MAPLETON, Maine — The Mapleton Lions Club started the annual holiday season on Sunday, Nov. 26, hanging the new upgraded Christmas lights along Mapleton’s Main Street.
The new Christmas lighting came about as a result of a community fundraising effort led by Mapleton’s McHatten family and Jeff Clark, owner of Condon Signs. Elizabeth McHatten and Jeff Clark helped arrange for the new lights and led the fundraising solicitations.
The Lions Club has been lighting Main Street for the last 25 with used lights or the more recent newer homemade lights. When the organization was approached by the McHatten family, who had the idea of replacing the simple homemade lighted wreaths with more substantial weather resistant LED holiday lights, club members were enthusiastic. Because of the substantial higher cost of the lights, a two-year plan was developed to raise funds and purchase 12 lights in 2022 and 12 in 2023.
To start the fundraising, Lions seeded the cost of the first six lights.
New holiday lighting along Main Street in Mapleton now gives a fun and joyous look as a result of a partnership between the Community Holiday Lighting Committee, started by the McHatten Family and Gregg Clark of Condon Signs, and the Mapleton Lions Club. The Lions are thankful for the new lights and will take care of them each holiday season as has been the club’s tradition for nearly 30 years.
(Courtesy of Terry Sandusky)
These first lit designs arrived just prior to Mapleton Daze, which was held in June. Once the lights were available for viewing, sponsorships began flooding into the committee. Many people and businesses were pleased to support the new lighting, and by early November enough donations had been received so all of the new lights could be purchased. This proved to be an unexpected surprise to everyone involved, as the donations continued pouring in.
Over the early fall, Steve Hanning, the Lions’ holiday lighting chairman, worked with Versant Power to make necessary changes in the wiring and connections on each pole along Main Street, so the new lights could be easily hung and plugged into the electric power line.
All of the lights had arrived by November, so members could began hanging and connecting the lights on schedule to illuminate the street on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The Christmas lights will remain up until Jan. 8, the first Sunday after New Year’s Day. The club hopes everyone who sees the display will enjoy it and be lifted in spirit during these special days.
The Mapleton Lions Club will store and maintain the lights as part of their longstanding tradition of helping the town celebrate the holidays.
“The Club thanks the McHatten family and Jeff Clark of Condon Signs and their friends who served on the community fundraising committee who made this wonderful upgrade to our holiday lighting,” said Rick Fowler, Lions Club president.
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.
