Community Cupboard
The Mars Hill Community Cupboard is in need of volunteers. They are looking for people interested in serving their community and those in need by volunteering in the monthly food distributions. Volunteers are needed to bag groceries or fill out paperwork at the monthly two-hour distributions a few times each year.
Anyone interested must be a responsible individual who respects clients’ confidentiality. If you are interested, please contact Cathy Cropley, chairman of the Mars Hill Community Cupboard, at 429-8043.
Rotary Club
The Mars Hill Rotary Club met at the Aroostook Health Center on Tuesday at 6:30 a.m. There were several guest speakers who spoke to the group about their local businesses.
Dick Wood of Basic American Foods spoke of the new addition, which houses a clean entry point and a laboratory for testing and development. There is also a micro-lab planned. Basic American Foods bought Naturally Potatoes in 2005 and has increased the workforce from 65 employees to 105. They are currently sending products to 12-14 states but will soon be going nationwide.
Chris Drew of the Mars Hill House of Pizza spoke to the group about the decision to open the restaurant. He owns the building with a partner, and they decided to use the building themselves. The restaurant is opened from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday. They offer pizza, grilled items and will soon be offering lasagna and other dishes.
Connie Drake, manager of the Mars Hill Savings Bank of Maine, spoke to the group about the newly-opened facility. They have three full-time employees and one part-time. The bank is planning on making donations to various organizations in town. There is a ballot at the bank that townspeople age 18 and up can use to vote for their favorite organization through the month of January. The number of votes each receive will determine how the $25,000 donation will be split. Currently the ballot includes the Central Aroostook Junior-Senior High School, Fort Street Elementary School, Walter T.A. Hansen Memorial Library and Big Rock Ski Area. There is also an opportunity to write in your own choice of non-profit organizations.
Lisa Burtt of the Bear Paw Inn spoke of the work that has been done on the completely renovated facility. Lisa and her husband, Steve, opened in June of 2007 with eight rooms. Five rooms have queen-size beds and three have double beds. They also plan on doing a number of suites for larger parties. They were happy when they surpassed their expectations the week before they officially opened! There is also a small Maine-made gift shop planned.
Jay Peavey spoke of Jay’s Welding Shop. With 17 years’ experience, Jay welds part-time on nights and weekends. He works with carbon steel, aluminum and other metals. Truck racks and spiral stairs are just some of the items he has made as well as doing repairs on items. He also helps out occasionally in the high school shop.
Rotarian Steve Milliard spoke of Spudland Alpacas, owned by his father-in-law, Dick Porter. Started four years ago, they currently have 15 animals in their herd. They have a small store on site where they sell fleece and products, ranging from mittens, hats, sweaters, etc. They are open by appointment.
Birthday Calendars
The Rotary Birthday Calendars have arrived and are available for purchase. Due to the increased cost, the price of the calendars is $6 this year.
Calendars will be available from any Rotarian, at the Mars Hill and Blaine Town Offices and at the Mars Hill Katahdin Trust Company. If you received your calendar last year through a Rotarian, they may be contacting you again this year.
For any corrections or additions, please contact Tomi Henderson at 429-9126.
Little Miss Pageant director
The Mars Hill Rotary Club is searching for a director for the Little Miss Mars Hill Pageant. Anyone interested in this is asked to contact Bruce Hussey, the Rotary Club president, at 429-9815.
Book Club
The Tuesday Book Club has selected “Life of Pi” by Yann Martel as its current reading selection.
The Tuesday Book Club will meet next on Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. at Walter T.A. Hansen Memorial Library. All are welcome as they continue to take turns making book selections. For more information, please contact Rita Kingsbury at 429-9359.
Reading Hour
The Walter T.A. Hansen Memorial Library is pleased to continue with Co Co’s Reading Hour for children ages third grade and up on Thursdays from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
The current book is “Castle in the Attic.” This program will run every Thursday at the library.
