SOLON & BEYOND: Solon Elementary School news; upcoming budget meeting

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

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

It is with great pleasure that I send you Solon School News this morning and I thank them very much! Will start off with the First Quarter Honor Roll: All A’s, Lane Frost, Charlotte Hamilton, and Jillian Robinson. All A’s & B’s, Isabella Atwood, Izaiah Busler, Maxx Caplin, Kaylynn Clark, Amelia Cooper, Katelyn DeLeonardis, Kaitlin Dellarma, David Dixon, Lydia Dixon, Allyssa Hutchins, Alex Jerkins, Jayden McKenny, Joseph McLaughlin, Nevaeh Palmer, Riley Pelkey, Hunter Pouliot, Benjamin Powell and Spencer Rogers.

The Solon PTO sponsored a special Children’s Shopping Day on December 17. Students were able to shop for gifts for their families at a “store” set up by the PTO. Thanks to the parents and family members who donated items for this activity and those who helped students who wrapped presents on that day.

The Solon Christmas Program took place on December 12. Students from preschool through fifth grade performed songs and skits for their families and friends, The Solon PTO also held a book fair on this night. They had a large crowd for this annual festive event. They were also pleased that residents from Tissues Country Estates in Athens and Somerset Residential Center in Bingham attended the dress rehearsal.

On December 19, they recognized the top sellers in the Nature’s Vision fundraiser. Each one received a Walmart gift card. Top sellers Taylor Dube (kindergarten), Mason Boothby (first grade), Eva Mullinax (second grade), Charlotte Hamilton (third grade), Nevaeh Palmer (fourth grade), David Dixon (fifth grade), and Mrs. Pat Hines (staff).

They thank all the parents and family members who bought from students during this fundraiser. The profits will be used for special activities for our students.

Solon Fire Department holds Christmas parties for students: On December 13, the Solon Fire Department came to the school to hold Christmas parties for the grades K-2 students and the grades 3-5 students in the gym. There were games and food, and Santa Claus made an appearance. They thank the Fire Department for supporting the students in so many ways all year long.

Congratulations to a girl from the Carrabec girls basketball varsity basketball team, Courtney Rollins, for winning the Central Maine Central Region State foul shooting contest. She made 45 out of 50 baskets. Way to go, Courtney!

Don’t forget the Solon budget meeting will be held on Saturday, January 18, at 8 a.m., at the Community Building .

Those who will be running for the following offices are Sarah Davis for a three- year term as a selectman; Wayne Johnson is running for a one-year term as a selectman, Gary Bishop is running unopposed for road commissioner and Laura Layman for school board.

A 2020 preliminary budget meeting was held in Solon on December 11, 2019. The agenda was call to order: election of moderator, financial state of town and staff changes at town office and budget ramifications. Road budget issues and gravel road maintenance. Marijuana opt-in or out. The regular Solon budget meeting will be held on Saturday, January 18, at 8 a.m.

When I went to the town office to get information to share with you, Elaine was the only selectman present and she gave me some papers. On one that said, Proposed 2019 State valuation for Somerset County, it lists Solon’s as 96,500,000. Elaine said that the town will be doing a revaluation this year.

The annual Solon town meeting will be coming up in March.

And now for Percy’s memoir: This comes from a small book by Susan Polis Schutz: entitled, One World, One Heart. We all hear the same sounds. We look up and see the same sky. We cry the same tears. Our feelings and emotions are the same. All mothers are sisters. All fathers are brothers. All children are one. Yet there is hate. There is violence. There is intolerance. There is confusion among people. We don’t try hard enough to understand each other. We don’t seem to realize that we all have the same basic needs, no matter who we are or what part of the world we come from.

We must understand the differences among us and celebrate the sameness. We must make the world a place where love and friendship dominate our hearts. Equality, respect, compassion and kindness must guide our actions. Only then will we all be able to peacefully and lovingly live the life we each choose.