The Crown of Maine Balloon Fest, hosted by the Mapleton Lions Club and the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce, has arrived. The event, based at the Presque Isle fairgrounds, will feature seven mass balloon launches over the next four days, two live music concerts, two night balloon glows, a walk-through balloon, tethered rides, children’s activities and a youth firefighter muster.
As part of the Balloon Fest, the Chapman Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club will host a pancake breakfast at their clubhouse in Chapman on Saturday morning, Aug. 26. The public can meet the pilots taking part in this year’s festival at the breakfast. Pilots will be glad to answer questions about their flying experiences and how their hot-air balloons work. The meal will be served from 7 to 10 a.m. The cost is $8/person.
The Mapleton Lions Club will be selling favorite fair foods (sausage sandwiches, doughboys, burgers and fresh-cut fries) Friday and Saturday afternoon and evening. This is the club’s last fundraiser of the year for their charities, which support Mapleton Boy Scouts, Christmas lighting, the Mapleton Recreation Department, purchase of eyeglasses for the needy, Mapleton Daze, club college scholarships and others. Enjoy good food and know that you are helping your neighbors in Mapleton, Chapman and Castle Hill.
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- MAPLETON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL underwent a significant face-lift that included reduction in exterior entrance doors and the replacement of large glass windows on the north/street side of the school. The top photo shows the newly tiled and updated common area and workstations, while the bottom photo shows the interior of the renovated music room with smaller windows in place of the large glass windows (Photo courtesy of Terry Sandusky)
Cookie and Juice Day
Mapleton Elementary School invites pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students and their parents to Cookie and Juice Day this Friday, Aug. 24. Principal Dan Duprey said teachers are eager to help students and parents prepare for the coming school year, and this day is a fun and relaxed time for the teachers to meet their students and parents for the first time.
Morning Pre-Kindergarten students and parents are invited to visit from 10 to 11 a.m., while afternoon students and parents may visit between 1 and 2 p.m. Both morning and afternoon Kindergarten students and parents may visit from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Open House Night
Principal Duprey invites Mapleton Elementary School students and their parents to the school’s open house on Wednesday, Aug. 30, from 6 to 7 p.m., for grades 1-5.
Duprey said, “Come and visit your child’s classroom and tour the school before the 2017-18 year begins. You are encouraged to attend this event with your child.”
This will also provide an opportunity to see the school’s face-lift that occurred this summer. Two major changes have included changing the heating system from oil to liquefied natural gas and replacing the carpet with tile and adding new workstations.
Over the summer, the school’s boiler was replaced to maximize the use of the change to LNG. To improve comfort and heating efficiency, the north side of the building saw a significant reduction from three sets of double entrance doors to one set of entrance doors at the administration entrance. A similar reduction was made at the multipurpose room entrance, where a single set of double doors are now in place. Several large glass windows were replaced with solid walls and smaller energy-efficient windows. These window changes were made to the administration front entrance, the computer lab, the music room and cafeteria entrance.
Administrators expect the changes to help with cold-weather problems arising from too many doors and large glass windows.
Many members of the SAD 1 custodial staff worked hard painting the newly renovated areas as well as stripping and waxing the new floor.
Labor Day Retreat
Baptist Park will host a Labor Day Retreat, the last camping session of 2017, specifically for middle and high school campers.
The retreat starts Friday evening, Sept. 1, and ends Sunday morning, Sept. 3. The high-energy, fast paced weekend will feature Chaplain James Weatherbee leading devotional periods. Additionally there will be plenty of time for swimming at the pool, running the low ropes course, archery, zip lining, sports and tournaments, campfires and much more.
For information, contact Baptist Park at (207) 764-1832.
Gospel Singing
The West Chapman Advent Christian Church will host on Saturday, Sept. 9, an afternoon and evening of gospel music that will include singing and instrumental Christian music.
Music fellowship will start at 3:30 p.m. with a break at 5 p.m. for a potluck supper. Music will resume following the meal and continue until 8:30 p.m.
If you sing or play an instrument you are encouraged to join in. Bring your potluck dish and your singing voice. Don’t be shy. For more information, contact the church.
Soccer registration
The Mapleton after-school soccer program is tentatively scheduled to start Aug. 29 with assessments for the Pre-K and Kindergarten kids, with assessments for grades 1-3 Aug. 30 and for grades 4-6 Aug. 31. All players should attend assessments with their age group.
A schedule for specific game times will be made following assessment week. Each child will be put on a team, and will follow the schedule for that team. For more information, go to the Mapleton Recreation webpage at: www.mapleton.me/index.php/town-services/recreation.
Terry Sandusky is the Star-Herald correspondent for Mapleton, Chapman and Castle Hill and can be reached at 764-4916 or at starherald.Tsandusky@gmail.com.
