine’s free fishing weekend which is a nice bonus. We will be following all State of Maine ice fishing laws and rules.”

Fishing derby weigh-in time will be at 4 p.m. on Sunday and all entries must be in line at the Fire Station Building [on Causeway Road] by 4 p.m. to qualify for a prize. Prizes will be awarded in the following fish categories: largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, brown trout, brook trout, and pickerel. The children’s category will be perch and kids will be awarded prizes for the top five winners with the most perch caught. The lunker of the day – the largest fish overall – will be the derby’s top prize.

The first 100 kids to stop in at the China Village Fire station will receive special takeaway ice fishing bait buckets filled with some great items courtesy of Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, Jack Traps of Maine, and The Maine Audubon Society. The buckets will be available starting at 5 a.m. on the day of the derby. In addition, Central Church will be set up on the ice across from the fire station on Causeway Road to work with kids who are new to fishing and Traps for Kids of Maine will be set up next to them, giving away free traps to kids who need them, while supplies last.

A young angler tries to pull up her catch during last year’s derby. (photo by Cindy Senbell)

“We will also be giving away over 30 door prizes including an StrikeMaster Electric Ice Auger courtesy of Jack Traps of Maine and Brookfield Renewable Energy, 100 gallons of heating fuel from Augusta Fuel Company, Pumping Services from B&B Septic, a kayak from Hannaford Supermarket, tons of amazing items from our friends at Whitt’s Garment Works, plus many more prizes and gift certificates, all from great local businesses,” said Rumpf.

Tickets for the derby are available for $5 a piece or 3 for $10 at many local stores including China Variety & Redemption, Greg’s Restaurant, Harvest Time Bait, Lakeview Lumber, Maritime Farms and Tobey’s. You can also purchase tickets from members of the China Four Seasons Club and the China Village Fire Department.

The China Four Seasons Club maintains a dedicated Facebook page and a website to share information on door prizes, sponsors, and ticket information. Please visit https://www.facebook.com/China-Lake-Ice-Fishing-Derby or www.chinalakeicefishingderby.com.

Cub scouts complete building projects

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Marci and Joshua Gilpin, of Skowhegan, work on the bird house. Joshua is in the second year of the Webelo program. (photo by Yvonne Brown)

Cub Scouts, in Skowhegan Pack #485, recently built birdhouses during their meeting which gives Cubs and parents a chance to work together on a project while teaching the Cub Scout about safe use of woodworking tools and the importance of being kind to animals. “It was a lot of fun,” said Cub Master Shanna Brown. The projects were built on January 15 at the Centenary United Methodist Church, in Skowhegan. Scouts in first grade completed requirement five of the My Tiger Jungle Adventure. Youth in the third grade completed requirement three in the Baloo the Builder Adventure and youth in fourth and fifth grades completed the second requirement of the Build It elective.

Kurtis Brown, of Norridgewock, is a Wolf Cub Scout. His family cut out all the bird house kits for the Scouts to build. (photo by Yvonne Brown)

Philo and his dad Zack work on a bird house together. Philo recently joined Pack #485. (photo by Yvonne Brown)

Logan Corson, of Madison, is in the Webelo program. (photo by Ashley Corson)

Emma Elwell enrolls at York College of Pennsylvania

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Nearly 750 first-year and transfer students arrived at York College of Pennsylvania, in York, Pennsylvania, for the opening of the Fall 2022 semester.

Among them is Emma Elwell, of Whitefield, who plans to study nursing.

Local students on Springfield College dean’s list

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William Banks, of Jefferson, and Kyle Ingraham, of Unity, were named to the dean’s list at Springfield College, in Springfield, Massachusetts, for academic excellence for the 2022 fall semester. Banks has a primary major of physical education, and Ingraham in sport management.

China’s Thurston Park group to ask for TIF funds

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Thurston Park in the winter (photo from Thurston Park Facebook page)

by Mary Grow

Four members of China’s Thurston Park Committee spent most of their Jan. 19 meeting talking about money, both the 2023-24 budget and the long-term future of the almost 400-acre public park in northeastern China.

As in past years, committee members intend to ask for money from China’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) fund, as well as from the 2023-24 municipal budget.

