Emma Parrish, of Sidney, has been named to the MassBay Community College dean’s list, in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts. Emma Parrish, who studies liberal arts, achieved this outstanding academic honor for the fall 2022.
Saint Anselm College, in Manchester, New Hampshire, has released the dean’s list of high academic achievers for the first semester of the 2022-2023 school year.
Christopher King, a natural sciences major in the class of 2024, from Sidney, was named to the dean’s list for the fall 2022 semester.
Photo credit: University of New England Facebook page
The following students have been named to the dean’s list for the 2022 fall semester at the University of New England, in Biddeford.
Albion: Emma McPherson and Olivia McPherson.
Augusta: Valerie Capeless, Zinaida Gregor, Jessica Guerrette, Brooklynn Merrill, Daraun White and Julia White.
Benton: Jessica Andrews.
Fairfield: Caitlyn Mayo.
Jefferson: Mallory Audette.
Oakland: Kierra Bumford and Francesca Caccamo.
Palermo: Peyton Sammons.
Sidney: Sarah Kohl.
Skowhegan: Wylie Bedard, Elizabeth Connelly, Ashley Mason and Dawson Turcotte.
South China: Richard Winn.
Vassalboro: Adam Ochs.
Waterville: Mohammad Atif-Sheikh, Elias Nawfel, Grace Petley and Evan Watts.
Winslow: Juliann Lapierre, Kristopher Loubier and Justice Picard.
The following students were named to the fall 2022 Dean’s Honor List at Cedarville University, in Cedarville, Ohio. Students receive this achievement for obtaining a 3.75 GPA or higher for the semester and carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours.
Earning honors were Catherine Estes, of Sidney, and Rebecca Riley, of Chelsea.
York County Community College
York County Community College, in Wells, recognizes students each semester for their outstanding academic achievements. They include: Lorenna Ambrose, of Chelsea, part-time dean’s list; Michaela Bisson, of Winslow, dean’s list; and Ella Buck, of Sidney, part-time dean’s list.
Linnea Estes, of Sidney, has been named to the fall 2022 dean’s list at Cedarville University, in Cedarville, Ohio. Students receive this recognition for obtaining a 3.5 GPA or higher for the semester and carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours.
Croft Eagle Scout Project. All Eagles are required to complete a significant project to improve their community. Last April, Jeremy led other Scouts and friends in building five large wooden planters for the town of Oakland replacing the old rusted tricycle planters. In the spring they are placed on traffic islands and other locations around town. (photo by Jennifer Croft)
Jeremy Tilson Croft, of Sidney, received Scouting’s Eagle Scout rank during a ceremony on Wednesday, January 4, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on Washington Street, in Waterville. Family, friends, and Scouts from Troop #417 and Troop #401 were on hand to watch the culmination of years of work.
Troop #401 Scoutmaster Eric Handley served as Master of Ceremonies and praised Jeremy. “Jeremy is the guy that wants to be out doing! Jeremy is in his element outside, camping, playing soccer, hiking and just doing.”One milestone in his Scouting career came last year when Jeremy joined other Scouts from the troop on a trip to Gettysburg and visited other historic sites.
Jeremy’s mother placed the Eagle pin on her son. He is the fourth Croft son to earn Scouting’s highest rank. Tayler received his Eagle Scout rank in 2016, Cameron in 2017 and Tieran in 2018. She explained what scouting means to their entire family. “Scouting has been a wonderful addition to our family,” Jennifer said. “It has taught our boys skills and principles that have already benefited them in their life. They all have learned to love camping and the outdoors, they have learned new things through their merit badges, and have learned how to be better citizens through serving in our community. Devin and I have been adult leaders and Devin was a merit badge counselor throughout the years. We have been able to help other scouts learn these principles as well. Our family has been grateful for the opportunity scouting has given us to be a part of our community.”
Jeremy Croft lives in Sidney and attends Messalonskee High School, in Oakland, as a sophomore. He served as Assistant Senior Patrol Leader for Troop #401.
