MARS HILL NEWS
By Tomi Henderson
The Bridgewater Free Baptist Church will present a Living Nativity Dec. 16, 17 and 18 from 6-8 p.m. at the church. What a wonderful way to remember the true reason for the Christmas season.
Winterfest 2017
Winterfest this year will be moved up to take place on Feb. 10-12, 2017. This years’ theme is “Happy 150th Birthday Bash” in honor of the town’s Sesquicentennial. Along with most of the usual events, this year will bring back a snow sculpture contest for homes and businesses, the Whoopie Pie contest and a special “couples contest” on Friday night. This will test how well couples know each other and promises to be a fun and entertaining time!
Town meeting
There will be a meeting at the Mars Hill and Blaine Community Center on Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. to discuss options for the town garage and salt shed.
Rotary Club
The Mars Hill Rotary Club met Dec. 6 at the Aroostook Health Center. The special speaker was Erica McCrum, who spoke about Operation Christmas Child. The first year that Erica was involved in this project, there were 118 boxes sent. The second year, after joining up with another area church, saw 530 boxes sent out. This year a team of five area churches were able to pack up 800 boxes.
Erica is continually moved at the power of a simple gift. For many, this will be the only gift they will ever receive. Boxes are packed with small toys, hygiene items, school supplies and more. To date, over 135 million boxes have been sent out to some of around 150 countries around the world.
Videos are available to see how the boxes are delivered — in anything from vehicles to rafts to elephants — as well as the joy on the kids’ faces when they open their box.
Erica shops for items throughout the year, hoping to be able to pack more boxes each year. She is also thrilled that her own kids will see something and want to get it for the kids that get their boxes.
For more information, check out www.samaritanspurse.org or on Facebook at CountyChristmasChild.
Aroostook Health Center
Upcoming events for the week of Dec. 14-20 include: Wednesday will feature Beauty Parlor at 8:30 a.m., Wii Bowling at 9 a.m., Fun with Noodles at 9:30 a.m., Karaoke with Larry and Larry and Christmas Cantata Music at 6:30 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 Faith Baptist at 6:30 p.m. Friday will feature Dollar Jingo at 9:30 a.m. and a Hallmark Christmas Movie at 1:30 p.m.
Saturday will feature Karaoke with The Deschesnes at 1:30 p.m. Sunday will be a free day with televised church available in the day room. Monday will feature Nails by Shallee and Melissa at 9:30 a.m. and Communion with Rev. Kierstead at 1:30 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.
Library Auction
The Walter T. A. Hansen Memorial Library is beginning to gather items for the annual Bidding For Good on-line auction to be held early next year. This is typically the library’s largest fundraiser and allows the library to add to its collection.
Some items that have already been donated for this year’s auction, to be held from Jan. 17-Feb. 2, 2017, include Disney tickets, sport items, crafts, wood d√©cor and bowls and more.
If you have items to donate for the auction, please contact the library at 429-9625. Thank you to all who help with this fundraiser.
Bingo
The William Cousins Post 118 of Mars Hill is hosting Bingo on Saturday evening beginning at 7 p.m. at the Post. 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 at 551-6791 or e-mail tomihen@yahoo.com.
