Community Notebook

  TOPS #ME 233, HOULTON
By Lois Downing
Take Off Pounds, Chapter 233, of Houlton, met at the Aldergate building on High Street for its Friday, October 3 meeting.
   Joyce Estey, leader, conducted the meeting. Seventeen ladies were present plus 5 KOPS (Keep Off Pounds Sensibly).
Wendy Henderson became a new member. A guest was Bonnie Wotton, who was welcomed and everyone introduced themselves.
Reports were given by Vicki Little and Joanne Scott.
Barbara Grant led us in 10 minutes of exercises. Barbara received a round of applause for her “stepping in” unknowingly when Barbara Troy is absent, our usual leader.
Sherry Smith displayed a banner that she made for the rally in Brewer. She received a round of applause too for that.
Loser of the week was Anita Nason with Barbara Grant as runner-up.
The mystery gift was won by Sherry Smith; 50/50 winner was Vicki Little; the skinny dish was held over.
The program presented by Joyce was on allergies and intolerance; 25 percent of the population has food allergies. Food allergies can come at any time in life, young, and old, babies and teenagers. Some of the symptoms are nausea, bloating and the common foods are fish, eggs, wheat, peanuts.
The chapter meets every Friday at the same location. The weigh-in time is 8-8:45 a.m. and the meeting starts at 9 o’clock. The meeting ends at 10 a.m.
If you need more information about the chapter, you may call Betty Ivey at 532-9653 or Charlotte Marley at 757-8483.
Everybody is welcome.

Happy Losers meeting
The Happy Losers meeting was held Oct.1 at the Congregational Church vestry.
We had our roll call and followed by our usual exercise. We had 11 ladies attend our meeting, and our person who lost the most weight for the week was Loretta Bouchard and runner-up was Shirley Sides, and also Jackie Pratt lost the most weight for the month of September. Great job ladies.
We sang Happy birthday to Mary Shaw. Mary and her husband celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary last week.
Joanie Sides led the program for the week. Her topic was on a article about our fat cells and other interesting things we should know. Riva Hawkes read an article by Paul Harvey about Dirt Roads.
Please feel welcome to our group every Wednesday from 7:30-8:45a.m. Weigh-ins and the meeting starts at 9 a.m. Call 365-4884 for more information.

Sherman area seniors
The Sherman Area of Senior Citizens Club met Wednesday, Oct. 1 for a potluck lunch at 12 p.m. and listened to three Aroostook Agency on Aging (AAA) guest lady representatives informative talks on Medicare, Legal Services, Power of Attorney; subjects updating us on today’s issues. We thank them very much for being present and giving their knowledgeable presentations, which will benefit each of us – small crowd that we were.
The three representatives were Mona Lynch, Carol Fitzherbert, Lawyer Suzanne Russell from the Presque Isle office. Members present were, Annie and Fred Atkinson, Esther Greeniver, Franes McKinney, Mary Dickinson, Donna Grass, Terese Albert, Linniea Perry and Bonita Staples.

Ricker Rumblings
By Lois Downing
Another week has passed! Where does the time go, as we often say? It passes us so quickly.
Shirley Nason entertained her niece, Crystal Nason, one day last week. Crystal has grown so much since I saw her last—tall and pretty.
Helen Brewer’s sister, Edith drove from West Springfield, Mass. to visit for a couple of days.
Welcome to Opal Crane our newest tenant. She is happy to be here. Our wish is that she has a very happy life here at Ricker Plaza.
The potato harvest is about finished. It was a very successful one—the farmers had their share of rain and some frost, but on the whole it was good. The stores are full of customers again.
Francis McMonigle, former tenant at Ricker Plaza, is on the sick list. Francis lives at Madigan Estates.
Bill Roach is still a patient at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. The community misses Bill and wishes him well in his recovery from heart surgery and a stroke.
The annual rummage sale at St. Mary of the Visitation Church is in full swing starting Oct. 9. As our pastor, Rev. David Raymond mildly put it, “It’s the biggest rummage sale I’ve ever seen.” Come and see for yourself.
Kenny Bates from Texas, and Richard Bates from New York were here to visit with their mother, Norma, and their father, George a resident at Madigan Estates.
Marion Hogan was a patient at Houlton Regional Hospital one day last week, but just for a short time. Marion came home within a few hours and is feeling better, thank you.
Janice McCarthy is coming along nicely with her foot and cast. Janice will have the cast removed soon, if not already. The cast is very heavy, so I’m sure Janice will be very relieved.
This is Cancer Awareness Month. As a precaution, do your monthly checks and do you have a buddy to remind you of this? If not, better look into it.
My thought for the day is: “As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth, even forever.” (Psalm 125:2)
Have a safe and good week.