Albion youth attains Eagle Scout status

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

On December 28, 2016, Jacob Lennon, of Albion, joined the ranks of Eagle Scout, making him one of the last group of Eagles in the nation in 2016. Jacob is a member of Boy Scout Troop #446, in Albion.

Eagle Scout Jacob Lennon. Photo courtesy of Charles Mahaleris

The 18-year-old Lawrence High School senior, in Fairfield, began his scouting career when he was in the fourth grade.

Jacob was recently nominated, by Maine U.S. Senator Angus King, to attend one of the U.S. military academies. Jacob’s preference is the U.S. Naval Academy, in Annapolis, Maryland, where he would aspire to become a marine engineer.

Jacob’s other interests include football, weightlifting, hunting, trapping and fishing.

For his community project, Jacob chose to construct three small free libraries to help encourage reading and give people who can’t get to a library a chance to leave a book for others or borrow a book right in their respective neighborhood.

“In the fall of 2016, Jacob generously provided the town of Fairfield with three extraordinary Give a Book, Take a Book structures,” said Fairfield Town Manager, Michelle Flewelling. “They have become a great addition to our neighborhoods.”

Flewelling coordinated everything through the town, suggesting where the book libraries should be located, made arrangements with Central Maine Power’s Dig Safe program, and placed markers out for Jacob.

The project took 47 hours to complete, and Jacob received the help of troop leader Mathew Dow and Melanie Pellerin, along with fellow members of his Boy Scout troop. His grandfather, Henry Carter, spent a lot of time helping him with the project as well.

The libraries are located at Mill Island Park, on Mill Island, the playground next to the Fairfield Community Center, on Water St., and at Memorial Park, on the corner of High and Elm streets.

Building supplies for the three kiosks were donated by Lakeview Lumber, in China, Hammond Lumber, in Fairfield, and McCormick Lumber, in Winslow. Country Clipper, in Albion, made a cash donation to cover the cost of all other materials.

One of the Give a Book, Take a Book kiosks built by Eagle Scout Jacob Lennon, of Albion, as his community project. Photo courtesy of Michelle Flewelling

Jacob is the son of Tanya Lennon, of Albion.

Police conduct 11th annual Cops Care for Kids program Fairfield’s finest trade stetsons for Santa hats

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by Mark Huard

The Cops Care For Kids Program was created in 2006 by Detective Kingston Paul who started shopping all year for small stuffed animals, coloring books and crayons which he would deliver to struggling families within Fairfield. After several years, then Chief John Emery found out that the program was being funded solely by Detective Paul and challenged all officers to donate $5 per week to the program. He himself donated $10 weekly and now the program raises about $1,300 per year. Once the officers started donating, the list was increased to include as many Fairfield children as possible and has risen to as many as 250 children.

Front, dispatcher Jeanne Kempers. Front row, from left to right, Officer Casey Dugas, Sgt. Matt Wilcox, Officers Jacob Boudreau and Patrick Mank. Back, Officer Shanna Blodgett, Sgt. Matthew Bard, Chief Tom Gould, Officer Blake Wilder and Captain Paul St. Amand. Photo by Tawni Lively, Central Maine Photography staff

This year, members of the Fairfield Police delivered to about 90 households and they gave presents to around 200 children. They were able to get names of families and children in need with the help of the Fairfield Primary and Benton Elementary School staff. The schools handed out slips to Fairfield children and collect them for the officers. Fairfield officers then go to local stores and start shopping for gifts. This year, around 600 gifts were wrapped by about 15 people in the basement of the Fairfield Town Office. They were packaged with a small stuffed animal and a business card which was printed in memory of Kingston Paul who passed away earlier this fall. Some of Kingston’s family members attended the wrapping session as well as family and friends of the department’s officers and town office staff (who helped with wrapping most of the fall). Kingston retired as a captain in 2015 after serving 20 years with the town of Fairfield, and after his passing, we learned that he donated $20,000 to the program to ensure its existence long into the future.

Fairfield Police received gifts from many sources including local citizens, the VFW and the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, although the officers are most proud of the fact that they donate the lions share of expenses for the program. Chief Tom Gould said, “It’s hard to put into words the emotions involved in the delivery process because it creates a unique connection between our department and the children who live in town. We’re just as excited to see them as they are to see us.”
Fairfield Police thank Skowhegan Printing for getting their 2016 program cards printed the same day they were needed. Also thank you to the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office for patrolling the town and covering calls while all of their cruisers were busy making deliveries.

Thank you Village Market and the Fairfield Family Dollar Store for their continued support to the program.