Croft Family Photo from 2018. Front, Jeremy Croft wearing the blue Cub Scout shirt. Back, from left to right, Cameron Croft, Jennifer Croft, Devin Croft, Tayler Croft, and Tieran Croft. Jeremy is the fourth Croft to earn Eagle Scout. Tayler received his Eagle Scout rank in 2016, Cameron in 2017 and Tieran in 2018.
Troop #213 Scouts Eddie Seiders, of South Bristol, Finley Greenleaf and Peter Delonzo, both of Jefferson, Elijah Smith, of Boothbay, and Malachi Donaldson, of Boothbay Harbor, camped overnight in the rain and wind but had a great time. (contributed photo)
More than one hundred Scouts and leaders from Somerset, Kennebec and Lincoln Counties descended on Camp Bomazeen in Belgrade for the annual Fall Camp-O-Ree held on the weekend of October 14 through 16. The theme was “Anything Goes with a Touch of Halloween.”
Each Scout troop that attended not only camped out but ran one of the stations. These ranged from such traditional Scouting activities such as Orienteering, Pioneering, Primitive Fire Building and Shooting Sports to more Spooky-themed events such as Witches Brew Stew Competition, creepy obstacle course, and best Halloween Costumes. Scouts also went trick or treating from station to station collecting candy as they went.
Troop #433, of Winslow, won the gateway competition. (contributed photo)
“Our little spook-o-ree drew in a whole bunch of Scouts who got to go from station to station performing their scout skills for points,” said Chris Bernier, of Winslow, who ran the event. “Huge thank you to all of the staff who came out to lend a hand running events and thank you to the leaders of all the units who came for also running a station. I already miss sharing a campfire with all of you and I can not wait for the Klondike Derby and Spring Camporee.”
Troop #213,, of Damariscotta, opted to set up their campsite on Friday night in the rain and wind. The troop set up a large boat tarp and then set up the individual Scout tents underneath. The Augusta area saw nearly three and half inches of rain that night but no amount of rain could dampen the enthusiasm.
Sunday morning everyone met for the closing ceremony and some great prizes were handed out. There was a new camp stove, a 12-inch Dutch oven, a tripod cooking grill, a water bladder, a fire grill, a portable sink and a plastic bucket as the blanket prizes. The prizes were chosen by the winners based on ranking.
For overall points, Troop #401, Sidney took first place. Troop #485, of Skowhegan, was second place overall.
For Troop Gateway competition, Troop #433, of Winslow, came in first place. Troop #485, of Skowhegan, came in second place, and Troop #401, of Sidney, came in third place.
For the Witches Brew Stew competition, Troop #485, of Skowhegan, took first place.
Eagle Scout Owen Riddle, 14, of Sidney shows off the more than 70 merit badges he has earned in Scouting since joining in 2019. During Covid-19, many Scouting programs stopped meeting but many met virtually and Owen was able to meet with Merit Badge Counselors not only from around the country but as far away as Germany to complete some of the badges. To earn Eagle, a Scout must have earned 22 Merit Badges including 13 required for Eagle.
Owen Riddle, 14, of Sidney, received Scouting’s highest honor, the Eagle Scout rank, after earning more than 70 merit badges and completing a project for the Messalonskee Middle School where he attends school.
Family and friends from as far away as Pennsylvania gathered at the Augusta Elks Lodge on Saturday, November 12, to witness the ceremony. “I like challenges,” Owen said before receiving the Eagle rank. “Scouting is a lot of fun and I enjoy the program a lot.”
“By the authority vested in me by the National Court of Honor of the Boy Scouts of America, it is my privilege and pleasure to pronounce you an Eagle Scout,” announced Pittsfield Troop #428 Scoutmaster Shelley Connolly. Owen’s mother, Sarah Riddle, then pinned the Eagle Scout medal on his uniform shirt pocket flap. His father, David Riddle, swapped off Owen’s old neckerchief for the new Eagle Scout neckerchief.
