IF WALLS COULD TALK, Week of December 22, 2016

by Katie Ouilette

Christmas Trees were decorated in each room! Well, unless the people who frequented Redington Home, in Skowhegan, were ‘The Elves of Christmas,’ there were some busy members of various organizations at work! Yes, the beautiful Redington Home was decorated for Christmas and the Christmas Carols that rang out, thanks to Barbie Demo’s magnificent singing and playing her guitar, were from enthusiastic people who reside there. Wow, those men and women sure knew the words and lifted everyone’s spirits.

Yes, Redington Home and its director and staff have rolled out the Christmas Carpet for Ch.11’s Keeping Pace for many years. It is a tradition for those of Keeping Pace, though we missed Darla Pickett, who didn’t feel up to the task, and Alan Foxwell, who was very busy at Alan’s Cut Above Barber Shop. Chris Perkins and Donna Finley kept the pace for all of us. Katie encouraged everyone to sing the carols that they knew and, for sure, those Redington Home residents didn’t disappoint, as they sure did know every word of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Barbie’s renditions all the way to We Wish You a Merry Christmas, at the end! Yes, John Harlow was our videographer. John is the manager of CATV-11 and you faithful readers and residents of Redington will be treated throughout the holiday season to the wonderful evening of Christmas Carols and music by Barbie Demo that Keeping Pace did for you all on December 15.

Now, for you faithful readers who prefer a bit of talk to go with the singing, Chris Perkins and Donna Finley did give tribute to Keeping Pace’s early days and Katie reminded everyone that Keeping Pace is now 18 years old.

Yes, these folks have kept the pace for Herb Paradis, Keeping Pace founder, with Katie… and Alan Foxwell was one of those early panelists. Donna mentioned missing Herb, Betty Withee, Alice Corson and Maitland Richardson, and many who have shared so much with us. As a matter of fact,

Residents shared the Christmases that gave them special memories. Actually, most everyone there lived through the Great Depression, when no one had any money. and wonderful memories of ‘making do’ was an education for the younger folks.

So, until the next issue, may you enjoy our Christmas Season in Maine.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and for those of you who remember Melissa Gaspar, who used to be librarian in Skowhegan, Katie read a piece entitled Happiness, sent to her by Melissa. “Happiness lives inside our hearts and shines like a shimmering star. It lights our way on a dreary day and finds us wherever we are.”