SOLON & BEYOND: Solon celebrates class reunions; thrift shop to close

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

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

Reunion Day for Solon graduates is Saturday, July 21, at the Solon Elementary School. 9:30 a.m., starts the registration and coffee hour with the business hour starting at 10:30 a.m. The auction will follow the business hour. Please remember your auction item. Last year the amount raised from the auction was $750. Diane Oliver Poulin was the auctioneer.

Fifty-eight alumni and guests attended last year. The class of 1968 will celebrate their 50th reunion. Members are Kathy Adams Swett, James Bubar, Dianne Hall Lamb, Betty Heald Price, Laurel Perry Duggan, David Rogers, Brenda Whitney Padham, Brian Whitney and Diane Oliver Poulin.

Lunch will begin at 1 p.m., and will be catered by the Solon Pine Tree 4 – H Club.

Last year, the class of 1967 celebrated their 50th with seven members, Cheryl Hanson Edgecome, Eunice Waugh Kenn, Dottie Padham Dunphy, Brent Brown, Michael Bishop, Maurice Robbins and Bill McDonough. Others celebrating were Alice Davis Heald, 77th, Arlene Davis Meader and Albert Starbird 76th, Mary Heald Bishop, 74th, Theona Brann Lagasse, 70th and Marie Boynton Poulin, 68th. Kim Willette received a check from the scholarship fund for $1,100.

Deaths reported were Alma Kelly Withers French class of 1937, Arlene Davis Meader, 1941, Phyllis Hilton Whitney 1953, James L. Mayhew, Jr.,1957, Earlene Waugh Peters, 1967, Vernal Hight Jr., 1963, Dana Hall, 1967, Lynda Russell Staples, 1969 and Zachary Corson 2000 from Carrabec.

Now for some sad and shocking news about the Solon Thrift Shop and Food Cupboard on Pleasant Street in Solon.

Could not believe it when I first heard about it, but it is true! The workers there received a notification from their home office there are plans in the works to close the Solon Thrift Shop and Food Cupboard at the end of October. The workers there do not want to see this place close. They are asking for help from anyone that wants to see the thrift shop and food cupboard stay open.

I talked with Linda French who manages the above, and she said the building needs to be weatherized so it will be easier to heat. Someone has been stealing fuel, so the fuel needs to be secure. Someone has donated lumber to enclose the fuel tank and that will be a big help.

They are looking for any help that people can give to keep this very important thrift shop and food cupboard open. Linda said that to close it as fall and winter approaches is the worst possible time to be without it. Linda said, “Closing the thrift shop and food cupboard at this time of year would create a hardship for families that rely on the shop and cupboard for holiday meals and Christmas. Many families would not have a very good Christmas without them.”

And so I hope all those of you reading the above will stop in and tell them of your support and appreciation for this wonderful thrift shop. Many of my clothes have been purchased there and I would surely miss it very much. It is open Tuesday – Saturday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. The Food Cupboard hours are second and fourth Thursdays and Fridays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Emergency and by appointment call 643-2855.

The building is owned by United Methodist Ministry.

The town of Solon had two churches when we moved there in 1950, the Congregational Church on North Main Street and the Methodist Church (where the Thrift Shop is located. on Pleasant Street.) It was Federated Congregational and Methodist, we had Sunday services in the winter at the Methodist Church and summer services at the Congregational Church. There wasn’t any kitchen at the Congregational Church, but there was one at the Methodist Church so all public suppers etc were held there. Ministry was divided up evenly, a Methodist minister for awhile and then a Congregational minister. After awhile we lost the Methodist Church to the United Methodist Ministry and they started the United Methodist Ministry Thrift Shop in Solon around 1990.

And now for Percy’s memoir entitled God’s Design: Philosophers may reason why But I won’t take the time, I only know I’m here on earth Because of God’s design. So I will just continue on And do the best I can, And know that God will do the rest Because He made the Plan. (words by Ed Kane.)