SOLON & BEYOND, Week of January 4, 2018

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

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

It has been awhile since I sat down at this computer to write a column, perhaps you noticed that The Town Line wasn’t published last week. Hadn’t had a chance to wish all of you a very Happy New Year!

As I look up, I see a very funny calendar that Lief received for Christmas, it gave me a good laugh!

Was pleased to receive an Embden Historical Society, Inc., program the other day. Officers for 2017-2018 are president, Carol Dolan; vice president, Larry Witham; secretary, Nancy McLean; and treasurer, Bob Donovan.

Executive Committee: one-year term, Norma Campbell; two-year term, Jim Lightbody, Sr.; three-year term, Lois Erickson.

There won’t be any meetings during January and February. On March 12, the program will be DVD Blizzard to Blossoms (Winter 1948-49, Skowhegan), sounds interesting. (The meetings are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. with the program at 7 p.m.).

Received a phone call about a Soup and Sandwich lunch on Saturday, January 20, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the East Madison Fire Station. This lunch, raffle and silent auction is sponsored by the East Madison Grange and donations for the Home of Little Wanderers would be appreciated.

Now for more news from Solon Elementary School. In November RSU #74 recognized the winners of the Principal’s Awards in math, reading, and science for their performance on the state test, the Maine Educational Assessment (MEA), in 2016-17. Each year they choose the top scorer in the district on the MEA in reading and math in grades 3, 4, and 5 and in science in grade 5. Each winner receives a certificate and a check for $50 (donated by community members Chet & Sara Hickox and the three PTOs), and their names are displayed on plaques in the hallway at CCS.

Four Solon students were recipients of these district awards this year. Our 2016-17 winners were Gavyn Easler, (third grade math), William Rogers (third grade reading), and Desmond Robinson (fourth grade math and reading). Former Solon student Jayden Cates won the fifth grade math award, and former Garret Schenck students Devyn Deleonardis and Asa Flanagin won the reading and science awards.

Received an e-mail from Tim Hunt, pastor of New Hope Church in Solon: “I would like to share with you something I am really excited about. I have been invited to go on a mission trip to Uganda with a few other pastors. Pastor Bob Emrich who is the Director of Hope and Mercy Mission in Uganda is leading the trip. We will be going to teach and preach the Word of God to these Ugandans to help equip them to reach Uganda with the Gospel of Christ.

“We will be leaving Boston on February 5 and arriving back on February 16.”

The trip will be quite costly, so if you would like to help, you can call 207-643-5601 or write to PO Box 208, 111 So. Main St., Solon, Maine for more information.

And now for Percy’s memoir: It is from a scrap of paper I had saved, and it says I used it in the New Year of 1990. “Prayer For A New Year.”

Instead of anger
Let me feel Compassion.
Instead of rage
Let me show Concern.
Instead of hate
Let me seek Change.
For, if
To a warring, wondering world
Each of us will bring
Compassion, Concern, Change,
Then perhaps there will be Love.