Library needs votes
The Walter T.A. Hansen Memorial Library would like to encourage its supporters to stop in at the new Savings Bank of Mars Hill and vote for the library in the bank’s giveaway. They will donate $25,000 to various charities in town, the amount each receives depends on who receives the most votes. Please stop in and vote for the library!
The library is also continuing with a book sale. Cost for the books is .50 for hard covers and .25 for paperbacks. There are also bags available to fill for $5.
Old and new copyrights for adult and children are available. Fiction, nonfiction, westerns, science fiction and romance are among those currently on hand. There are also children’s books for sale, so plan to stop and check things out. Stock up now for your winter reading! Monetary donations will also be accepted.
BHA book sale
Would you like to buy a copy of “The History of Bridgewater”? To raise money for their sesquicentennial events, the Bridgewater Historical Association has copies of the book, “The History of Bridgewater,” by Annie Rideout for sale. The book has a hard cover and sells for $35 each ($29 plus $6 S/H). To avoid the shipping costs, books can be picked up at a BHA meeting.
During the winter, the BHA meets the first Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the Civic Center on Main Street in Bridgewater. Only prepaid orders will be accepted. For more information, contact Denis Gagne at 429-8290 or Jann Votaw at 425-7901. Orders with a check for $35 can also be sent to: Bridgewater Historical Association, P. O. Box 341, Bridgewater, ME 04735. Information on the BHA can also be found at www.bridgewatermaine.org.
“The History of Bridgewater”
The Bridgewater Sesquicentennial Committee has just received copies of “The History of Bridgewater, Maine” written and originally published by Annie E., Rideout in 1953.
The Henrietta Bradstreet family and Helen Rideout, heirs to the copyright of the book, graciously granted written permission to the Sesquicentennial Committee to have the book reprinted as part of the town’s celebration activities planned for July 21 – 26, 2008. The Committee received the permission just before Henrietta’s death this fall, and an acknowledgement to the heirs of Annie Rideout has been included in the reprint of the book.
Net proceeds from the sale of this copy of “The History of Bridgewater, Maine” will be donated to a charity designated by the Rideout heirs in memory of Megan Bradstreet, Henrietta’s great-granddaughter, who died in a tragic accident in 2005.
The cost of the book is $25 plus $1.25 sales tax plus $5.25 S/H for a total of $31.50. Anyone wishing to purchase a copy can e-mail Diane Clough at e&dclough@ainop.com, Rita Kingsbury at rmkme@ainop.com or call Kingsbury at 429-9359.
Tomi Henderson is the correspondent for Mars Hill, Blaine, Bridgewater and Westfield. She can be reached at 429-9126 or e-mail tomihen@yahoo.com.
Photo courtesy of Tomi Henderson
Josh Barton was named the November Student of the Month at Central Aroostook High School. Josh is a member of the eighth-grade class.
Photo courtesy of Tomi Henderson
Megan DeLong was named the November Student of the Month at Central Aroostook High School. Megan is a senior and plans to study elementary education at UMPI after graduation.
Photo courtesy of Tomi Henderson
Participating in the Elk Hoop Shoot from the Mars Hill Recreation Department were, in front from left: Karli Levesque, Chandler Brewer and Clark Bradbury. In back: April Santiego, Alexis Bradbury and Mason Davis.
Photo courtesy of Tomi Henderson
One of the participants takes a shot at the hoop during a clinic at the Mars Hill Recreation Department by the UMPI women’s basketball team in December 2007.
Photo courtesy of Tomi Henderson
Mars Hill’s Karli Levesque came in first place at both the district and regional Elks Hoop Shoots. She shot a 15 – 25 at the District Competition at UMPI on Jan. 12 and she shot a 19 – 25 at the Regional Competition in Bangor on Jan. 13. She will now compete in the State Competition on Feb. 3 in Sanford. Good job, Karli!!
Photo courtesy of Tomi Henderson 
Drills were part of the clinic activities on Jan. 12 at the Mars Hill Recreation Department run by Coach Tracy Guerrette and the UMPI women’s basketball team for participants from K through grade 2.