Warming Up for Christmas concert benefits ShineOnCass Foundation

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by Mark Huard

The 15th annual Warming Up for Christmas benefit concert with Steve Fotter and Friends was held on Saturday, December 3, at the Williamson Auditorium, at Lawrence High School, in Fairfield, and helped raise $12,000 for the ShineOnCass Foundation.

Brothers Conner and Cameron Mushero perform at the Warming Up For Christmas concert on December 3. Photo by Mark Huard, owner Central Maine Photography

Brothers Conner and Cameron Mushero perform at the Warming Up For Christmas concert on December 3. Photo by Mark Huard, owner Central Maine Photography

The foundation was created to honor the spirit, continue the work, and encourage others to live the legacy of Cassidy Charette, whose kindness and passion for others shines on!

The mission is to educate, inspire and empower youth to make their world a better place through volunteer charitable activities.

The effort envisions stronger communities led by future generations who make community service and kindness part of everyday life.

These are just some of the many ways we support the ShineOnCase:

Steve Fotter

Concert director/producer Steve Fotter. Photo by Mark Huard, owner Central Maine

  • Cassidy’s Kitchen: Hart-Hart Farm and Education Center;
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Maine;
  • Cassisy’s Kids: Mount Merici Academy;
  • Waterville Area Humane Society ShineOnCass Day;
  • Central Aroostook Humane Society ShineOneCass Day;
  • Shine on Saturday, Messalonskee High School girls soccer.

PAL Junior League champions

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PAL Junior League champions

The Fairfield VFW-sponsored team was the 2016 Junior League champions. Front row, left right, Bradyn Arbour, Noah Taylor, Cash Downs, Anthony Almeida, Brady Richards, Stephen Peabody and Brayden Roy. Back, Dawson Clark, Gavin Yeomans, Connor Letourneau, Keenan McLain, Daniel Bickford, Davin Bolduc, Lucas Proctor, Michael Hamlin, Hayden Pierce, Jacob Frazee, Connor Mayo. Not pictured, coaches Joe Higgins Jay Bolduc, Allan Richards, Dan Doray, Zouph Downs and Dylan Bailey.
Photo by Missy Brown, Central Maine Photography staff

Area students on dean’s list at UNH

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The following area students have been named to the dean’s list at the University of New Hampshire, in Durham, New Hampshire.

Kelly McCormac, of South China; Michaela Hinckley-Gordon, of Benton; Kellie Bolduc and Luke Violette, both of Waterville; Sarah Wildes, of Winslow; Myrilla Hartkopf, of Albion; Andrew Marden, of Bingham, Maxwell Kenney and Kyle McLain, both of Fairfield; Adam Bovie and Rebecca Grenier, both of Vassalboro.

 

Local students graduate from Bates College

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The following students graduated from Bates College at the school’s 150th commencement ceremony on May 29.

Shaun Carroll, son of Mr. and Mrs. Shaun N. Carroll, of Clinton, graduated after majoring in history at Bates. He is a 2012 graduate of Lawrence High School, in Fairfield.

Lindsey Prelgovisk, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank G. Prelgovisk, of Oakland, graduated after majoring in art and visual culture at Bates. She is a 2012 graduate of Messalonskee High School, in Oakland.

Nicolas Margitza, son of Joyce A. Galea, of Winslow, graduated after majoring in philosophy at Bates. He is a 2012 graduate of Waterville Senior High School.

Bates College graduated 462 students from 32 states and 43 countries. Cumulatively, the Class of 2016 performed 17,500 hours of community service, exemplifying Bates’ commitment to community learning and civic action.

U.S. Rep. John Lewis, often called “one of the most courageous persons the civil rights movement ever produced,” delivered the address at Bates’ 150th commencement ceremony on May 29. In his speech, recounting his first meeting with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Lewis said that the great civil rights leader “inspired me to stand up, to speak up and speak out.” Lewis told the graduates, “You must find a way to get in the way and get in good trouble, necessary trouble. You have a moral obligation, a mission and a mandate, when you leave here, to go out and seek justice for all.”