Owen received his first rank in his Scout Troop, the Scout Rank, on May 17, 2019. During his Eagle ceremony, he was presented 10 Eagle Scout Palms – one for every five merit badges he has earned above the 22 necessary to attain the rank of Eagle. Other awards he has received in Scouting include the Messenger of Peace Award, the National Outdoor Achievement Award for Camping, the Thomas Edison Super Nova recognition, the National Outdoor Achievement Award for Conservation, the World Conservation Award, and the 50th Anniversary Environmental Protection Award.
Eagle Scout Dr. Paul Buckthal, Owen’s grandfather, led his grandson and the other Eagle Scouts in the room in the Eagle Scout Charge. “When you pledge yourself on your sacred honor, using the same words which are found at the end of the Declaration of Independence, you seal your eternal loyalty to the code of the Eagle Scout.” Paul earned his Eagle in 1962 but said that the skills he learned in Scouting and the life lessons of the Eagle Scout rank have been prominent in his life ever since.
“The Eagle soars high and seeks to rest only upon the lofty peaks,” Scoutmaster Connelly said. “As an Eagle Scout, you too must soar high. You must not swerve from the path of duty. You must strive to obtain that which is highest and noblest in life.” His Eagle Scout project saw the construction of eight handicap accessible picnic tables at Messalonskee MIddle School.
After high school, Owen plans to attend medical school and become a doctor. “My life vision is to become an individual that can help others,” he said. “I always feel great about myself when I am helping others in need.”
Volunteers prepare window inserts at a previous WindowDressers workshop, in Vassalboro. (photo courtesy of Vassalboro Historical Society)
CHINA, ME — Planned for the second week in November starting just after Election Day, the China Window Dressers workshop is moving full steam ahead. The intent of the workshop is to build low-cost window inserts to reduce heating expenses for homeowners in central Maine. The organizers have spent the past year taking orders and visiting local homeowners to measure the windows requiring inserts, and now they are looking for volunteers to help at the upcoming workshop.
Sponsored by the China for a Lifetime Committee, a local group dedicated to philanthropic activities meant to improve the quality of life for China residents, and assisted by other local organizations, the initiative is modeled after the classic “barn-raising” community efforts of the past, with residents working together for the benefit of everyone.
Committee chairman Christopher Hahn describes it this way: “The workshop is a great chance for the community to come together and help one another during these tough financial times. Such events don’t happen as often as they should anymore in this age of Facebook and online Zoom meetings, so we jumped at the opportunity to organize this workshop. It fits right in with our mission of ‘neighbors helping neighbors.’ I hope to see many familiar faces and hopefully some new ones.”
The committee has received more than 130 orders for window inserts from over two dozen local clients across central Maine. Although the workshop will take place at the China Conference Center, orders have been open from any of the area towns and volunteers for the upcoming build workshop do not need to have ordered inserts or live in China. The workshop will run from Wednesday, November 9, through Sunday, November 13. Work shifts are divided into a morning shift from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., and an afternoon shift from 1 – 5 p.m. Food will be provided by community volunteers between shifts. The first two days are devoted to putting together the wooden frames for the window inserts, while the next two days will be for wrapping those frames in plastic and foam. Sunday will serve as an overflow day if everything cannot be completed by Saturday evening.
No experience is necessary to help out, and there are still plenty of spots that need to be filled. Hahn says they are aiming for eight people per shift. The work is not complicated, and designed to flow through an assembly line process, making it easy for anyone to participate. Participants from earlier workshops will be on hand to answer any questions and provide guidance for volunteers.
For those interested in signing up to participate in the workshop, there are several ways to get involved. The easiest way is to visit the Window Dressers website at windowdressers.org. Click on “Community Builds” link on the menu at the top-right of the page, then scroll down to the China build and click where it says “Sign up to volunteer”. (Click here to go there directly.) That will take you to a page where you can choose which time-slot best fits into your schedule.
If you’re not tech-savvy, or don’t have internet access, you can also send an email to ChinaforaLifetime@gmail.com or call the China town office at 445-2014 and let them know what days you are available to help.
More information about the China for a Lifetime committee can be found on their website at chinaforalifetime.com.