SOLON & BEYOND: News about the Solon Community Garden

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

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

And now for more Solon town news: I was never contacted by anyone at the town office about the new Solon Community Garden but it was started a year ago. My sincere apology for not reporting about it before. I went to the Solon Town Office the other day to ask about the new building near the town office. It seems that I am way behind in reporting events going on there, but had never received anything about it to share with those who live in Solon.

The Solon Community Garden was started last year in 2019 by a group of dedicated gardeners. Deb Gerry came to the selectmen with the idea and a proposal. The selectmen and fire chief agreed to allowing the town land along Rogers Lane to be used for the garden.

They applied for and received a New Balance Move More Kids Foundation grant of $1,371.55 in 2019.

This year they applied for and received a $2,000 grant from the New Balance Move More Kids Foundation to build a 12-foot x 16-foot greenhouse on the site. The construction labor is being donated by two local builders. Other donations include a new storm door and an auto vent system. The greenhouse will have a cold frame inside to extend the growing season and other grow beds.

Volunteers are always needed and appreciated. There are also outside beds available to anyone needing a space to grow some plants. Contact Deb Geary at 643-2203 to volunteer or to ask for a space.

The above news was given to me at the Solon Town Office, and I was informed that there is an article in the 2019 Town Report on page 105.

Again, I would like to stress that I deeply appreciate and look forward to local news to share with you! ….And my apologies that I am just getting this in about the Solon Community Garden, it sounds like a wonderful project. (I must confess that I didn’t read the Solon Town Report much this year and it was the first time I have not gone to a meeting, but I had eye surgery at the time and everything was a big blur….) For others of you who didn’t see the Solon Town Report this year, there is more that I will be writing about the Solon Community Garden.

More Solon news: The Library is open to the public starting June 9 with some restrictions on the number of people allowed inside at one time.

The Solon road crew is out working on the roads and brush cutting and clipping. Please respect their safety and slow down as you drive through their work areas.

Regarding our cemeteries: There is an issue with people taking memorial objects off grave sites. Please do not take items placed at a grave site of a loved one that do not belong to you.

There will be no 4th of July parade this year. We are still undecided on the July 4th fireworks. We will decide later this month about doing them on the fourth or sometime in September.

Solon Fundraiser For Scholarship: This year Mr. Corson organized a fundraiser for a scholarship in memory of Solon custodian Jeanie Wooster, who passed away last June following a battle with cancer. Jeanie had worked as a custodian at our school for over 30 years and was very special to all of us. Mr. Corson proposed that we offer a scholarship to a graduating senior at Carrabec High School who had attended Solon Elementary School.

Mr. Corson got a big piggy bank that he displayed at every family event such as our Open House and our Christmas Program. People were invited to donate to the Jeanie Wooster Scholarship Fund by depositing money in the piggy bank.

In late May, Mr. Corson opened the bank to count the money and found that we had raised $200. The staff chose a senior to win the award, and that winner will be announced at the Awards Night at CHS this week. We will also announce the winner on our Facebook page. Thank you to all of the students and families who contributed to this scholarship fund.

And now for Percy’s memoir: My face in the mirror Isn’t wrinkled or drawn. My house isn’t dirty, The cobwebs are gone. My garden looks lovely, And so does my lawn. I think I might never PUT MY GLASSES BACK ON!