Committee chairman Jeanette Smith said the proposed TIF request totals $44,000. Minutes of the committee’s November 2022 meeting show that planned expenditures include buying a utility vehicle that would be used to move equipment and supplies (like gravel); preparing a new trail; and building kiosks, installing more cameras and preparing trail maps.

The TIF Committee meeting scheduled for January to review requests was canceled due to members’ illnesses. The calendar on the town website shows the next TIF meeting scheduled for 6 p.m.. Wednesday, Feb. 8, in the portable building behind the town office.

Funds requested from the China municipal budget would cover work on the entrance road from Albion and supplies.

The park has more than five miles of trails that need maintenance. Several have been or are being built or improved as Eagle Scout projects. Committee members talked about damage from storms that have taken down trees and washed out trails.

Committee members are investigating grants that might be available for work in the park. Smith is concerned about funding sources when China’s TIF ends in 26 years. In reply to a suggestion to research other towns’ park financing, she said few if any other Maine towns support so large a natural area.

Another suggestion was to try to find out how many people, from China and from out of town, use Thurston Park, as an indicator of its value to townspeople and local businesses. The cameras in place and to be installed will help, committee members said. They doubted enough visitors would sign a logbook to make it informative.

Thurston Park has multiple listings on the worldwide web; it is included on the sites called mainetrailfinder.com and mainebyfoot.com.

Despite the Dec. 23 damage, on Jan. 23 Smith said the park is open for winter use, though she urged caution.

Parking is at the top of the Yorktown Road hill on the left, or in the new winter parking area at the bottom of the hill, also on the left, Smith said.

Residents interested in joining the Thurston Park Committee are invited to contact the town office or to email thurstonpark@outlook.com.

The next Thurston Park Committee meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 16, in the portable building.

Northern Light Inland Hospital receives national award

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Recognized as a leader in the healthcare industry

Northern Light Inland Hospital announced that it has been named a 2022 Human Experience (HX) Guardian of Excellence Award® winner for Clinical Quality by Press Ganey, a global leader in healthcare experience solutions and services. This award is part of Press Ganey’s annual ranking of the top hospitals and health systems in the country, according to performance in patient experience.

As a winner of the Press Ganey HX Guardian of Excellence Award®, Inland Hospital is in the top 5 percent of healthcare providers in the last year and is one of only seven hospitals nationwide to receive the clinical quality recognition. Twelve clinical measures from 2021 data were used to calculate the award including care from the emergency department, outpatient services, care related to pregnancy and related conditions, stroke, and blood clots. Press Ganey works with more than 41,000 healthcare facilities in its mission to reduce patient suffering and enhance caregiver resilience to improve the overall safety, quality, and experience of care.

“By putting their patients and workforce first each and every day, Inland Hospital is demonstrating their unwavering commitment to their employees and to the communities they serve,” said Patrick T. Ryan, chairman and chief executive officer, Press Ganey. “The caregivers at Inland have inspired us with the compassion, empathy and human connection they bring to the clinical healthcare setting. We are honored to partner with them as we celebrate their achievement.”

“We are excited to receive this recognition and very proud of everyone at Inland who goes above and beyond to deliver the highest quality of care possible,” said Nick Chobanian, MD, senior physician executive and vice president of Medical Affairs at Inland Hospital. “It takes a skilled clinical team dedicated to each patient and their individual needs, using excellent communication that engages patients and families in their care. Great teamwork helps us deliver the best medical outcomes.”

To learn more about Inland Hospital, visit northernlighthealth.org/Inland. Find more information on the award and Press Ganey at pressganey.com.

PHOTO: Helping out

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Brionna Charlebois helps out in the kitchen during the Vassalboro seniors cribbage day, as part of the Vassalboro Community program, headed by Karen Hatch. (contributed photo)

Rotary Club wraps up successful auction

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The 59th annual Waterville Rotary Auction with hundreds of gifts, services and discount items wrapped up the first week of December. Every year, for more than half a century, this important community event has supported Rotary’s efforts to make a difference in the community. Proceeds from the auction will again go to support community programs and initiatives in early childhood development and education, helping to ensure a bright future for our community’s most vulnerable and valuable asset, our children.

