Council of Catholic Women
By Lois Downing
Houlton Council of Catholic Women of St. Mary of the Visitation Church met for their monthly session in the parish center on Monday, Feb. 9, one week later than usual because of weather conditions.
Lynette Dobbs, president, was in attendance to greet everyone. She gave the grace before the meal provided by the February committee. Eighteen ladies were present. Mary Grant, treasurer, and Lois Downing, correspondence, gave reports. Charlene Tabb gave the secretary’s minutes.
The tables purchased by Council are still in Bangor and the committee is looking for someone to pick them up if possible. If you can, please get in touch with Lynette, Janet or Charlene.
The Rosary will be said at Madigan and Gardiner nursing homes; Janet will say at Madigan and Janet will go to Gardiner. St. Patrick’s Bazaar is coming up with plans being made. Margaret Casey will be cook. Polly Duff and Susan Hardy will take charge of the cake walk. Anita Levesque will do the advertising.
Janet and Isaac Brown will be chair persons. Council will purchase a boy’s bike for a raffle. Council will have charge of dessert for the Braden Fitzpatrick dinner to be sponsored by the church. A sign-up sheet was available for those who wanted to participate in the cooking. Susan Hardy, Jane Mitchell and Alta Reardon are on the nominating committee for the new slate of officers to be elected at the end of the season.
Council gave donations to the animal shelter and to a family in need.
Prayers were said for those requested and then the Council ladies packed 32 Valentine bags to be delivered to shut-ins. Members delivered the bags to those nearby and the job was quickly completed. The decorated bags contained bananas, caramel candy, Valentine candy, cookies, and many other items. Kathy Kline won the door prize. The next meeting will be March 2. Please watch the weekly church bulletin.
Island Falls Notes
Big Valley Snow Club will be hosting a spaghetti supper on March 5 from 5-7 p.m. This will precede the annual Big Valley cookout, which will be held on March 6 from 12-2, featuring the famous bean-hole beans cooked by John Donahue, homemade biscuits, salads, hot dogs, and, of course, homemade doughnuts, cooked right there on the premises while you watch.
This has been an annual event for many years and everyone in a 20-mile radius attends. Most arrive to the area on their snow sleds, and many people from away come every year to join in the fun.
Due to the storm which was expected over the weekend of February 15, the services of the Whittier Congregational Church were canceled. This is the third time this month that bad weather has been the cause of cancellation, and hopefully, it will be the last time.
Had a cheerful note from friend Clayton Varney, former Island Falls resident now living in Texas, and he reports that all is well down there and much warmer!
Still have many birds at my feeders and they are all very into eating up the mixture of lard and peanut butter that I give them. They really flock around me when I go out to replenish their supply and some of the more daring chickadees often try to eat the mixture right from the spoon that I use to carry the mixture.
Then the red squirrels show up and eat practically everything they can and this is followed by the big gray squirrel who gets his share — then it is time to replenish again. It certainly keeps me busy keeping my small friends fed, especially during this bitter cold weather.
Now I have a few deer who are coming during the evening to eat up the bread and cut-up apples I put out for them. For a few days they didn’t show, and there were no tracks in the deep snow on my back lawn and I figured they were going someplace else. Then suddenly, about three days ago, they appeared and have been back every night. They have made trails now in my backyard toward my cedar trees, and my side lawn and front lawn are full of deer tracks. A new storm, no doubt, will keep them away again as it must be mighty hard trying to make a new trail.
Purple Hat Ladies
By Lois Downing
The Purple Hat Ladies Society met at the SAVE building on Bird Street in Houlton Tuesday, Feb. 10 for a regular meeting and dinner. Charlotte Marley of Smyrna was in attendance with another of her purple hats as were the other 18 ladies. She passed out Valentine candy as did Denise Clark.
We had a very nice meal and then the fun began and we all revealed our Purple Hat names as did Geneva Bell, being her first time. We sang “Happy Birthday” to all who were celebrating birthdays in February, including Elaine (Tessie) Barrett who turned 86 this month.
Cindy Gray gave several comical readings. Almost all of the ladies brought Valentines, so there was an exchange. We signed a get well card for Peggy Sanders, formerly of Smyrna and now of Florida, and undergoing surgery. We also had a Purple Hat poem delivered by Charlotte.
Attending from Houlton were Mildred Gagnon, Betty Wyman, Marsha Reed, Geneva Bell, Wannetta Townsend, and Lois Downing; from Dyer Brook, Sandy Wyman and Marie Gillotti; from Oakfield, Donna Furrow, Bernice Campbell, Elaine Barrett, Sandra Holmes, and Delores Locke; from Merrill, Arlene Friel; and from Smyrna, Tamma White and Cindy Gray.
If you wish information about Purple Hat ladies you may contact Charlotte Marley at 757-8483 or any of the other ladies.
