After The Bell program seeks funds
to provide ‘a sense of permanence’
MARS HILL NEWS
by Tomi Henderson
After The Bell in Mars Hill provides after-school programming to children and families. After The Bell believes in providing exposure to life-long wellness activities.
This provides participants with opportunities to engage in activities they otherwise may not have the chance to do. Officials hope they fall in love with these activities and they are hooked for life. These activities include: running, swimming, biking, canoeing, kayaking, snowshoeing and much more — activities to get them moving, often as a family.
“We also believe in providing them art enrichment activities. These activities are often the activities that parents don’t have time to do at home. We celebrate the holidays through activities such as our Gingerbread House Extravaganza, our Community Trunk or Treat, our Love is in the Air Valentine celebration, and much more. Our children are able to display their works of art in various settings and enjoy showing off their final products. We believe in doing this while allowing the children the opportunity for social interaction. Children are able to interact with others outside of school, often rubbing shoulders with children they may not otherwise have met. More than 75 percent of the children in our district have participated in some programming we’ve offer over the past year,” said Jamie Guerrette, program director.
She said programs meet after school, during school vacations and during harvest break. The program is run completely by volunteers. These volunteers have stepped up and helped to fill a need to keep children engaged, active and provided them with a sense of community. This program has been successful for 18 months and continues to go strong.
“We are seeking $5,000 to provide the children in this program a sense of permanency. We are able to operate under the umbrella of All-Star Gymnastics. They have graciously taken us in when we had no place to call our own. They are currently relocating to their own building and we have to go with them to ensure our programming can continue. We are seeking donations to help us set up roots in the basement of their new building,” said Guerrette.
This building will provide the All-Stars the space and facilities they need and After The Bell would be in the basement. A permanent place would provide children a place to call their own, a place to meet after school and a place to host activities. The parents/participants have covered all fees associated with the activities. Now we need help to continue.
“With our own space in their basement, our programming would continue to grow. We love our partnership with All-Stars and are thankful for being under their umbrella,” Guerrette said.
Are you willing to help? Are these activities and the sense of community instilled in children important to you? If so, please donate to After The Bell’s 5K fund to give permanency to the program. No donation is too big or too small! Donations can be made to www.gofundme.com/afterthebell. Thank you for your support.
FMI about After The Bell, visit the Facebook page www.facebook.com/pages/After-the-Bell/202826889869219?fref=ts. For more information about All-Star Gymnastics, check their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/All-Star-Gymnastics/159460601737?fref=ts.
Aroostook Health Center
Upcoming events for the week of Feb. 5-11 include: Wednesday will feature the Beauty Parlor at 8:30 a.m., Wii Bowling Challenge at 9 a.m. and Residents Council at 2 p.m. Thursday will feature the Beauty Parlor at 8:30 a.m., Bingo at 9:30 a.m., Horse Racing at 1:30 p.m. and Old Fashioned Revival at 6:30 p.m. Friday is National Wear Red Day and will feature Heart Bingo at 9:30 a.m. and Music by the Countrymen at1:30 p.m. Saturday will feature Bingo at 1:30 p.m. Sunday will feature the APC at 3 p.m. Monday will include Nail Beautiful at 10 a.m., Karaoke with Larry and Larry 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.
Birthday calendars
The 2014 Rotary Birthday Calendars have arrived and are available at the Mars Hill Town Office, the Blaine Town Office, Katahdin Trust in Mars Hill, the Mars Hill IGA or from any Rotarian. Cost is $6 per calendar.
Rotary Club
The Mars Hill Rotary Club met Jan. 28 at 6:30 a.m. at the Aroostook Health Center. Guest speaker was Nick McCrum of County Super Spuds. He spoke about the new sorting equipment that enables them to identify the potatoes with blemishes. Those with small blemishes are further cut and sorted and sold to other markets. This has enabled them to really cut down on waste.
BINGO
The William Cousins Post118 of the American Legion in Mars Hill hosts a Bingo Night every Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Legion building on Silver Street. There will be cash prizes and concessions.
Tomi Henderson is the correspondent for Mars Hill, Blaine, Bridgewater and Westfield. She can be reached at 429-9126 or e-mail tomihen@yahoo.com.