This year, Rotary Club of Waterville identified the construction of the new Children’s Discovery Museum and the development of a second natural play area at Educare Central Maine as recipients of auction proceeds. Both of these amazing organizations located in Waterville make a difference for the children served, with programs focused around childhood literacy and development.

Rotary Club of Waterville thanks the community for its support and contribution to area businesses and to the promotion of literacy in central Maine and beyond. Your participation generated nearly 240 items donated to the auction, resulting in net proceeds over $18,000.

Special thanks are extended to the auction committee, Mix 107.9 for live coverage and interviews during the auction, Central Maine Motors Auto Group, the Mid-Maine Chamber, and fellow Rotarians for assistance in this undertaking.

For more information about the Rotary, visit the website at http://www.watervillerotary.com.

Eight local scouts complete training

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China Baptist Church

by Chuck Mahaleris

Eight Scout leaders completed Youth Protection Training at a course held at the China Baptist Church, on January 4, 2023. Joe Poulin, of Oakland, who serves as the training chairman for Pine Tree Council, led the program. Those completing the course, which is required annually for all leaders who work directly with scouts, were Matthew Bodine, Ronald Emery, Aiden Pettengill, Samuel Boynton, Scott Adams, and Priscilla Adams, all of China; Luanne Chesley, of Vassalboro, and Brian Wedge, of Belgrade.

Poulin said, “Being a leader in the BSA is a privilege, not a right. The quality of the program and the safety of our youth members call for high-quality adult leaders. Each adult leader must agree to undergo a criminal background check and annually complete the Youth Protection Training course either online or in person. Before we can take Scouts camping or teach them how to tie knots, we have to make sure they are in safe hands.”

Scout leaders are mandatory reporters if abuse is suspected and should take the following steps:

  1. Ensure the child is in a safe environment.
  2. In cases of child abuse injury or medical emergencies, call 911 immediately. In addition, if the suspected abuse occurred in the scout’s home or family, you are required by state law to immediately report/contact the local child abuse hotline.
  3. Notify the scout executive or his/her designee, if he/she cannot be reached call the 24/7 Scouts First Helpline at 1-844-726-8871 or email, scoutsfirst@scouting.org.

Big Brothers, Big Sisters needed for 100 waiting Littles

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Little Sister Ryder Perkins meets with her Big Sister Hayley SooHoo once a week to chat while they draw, color, takes walks, and sometimes even learn new dances together. Their friendship was created through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine’s longstanding, one-to-one mentoring program that matches children facing adversity with positive role models. (contributed photo)

by Monica Charette

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine (BBBSMM) kicks off the new year and National Mentoring Month in January with an effort to recruit adult volunteers in the community to serve as mentors to 100 children waiting to be matched.

“Bettering yourself in the new year is a fantastic goal,” Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine Interim Executive Director Mae Slevisky, says. “This year, we encourage people to think about how they can do that by also bettering their community—by becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister.”

According to Slevinsky, there has never been a more critical time for mentoring.

“The events of the past few years have taken their toll on our most vulnerable citizens—our children. The isolation brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has hampered the social and academic progress of many kids, and many more are experiencing mental health challenges,” she said. “Kids need mentors now more than ever, to help them navigate challenges, open up doors of opportunity, and give them additional support they may need to excel in school and in their communities.”

According to Slevinsky, BBBS of Mid-Maine currently has 100 youth in its seven-county service area waiting to be matched with a mentor. Becoming a Big means committing to spending a couple of hours a week with a young person doing things you and your Little like to do, like playing outside, visiting the library, or taking a walk, she said. Matches also explore new activities together, like visiting a museum or skiing for the first time. “It’s about having fun, being a friend, and nurturing a child’s greatest potential.”

Adult mentors are interviewed, screened and trained, and receive ongoing support from BBBS of Mid-Maine professional staff, including regular match support meetings to ensure safety and help strengthen relationships. Successful volunteers are responsible, caring adults, who enjoy working with youth of all ages and backgrounds, have excellent listening and communication skills, are patient, willing to learn, and share in the BBBS mission of igniting the power and promise of local youth.

To learn more about Littles waiting, follow BBBS of Mid-Maine’s weekly “Waiting Wednesday” Facebook posts. For information on how to become a Big or enroll a child, visit bbbsmidmaine.org, email info@bbbsmidmaine.org or call 207-236-BBBS (2227).