MARS HILL\ NEWS
The wheels are in motion in Mars Hill, as Kidz Klub members practice for their kick-off event on Saturday, May 30, beginning at the Mars Hill Fire Department where participants can walk or bike to raise funds for County Dialysis Center in Presque Isle.
Organizer Stephanie McKeen explains the Mars Hill Kidz Klub is a new and exciting spin-off from the After The Bell program. The new club is designed to encourage youth to get out and become more active and strive to be healthy.
McKeen said, “Our objective is to build a stronger, healthier community one kid at a time. Our kick-off event is Power to the Pedal, the Mars Hill way.”
The Power to the Pedal fund-raising event takes place on May 29 with the main site for the event at the County Physical Therapy facility on North Street in Presque Isle. There participants will ride on stationary bikes in shifts over a 12-hour time period. Mars Hill “Kidz” will spin off from this event the following day.
Power to the Pedal organizers have set a goal of raising $30,000 to purchase two hemodialysis machines that provide life-sustaining treatment for patients at County Dialysis. The machines will complement the construction of an updated facility for the center, which will be located inside the unoccupied section of the former Smythe’s IGA, adjacent to its current location at North Street Healthcare in Presque Isle.
After hearing about Fort Kent’s Valley Rivers Middle School Bike-a-Thon event and Presque Isle Middle School physical education students powering the pedals at CPT and hosting their own bike-a-thon, Mars Hill’s Kidz Klub decided to rally riders and walkers to join their own fundraiser on May 30, a trek from the Mars Hill fire station to Robinson and back, to raise funds for County Dialysis and have fun. The Mars Hill club is designed to encourage youth to get out and become more active and strive to be healthy. With the recent closure of the After The Bell program, four community members decided to build on the already successful fitness program and add more. Some of the events that remain are the Running Club and Tri-Club; and they are excited about adding week-long camps to include soccer, basketball and an adventure camp. The objective is to teach proper techniques and encourage youth to rise to their full potential.
“We are excited to introduce an adventure component and combine all the activities the area has to offer, including canoeing, hiking, swimming, and basic survival skills. Joining Power to the Pedal, the Mars Hill way, is just the beginning of involving community members. We want to teach our students about healthy lifestyle alternatives so our community’s future is in good, strong, capable hands.
Pamela Frank, RN, manager of County Dialysis, says she is blown away by the outpouring of support from different areas of Aroostook County.
“First Fort Kent, then Presque Isle, and now Mars Hill,” she said. “It just goes to show how many lives County Dialysis touches across our broad region, and what an important service County Dialysis provides in our rural communities. I’m touched beyond words at the willingness of people to give their time to help us raise these very necessary funds.”
Because County Dialysis is the only treatment center of its kind north of the Bangor region, it helps to keep Aroostook patients from having to make lengthy trips to receive their dialysis treatments up to three times per week. Without it, many families would endure financial hardships to receive their treatment or, worse, would avoid them altogether.
Anyone interested in supporting either event can pledge money to Power to the Pedal at www.powertothepedal.org, or pledging per mile for the Bike-a-Thon through Mars Hill Kidz Klub, by calling Stephanie at 227-4453 for more information.
The County Dialysis Center treats approximately 45 patients, three times each week. In 2014, patients received 5,789 treatments at the center, which has been in constant operation for nearly two decades.
Library amnesty
The trustees of the Walter T.A. Hansen Memorial Library would like to have all overdue books returned to the library by Sunday, May 31. Any books or other materials that are returned by that date will not owe any fees. Please try to get any items that you may have turned in by then.
Rotary Club
The Mars Hill Rotary Club met on Tuesday, May 19, at 6:30 a.m. at the Aroostook Health Center. The special speaker was Dave McKenney, plant manager for McCain Foods USA in Easton. Dave is a 1985 graduate of CAHS who then attended NMCC, graduating in 1987 with an associate’s degree in computer electronics and in 1988 with an associate’s degree in industrial electricity and controls. He started with McCain Foods in 1989, becoming plant manager in 2009. McCain Foods has 53 facilities on six continents. The Easton facility produces both conventional french fries as well as specialty fries such as spirals, Cross Trax , and Flat Chips. The Easton facility employs over 400 people from the area. Over 50 local growers provide potatoes for the plant — mostly russets. The facility handles over a million pounds of potatoes daily. Looking forward, the goal of the facility is to focus on continuous improvement projects that help drive sustainable cost advantages in the market and continue to provide customers with high-quality products.
Aroostook Health Center
Upcoming events for the week of May 27 through June 2 include: Wednesday will feature the Beauty Parlor at 8:30 a.m., Wii Bowling at 9 a.m., Morning Stretch at 9:30 a.m. and Crossword Puzzle Challenge at 1:30 p.m. Thursday will feature Beauty Parlor at 8:30 a.m., Bingo at 9:30 a.m., Horse Racing at 1:30 p.m. and United Methodist at 6:30 p.m. Friday will feature Pokeno at 9:30 a.m., and Devotions with Velma at 1:30 p.m. Saturday will be a free day. Sunday will be a free day. Monday will feature Coffee Chat at 9:30 a.m., Nail Beautiful at 10:00 a.m., Catholic Mass at 1:30 p.m. and Gospel Group at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday will feature the Beauty Parlor at 8:30 a.m., Bingo at 9:30 a.m., and Card Games at 1:30 p.m. All of these activities are subject to change. If you would like to volunteer to help with any of these activities, call Connie or Vicki at 768-4915.
Bingo
The William Cousins Post 118 of Mars Hill is hosting Bingo every Saturday evening from 7 p.m., until done. There are cash prizes. Refreshments are available. Come on out and enjoy a fun evening with friends!
Tomi Henderson is the correspondent for Mars Hill, Blaine, Bridgewater and Westfield. She can be reached by emailing tomihen@yahoo.com.
