SOLON & BEYOND: Margaret Chase Smith Library is an archive, museum, education center

by Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, my friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

Received this e-mail from Susan Lahti: Good Morning all,

Please help us publicize the annual East Madison Historical Association’s Yard and Bake Sale on June 1 – 2 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

This year we will also have our newly published EMHA cookbook with 200 recipes from members and friends of the EMHA.

Items included in the yard sale include tools, furniture, glassware, small appliances games and puzzles, books and more.

Baked items available are: Yeast and quick breads, cookies, pies candies scones and more.

Thank you for your help in spreading the word!

It certainly seems like winter refuses to step aside for spring but we are hopeful! Stephany Perkins’ talk on her efforts on behalf of JMG in Tanzania was enthusiastically received at the Leeke Lecture. DC political pundit, Sophia Nelson, spoke at Bowdoin and made a point of trekking to Skowhegan to see the library named after her idol. Lions Club Speak-Out Contest selected its regional winner. National History Day in Maine winners were selected at the UMaine contest; now on to nationals. Essay contest winners were announced as well. Community-minded kids from area schools continue to do kind deeds. Maine author, Paul Doiron, will be here on June 11 to talk about his upcoming book. Won’t you join us! This e-mail was from Angela Stockwell.

Author Paul Doiron will visit the Margaret Chase Smith Library on Tuesday, June 11, at 6 p.m., to talk about his popular Mike Bowditch mysteries. Doiron is on the tenth installment of his highly successful series about a crime-fighting Maine Game Warden. He will preview his forthcoming book, Almost Midnight which is due for release in early July. Doiron will also have available for purchase a limited number of earlier titles from the series, which he will be willing to autograph.

The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. The Library is located at 56 Norridgewock Avenue in Skowhegan. For more details, phone 474-7133.

The Margaret Chase Smith Library is an archive, museum, educational center, and public forum dedicated to promoting the values of aspirations, service, civics, and civility modeled by Senator Smith during her long, distinguished career in national politics. The above e-mail was sent to me by David Richards.

I greatly appreciate any news shared in this column, either from Solon or Beyond.

Since the above is all the recent news I have received for this week, I am going to print some of an old column when I was writing for the Skowhegan Reporter on November, 3, 1988. That was when my column was called, “SOLON, The friendliest town in the state.” Had told a couple of people that I’d probably have to leave town after last last week’s Reporter came out and one of them commented on Friday that it was well written but he said, “You know most people probably read it and just laughed.” Oh yes, I’m sure of that (that’s what I’m here for is to give every one a good laugh) but this dreamer’s heart can’t help dreaming that maybe a seed of thought was planted in a few minds.” Wonder how many of you noticed it was the full of the moon last week? That will do it every time!

And now for Percy’s memoir, this week it is from an old yellowed page of Actual Announcements from Church Bulletins. And he means no harm, he just wants to give you something to laugh about: “This afternoon there will be a meeting in the south and north ends of the church. Children will be baptized at both ends.” Another one states: “A bean supper will be held Saturday evening in the church basement. Music will follow.”

Hope you all have a wonderful week!