MAPLETON NEWS
by Jennifer Buzza
For the seventh year, families with camps on Scopan Lake celebrated the annual Fun Fest sponsored by the Squapan Outing Club and Fun Fest Committee. Activities took place in the hot sunshine Saturday, July 13 at the landing area.
Seventeen children of all ages gathered for a bike parade down the Bangor Road. Camp owner Larry Sawyer led the parade in his decorated golf cart. Children rode on decorated bikes, were pulled in decorated wagons, and there was one decorated stroller pushed with a puppy inside. The Fun Fest Committee assembled treat bags of prizes for each child that participated, handed out by camp owners Larry and Sharon Litvinchyk.
The group returned to the landing with the temperature quickly rising, anxious to participate in the annual watermelon eating contest. Linux Lockhart was named the winner in the 4 and under division, Ruby Shaw was named the winner in the 5-8-year-old category, Graydon Griffeth won in the 9-12 division, Jacob McKenney ate his watermelon the fastest in the 13-18 category and camp owner Peter Teare defended his title in the adult division. Prizes were awarded to all winners.
Following the watermelon eating contest, nearly 20 children had the opportunity to dig through the sawdust pile for the annual toy hunt. With the theme “Christmas at Camp,” the children participating filled their bags with small Christmas novelty toys and wrapped Christmas candy.
During the afternoon festivities, children enjoyed other free events including face painting, led by camp owner Ginny Cole and her daughter, Kim Vollertsen, water games led by Aaron and Jennifer Buzza, and a new activity this year — fairy and troll house making, led by Marna Perkins and Peter Teare. This proved to be a very popular event! Over 20 children, each accompanied by an adult, worked to show their creative abilities assembling unique fairy and troll houses. Using mostly items from nature, children and adults screwed and glued moss, bark, twigs, toadstools, nuts, cones and shells together for what became very individual creations. It took well over an hour for the teams to finish their projects. While the children and youth were at the landing doing their crafts, some camp owners participated in the first Fun Fest cribbage tournament. The Committee hopes to make this an annual event and encourages more to consider participating next year. Before departing for the afternoon, the annual family scavenger hunt lists were handed out.
Numerous camp owners and members of the general public made the 4-mile journey to the lake for the annual bean hole bean supper sponsored by the Squapan Outing Club. The annual 50/50 drawing was held at the conclusion of the supper and the Vollersten family of New Hampshire proudly took home $220. Ironically, they were the owners of the winning ticket last year, too!
At 7 p.m. families convened at the landing to tabulate the scavenger hunt items. After 4 hours of tracking down 50 items, Jennifer Keiser and family of Presque Isle were named the winners. Runner-up prizes were given to the Parkhouse family of New Hampshire and the Sawyer family of Castle Hill.
The Squapan Outing Club held its annual business meeting Sunday morning at the camp of Dave and Phyllis McIntyre. Various issues were discussed and four members were voted to the board for a three-year term. Judges had the difficult decision to select the 2013 Camp Decorating Contest winner. Several camps were decorated for the “Christmas at Camp” theme and the winner of the traveling moose antler trophy was Larry and Debbie Sawyer of Castle Hill. Their names will be engraved on a plaque and added to the antler.
A very special thanks to the public for its continued support. Whether you attended the bean supper, purchased Squapan souvenirs or 50/50 tickets, the Squapan Outing Club appreciates the generosity of our neighbors. We hope to see you all at our bean supper again next year.
Birthdays
Birthday wishes this week go out to Renee Guerrette, Alan Wilcox, Shae Michaud, Jackie McEachern, Wendy Copeland, Robert Greenier, Morgan McGary, Kacey Wilcox, Sandy Crane, Geneva Guillemette, Parker Sawyer, Skyler Melton, Josh Fisher, Sheila Shaw, Ameila Dyer and Michelle Michaud.
Anniversaries
Happy anniversary this week to Brent and Felicia Buck on the 17th, Brent and Duska Boyles on the 18th, Neil and Michelle Luzzi, Zack and Julie Powers and Shawn and Christi Doyen on the 19th, and Woodie and Ann Garland on the 20th.
Jennifer Buzza is the correspondent for Mapleton, Castle Hill and Chapman. She can be reached at 760-9115 or by e-mail at jbuzza@ainop.com.
