The Mapleton Lions Hall parking lot was filled with excitement on a recent Saturday as kids from the area were able to meet and speak with Santa Claus. Santa did a special flight training run from the North Pole to Mapleton as he and his flying reindeer prepare for Christmas.
With masks and gloves on to protect everyone, kids were driven through the hall driveway for a chance to meet and speak to Santa. A long line developed around the hall, back through the parking lot and out on to Main Street.
Patsy Rideout thanked parents who wrote to the Mapleton Daze Committee, who hosted this Santa visit. She wrote, “We did what we wanted to do — put smiles on the kids’ faces.”
Every visitor brought non-perishable food items for the community food box as part of the drive-thru. The event was so successful that a pickup load of food was received and taken to the town office.
While parents thank Santa for coming to see their children, Mapleton Daze want to thank the parents and kids for their food and financial donations made. The committee wishes Happy Holidays to all the supporters of Mapleton Daze.
Parents reported their kids were so excited to see Santa. One parent reported later that, “All I kept hearing from my daughter as she opened her goodie bag on the way home was ‘Wow.’ Thank you.”
Lions’ auction ends
Bidding on the Mapleton Lions Club’s online auction closed last Wednesday, Dec. 16. The auction was hosted by Greggauctions.com. The auction has for over 50 years been the club’s biggest fundraiser each year. The Lions Club helps meet many needs in the towns of Mapleton, Chapman and Castle Hill.
The club thanks all this year’s bidders for taking time to check out the auction on the Gregg Auctions website and place a bid(s) on items that interested them. There were oil changes, wood pellets, gift certificates and many other items.
Historically the Mapleton Lions solicited items for the auction in February, March and April for the auction, usually held on the first Saturday of May each year. This year items were being collected, but toward the end of March, COVID-19 restrictions went into place. This caused the club to cancel their annual auction and bean supper.
Since the members had received many donations for that auction, the club members decided to hold an online-only auction just in time for Christmas.
The Lions thank all the local businesses who donated to the auction or made cash donations to the club. The club is still taking cash donations should anyone wishes to help support the club’s charitable activities.
Ridge Runners cancel all events
The Chapman Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club has suspended all meetings and events until the pandemic is under control and it is safe to gather again at the clubhouse.
Sue Maynard, club secretary, updated members with information from leadership regarding the safety of the club members and landowners. The board began the suspension last March at the beginning of pandemic meeting restrictions. The annual election of officers normally held in April has been postponed until April 2021. The 2019-2020 officers and directors will continue to hold office and manage the club through the 2020-2021 year. Until that election, the board of directors is meeting as needed.
Also postponed is their huge indoor yard sale, which will be rescheduled. Because of these trying times for county businesses, they will avoid soliciting items for the sale.
The ability to ride the trails and enjoy the scenic landscapes is only possible because of landowners’ willingness to allow trails to crisscross their properties. Landowners can expect to be contacted for permission to keep trails open on their properties.
The club looks to improve the quality of the trails, and to that end the club has purchased an older, small bulldozer to smooth the trails that are being badly rutted in the summer. Also this bulldozer will be used to install culverts where needed to better manage wet spots on trails. The landowners are being contacted to obtain their written prior permission before any bulldozing work is done on their property. The club will be doing some dozing work.
Other projects include smoothing rutted trails, repairing bridges and rerouting a portion of the Scopan Trail near the intersection with 75 near the Up North Road. There will be logging there next year, but a new road has been cut which will take riders around a wet area on the club’s trail. The club has permission to use it this winter before cutting takes place. Signs are being installed.
This past summer the club’s sponsor signs were vandalized and some were removed. Four offers were made to replace the signs and repair the damage caused: Condon’s Signs, Theriault Equipment, Brian and Sarah Buchanan of Patten and John Gibbs from New England Sled Talk. Some of the signs mysteriously reappeared on the steps of the sign shed, though most were damaged. Terry Hanlon has gotten them all replaced and added some new ones.
The club has a dedicated crew working almost daily on the trails and groomer barn. Allen Michaud mowed the entire trail system single-handedly. Many workers turned out to work at the groomer barn. Tim and Dianna Cotton and Chad and CJ Hersom restained the entire clubhouse.
Christina Olsen now manages the club’s Facebook page. Watch to see when club work days are scheduled to finish these and other projects.
Holiday lights
On Sunday, Nov. 28, the Mapleton Lions Club completed upgrades and hung the Main Street Christmas lights.
The new LED lights on the wreaths will sparkle and flash this year. These lights are mixed with colored bulbs to light the way. The Christmas lights will remain up until after the official 12 days of Christmas, which end with Epiphany on Jan. 6.
The club hopes everyone who sees the lights will enjoy them and be lifted in spirit during these special days.
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.
