SOLON & BEYOND, Week of March 16, 2017

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

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

The Solon Pine Tree 4-H Club met on March 11, for their sixth meeting with Hunter Soucer as president. The club raised $170 on the bake sale on town meeting day to benefit the Solon Food Cupboard.

The members voted to donate $50 to the benefit for Zack Corson. Zack was a past member of the club. Linda French invited the 4-H club to visit the Solon Food Cupboard. The members voted to do this after the April meeting.

The Evergreen Campground will host the 4-H club and leaders to a camping weekend this summer. The members voted to do this, and Cliff Stevens, of Moxie Outdoors, has offered to take the members on a rafting trip on the Kennebec River and to do a water safety meeting.

Desmond Robinson, Tehya Caplin, Laci Dickey, Sarah Craig and Dystony Young did demonstrations. Laci Dickey is planning to do hers on March 25 at the County Demonstration tournament. The next meeting will be on Saturday, April 8, at 9:30 a.m., at the Solon Fire Station. Members not giving their demonstrations at the March meeting will do theirs in April.

The Solon Congregational Church will be hosting a solo piano concert on Saturday, March 25, at 6 p.m. This will be featuring Alexander Walz, of North Anson. Refreshments will be served. Donations will be accepted.

I know bragging is not nice, but I’m going to do it anyway! Alex, or most people call him Zander, is my grandson and he is a very special guy,. When he plays the piano you can feel how much he loves music. I highly recommend this event and it will benefit the church as well.

The grades 3-5 students at Solon Elementary School are getting ready to take the Maine Educational Assessment (MEA), which will start the week of March 20. Students in all three grades will take tests in reading, writing/language, and math. Later the fifth graders will take a test in science. Then all three grades will do a writing assessment in May.

This year’s test will be taken on thye computer. The test will be administered over multiple days so that students do not get too tired. Teachers are using practice items and teaching test-taking strategies with students to help prepare them.

The spring exhibit at the Margaret Chase Smith Library, in Skowhegan, is open for viewing. “Encore! Walking the Red Carpet with Margaret,” focuses on Senator Smith’s many connections to Tinseltown. Come see Margaret hobnob with Hollywood royalty like Jimmy Stewart, Esther Williams, Bob Hope, Marlene Dietrich, and Ronald Reagan.

This also introduces the first Margaret Chase Smith Research Scholarship recipient; highlights other researchers; and indicates the enormity of snowfall in Maine .

But spring is just around the corner and they welcome visitors, school groups, and friends to this remarkable tribute to one of Maine’s most beloved political figures.

I’m always glad when I have space to print such goings on in this area. I would still welcome any news I might receive from the Solon Coolidge Library, but I hate to keep bugging people.

And now for Percy’s memoir: I may not pass this way again, Lord let me stop awhile; To help some stranger on the way; And make somebody smile! I may not pass this way again. Lord, let me find the poor, And give them food and show them love; And lead them to Thy door! I may not pass this way again, Lord, let me love and give; And do according to Thy will While on this earth I live! (words by Marion Schoeberlein.)

I’m going to put in two of his memoirs this week, hope you like his choices: “We shall steer safely through every storm, so long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our courage steadfast, and our trust fixed on God.” (words by St. Francis de Sales.)