On Tuesday, Nov. 11, Miranda Donovan visited with the sisters and brothers of Tillikum Chapter 99 in Ashland. Donovan was invited by sister Julie Graham-Berry to talk about her recent recognition by the Maine Women’s Fund and to discuss what she did to receive the prestigious Samantha Smith Award.
The Samantha Smith Award is presented to a young woman who works to create social change in her community or school, who inspires other girls to have a voice, and who inspires change within the state of Maine for years to come. Miranda spoke about a bill that she had written for Youth in Government. The mock bill involved the formation of a commission to study traffic safety along Route 11 and was voted unanimously as the best bill for the 2007 program. Miranda has continued with the promotion of the bill at the local level by presenting it to representatives and town councils with the agreement that the traffic study will be pursued further.
Along with her award, Miranda also received a $1,000 grant that she can donate to a non-profit group of her choice. Many members thanked Miranda for sharing her information with the group and told her what a nice job she had done.
Tillikum sisters Sheila Buckingham and Julie Graham-Berry supplied the refreshments for the night’s meeting, and, since the theme for the night was pumpkins, all of the refreshments contained pumpkin in one way or another. There was pumpkin bread, truffle, spread, bisque with roasted pumpkin seeds and cupcakes, too! Even those who were not crazy about pumpkin enjoyed the food selections and even requested the recipes.
Tillikum will hold its last meeting for 2008 Tuesday, Dec. 9 beginning at 7 p.m. A meeting, followed by potluck refreshments, Yankee swap, ornament auction, and overall merriment will be had. Sheila Buckingham has generously donated a large variety of Christmas village items, some of which light up. Come and check them out and bid till your heart’s content!
O.E.S. Tillikum Chapter 99 cookbooks available
Tillikum Chapter 99 members, along with other sisters and brothers throughout the state, got busy compiling recipes for a cookbook fund-raiser this summer. Under the direction of Andrea White and Sheila Buckingham, the club has a very nice cookbook entitled “Cooking With Love & Memories” now for sale, just in time for the holidays. The book features 73 pages of recipes that will tickle your taste buds. Also included in the book are many helpful cooking hints and charts located in the back. Copies are available to purchase at the Ashland Food Mart, as well as from any Eastern Star member. Cost per book is $10, and don’t forget, they make great Christmas gifts.
Memorial picnic tables for sale
The Portage Lake Centennial Committee is still selling memorial picnic tables, which will be placed at the Pavilion in Portage. An application must be filled out, accompanied by a payment of $150 per table. Eagle Scout Andrew Libby is building the tables, and a portion of the cost will be donated back to the Ashland Area Boy Scouts. Please see Rena Belanger or Corrine Routhier for more information or an application.
Portage exercise group
Providing there is enough interest, an exercise group would like to be started in Portage at the Town Hall. The class would meet on Mondays and would be free of charge. For more information, please contact Kim Holmes at 435-6043.
Project Graduation fund-raiser
Get your tickets for your chance to win stove wood or wood pellets. For further information, contact John Casey at 435-2131.
Portage Lake cookbooks for sale
The Portage Lake Centennial Cookbook Committee has collected the best recipes from group members, family, and friends and compiled them into an attractive keepsake cookbook, which can be purchased from any member of the organization or at the Portage Town Hall for $12. All proceeds will go to The Portage Centennial Celebration. The cookbook contains 390 well-loved recipes including appetizers, main dishes, desserts and many others. Recipes include the contributor’s name, enabling you to find the recipes of family and friends. For more information, contact Lou Sandy Boutot, P.O. Box 4, Portage Lake, Maine 04768 or call (207) 435-6016.
Family histories needed for Centennial Book
The Portage Lake Centennial History Book Committee has been working on compiling the history of Portage Lake in order for it to be published in time for the 2009 Centennial. The book will be titled, “Portage Lake History and Hearsay.”
The committee has been divided into work groups that are concentrating on compiling material from the various decades. Many people have been associated with Portage Lake over the years, and the committee would like to have people contact them with historical articles, family history, photographs and any other materials to be considered for inclusion in the Centennial book.