Area students earn dean’s list at University of Maine

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The following area students have earned dean’s list ranking for the fall 2015 semester at the University of Maine:

Paige Castonguay and Thad Chamberlain, both of Benton; Jack Brannigan, of Chelsea; Aaron Brown and Tiffany Clifford, both of Clinton; Hannah Grover, East Vassalboro; David Austin, Paige Belanger, Nicole Bowen, Josie Champagne, Hannah Chavis, Meaghan Foster, Zachary Hale, Paige Hanson, Samantha King, Alex Leathers, Joseph Leclair, Lindsay Morris, Anthony Sementelli and Lawryn White, all of Fairfield; Samuel Dubois, Kirsha Finemore, Erik Holmsen, Forest LeBlanc, Samantha Mathieu, Emily Pellerin, Benjamin Schaff, Cody Stevens and Allan Walsh, all of Oakland; Emily Deering, Eleanora French, Alyssa Gartley, Alton Hawk, Kaitlyn Hayward, Jade McGuire, Gregory O’Connor, James Poulin, Sarah Poulin, Elena Smith, Brittany White and Katherine Wight, all of South China: Taylor Bailey, Marissa Bovie, Moriah Cloutier, Patrick Meunier, Jeffrey Pulver and Nathaniel Trask, all of Vassalboro; Alexander Danner, Cassandra Dechaine, Grace Gould, Lucas Higgins, William Hoffman, James Lavin, Ryan Lopes, Morgan Pellerin, Nicole Pinnette, Waleed Rahmatullah, James Robe, Mathew Rumsey, Amy Samson, Allison Scully and Todd Serbent, all of Waterville; Chase Drummond, of Weeks Mills; Sarah Allisot, Cady Hockridge and Emma Wilkinson, all of Windsor; Sean Ducker, Ryan Dutil, Brian Ouellette, Karlee Price, Sierra Savage, Rachel Sirois, Gabriel Smith, Aysha Vear and Elizabeth Weiss, all of Winslow; Trevor Diemer, Zoli Kertesz and Briana Littlefield, all of Freedom; Adriana martineau and Ethan Poisonnier, both of Norridgewock; Corrine Anderson, Kirstie Belanger, Ryley Burkhart, Nicoltee Curran, Jaden Dickinson, Cody Dillingham, Elijah Holland, Kaylin Knott, Rhiannon LaPlante, Briann Prentiss, Jillian Redmond and Nicole Sevey, all of Skowhegan; Tamika LaCroix, of Solon; and Joshua Savoy and Bronwyn West, both of Liberty.

They call it Super Sunday

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Fairfield PAL football team

Fairfield PAL football teams sponsored by Clinton Variety and Kennebec Timber Framing took to the field to kickoff the season during Super Sunday.
Photo by Mark Huard, owner Central Maine Photography

KISS concert

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Nicolas Zimba and Gunnar Hendsbee

There were good times for Nicolas Zimba, left, and Gunnar Hendsbee, both of Fairfield, while attending the KISS concert on September 4, at the Cross Insurance Arena, in Portland. Below is KISS’ longtime iconic superstar Gene Simmons.

KISS

Photos by Mark Huard, Central Maine Photography

Fairfield takes ownership of new truck

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by Mark Huard

In August 25, 2015, the Fairfield/Benton Emergency Services Department was awarded a federal grant from the Assistance to Firefighters Program through FEMA. The award amount for the department was a total of $725,000. The federal government portion of the grant would total $694,477. The town of Fairfield is required to match 5 percent of the grant and that came to a total of $34,523. The grant was written for the purchase of a Quint Style Ladder Truck.

Fairfield Fire

Fairfield Fire Chief Duane Bickford, left, and Firefighter Travis Leary.
Photo by Mark Huard/ Owner of Central Maine Photography

What is a Quint, you might ask? This is a multi-purpose apparatus that includes a pump, water tank, and also an aerial device. The truck was purchased from and built by Ferrara Fire Apparatus, of Hammond, Louisiana. The truck is a custom six man cab, on a Ferrara built chassis. It is equipped with a 2,000gpm pump, 400 gallon water tank, 77-foot steel ladder, an assortment of ground ladders, saws, and other hand tools.

This ladder truck will provide a great service to the towns of Fairfield and Benton that they have not had before. Also this makes the difficult task of firefighting a little safer and efficient for the department. This will allow the department faster and safer access to upper floors and roofs of buildings. The department responds to a vast area that includes several different occupancy types and sizes of buildings. The department covers around 84 square miles of territory, and responds to around 1,400 emergency calls for service a year. As chimney fire season is slowly creeping upon us this truck will be worth its weight in gold. As we all know trying to climb an aluminum ladder on a roof with two feet of ice and snow is not only difficult but extremely dangerous. This truck will allow the firefighters better access to the roof and possibly to stay off the roof all together. The department will be receiving three solid days of training from Ferrara in early September and also the members will be getting their time driving and pumping. Department policy requires all drivers to have 100 miles of driving on the apparatus, so don’t be surprised to see it driving on the roads.

As always, the department thanks the citizens of Fairfield and Benton in their continued support of the department and approving funding for advancing the department and service we provide.