The committee would also like to have a preliminary count of possible book orders in order to assist them in knowing how many copies need to be printed. It is felt that this will be a one-time printing and hopefully the response from the public will assist them in determining a sufficient number to print.
Articles, photographs and related material should be sent to history book chairperson, Norman St. Peter, P.O. Box 37, Portage, Maine 04768. Norman can also be reached at (207) 435-6948. Please be sure to label photographs and to include your name and address with any correspondence so that materials can be properly returned.
Requests for book orders should be made to Anita Theriault, P.O. Box 114, Portage, Maine 04768. Anita can be reached by calling (207) 435-4311.
Any other inquiries in regards to the Portage Lake Centennial History Book should be directed to the Portage Lake Town Office at (207) 435-4361.
Donation of uniforms welcomed
If you or anyone you know has Cub Scout uniforms that are no longer being used, we have kids that can benefit from them now. Please contact Linda Milligan at 227-9135 or Julie Graham-Berry at 435-7137. Thank you.
Ongoing Events
The Ashland Area Senior Citizens group meets every Thursday at noon at the Ashland Recreational Center. Any senior citizens wishing to participate in the potluck lunches and meetings are always welcome.
The Portage Lake Seniors’ Lunch is held on the last Tuesday of every month at 11:30 a.m. at the Town Hall. All individuals 50 and over are invited to attend and can bring a potluck dish to share. For more information, contact Wilza Robertson at 435-6211 or Grace Nason at 435-6373.
The Red Hat Loonies of Portage Lake meet the second Thursday of every month at Dean’s Motor Lodge. Membership dues are $2. Come and have a great meal and a great time, too! For more information, contact Rachel Stevens at 435-6358.
If you can help plan for Portage Lake’s 2009 Centennial Celebration, please contact Corrine Routhier at 435-6854. Your help is both needed and appreciated.
Ladies, are you interested in crafts or have some that you’ve started and just can’t seem to finish? If so, take yourself over to the Portage Lake Municipal Building for Girlz Night every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Enjoy the company and the satisfaction of finally completing a project!
(Julie Graham-Berry is the correspondent for Ashland, Portage Lake, Oxbow, Masardis, Garfield, Nashville Plantation and surrounding townships. She can be reached at 435-7137).
Photo courtesy of Julie Graham-Berry
WORTHY MATRON OF TILLIKUM CHAPTER 99 Mary Hews, left, and Miranda Donovan, Samantha Smith Award recipient, pose for a recent photo. Miranda recently visited the Order of the Eastern Star chapter and talked about what she did to receive the prestigious award.
Photo courtesy of Julie Graham-Berry
THIS ALIEN landed at the Ashland Grade School just in time for the costume judging.
Photo courtesy of Julie Graham-Berry
ALEX GILLIS got a lot of laughs with his Halloween costume.
Photo courtesy of Julie Graham-Berry
CLARK CONDON told his mom that he wanted to be a John Deere tractor for Halloween. What a great job they did on this homemade costume.
Photo courtesy of Julie Graham-Berry
SHOWN HERE with a family member, Serena Collins joined in on the Halloween fun by dressing as a pirate and passing out candy at her local business, Ashland’s Diner.
Photo courtesy of Julie Graham-Berry
ALEX WHITE was a very suave Musketeer for this year’s Halloween festivities.
Photo courtesy of Julie Graham-Berry
ADORNED WITH PINK from head to toe, pink shower scrunchies and a pink collar, Morgan Stevens was the cutest pink poodle ever!
Photo courtesy of Julie Graham-Berry
HIDE YOUR PUPPIES it’s Cruella DeVil! Actually, it is Laura Sturgeon looking very much like the Disney character.
Photo courtesy of Julie Graham-Berry
THE ASHLAND TIGER CUBS wished all in the community a Happy Halloween by decorating a window at the Orion Timberland office located on Main Street.
