This week’s edition!
Archive for November 2014
Central Distributors supports United Way
Central Distributors president and general manager Michael Barriault and employees present the $515 raised through their company jean days to United Way of Andro. County Executive Director Joleen Bedard.
The employees of Central Distributors in Lewiston recently donated the $515 they raised through the company’s jean days to the United Way of Androscoggin County.
“United Way of Androscoggin County is an organization that belongs to and is made up of the community,” said Executive Director Joleen Bedard. “Central Distributors employees have shown their support for what community means by volunteering and donating in excess of $132,500 over the past five years.”
Emerge Film Festival will return for second year
The board of directors who organized the Emerge Film Festival has announced that the Festival will return for a second year. Building upon a successful inaugural event held in June, the board is planning a follow-up event that will expand to four days in 2015.
Scheduled to run Thursday through Sunday, April 9 through 12, the Festival will showcase a diverse selection of documentary, short and feature-length films made in Maine, across the U.S. and the world. The event will kick off with a tenth anniversary screening of 217 Films’ “Cleophas and His Own,” an adaptation of the autobiographical narrative poem by American painter and poet Marsden Hartley, who was born in Lewiston. It will wrap up with a screening of the Festival’s award winners.
“We got such a great response to our inaugural event from our local community, sponsors, film enthusiasts and – most importantly – filmmakers that we are thrilled to continue to build upon the success of our first festival,” said Emerge board president Laura Davis.
Saint Dom’s student performs with PYSO
Ryan Spooner
Saint Dominic Academy senior Ryan Spooner played violin recently in Portland’s Merrill Auditorium. He got that rare opportunity as a member of the Portland Youth Symphony Orchestra (PSYO), which presented its annual Fall Concert at the venerable concert venue on November 13. Comprised of more than 70 musicians ranging in age from 11 to 18, the PYSO is a pre-professional program that challenges its young members with a diverse repertory of orchestral literature.
Int’l. Paper celebrates 40 years in Auburn
International Paper’s Auburn Container Plant recently celebrated its 40th anniversary with a commemorative celebration for employees, retirees, government officials, community leaders and business partners.
During the past 40 years, the plant has grown significantly. When opening its doors in 1974, it employed 50 people, compared to the more than 130 who work there now, and the plant has modernized equipment as the market has evolved. One thing that hasn’t changed is the plant’s dedication to its employees, customers and community, as well as its commitment to safety.
Tractor trailer driver Don Timpany is one of three team members who have been at the plant for its entire 40 years. When reflecting back upon his career, he has fond memories. “The years go by fast,” Timpany said. “It’s fun to think about all the changes the plant has faced since it first opened.
Maine Moose advance
Pictured here (from front) are team members Joe Grant, Esa Maki, Gunnar Hann, Sam Bell, Jayden Wilson, Dana Michaud, Jeromey Rancourt, Tanner Mcclure, Dustin Larochelle, Cole Ouellette, Cody Doyon, Marc Thibodeau, Matt Jolicoeur, Coach Bill Desmarais, Coach Jim Raby, Ryan Raby, Tyler Halls, Ryan Kappelmann, Cam Wilson, Deryk Belanger, Gavin Bates, and Coach Ben Gray.
Representing area cities and towns, including Auburn, Lewiston, Sabattus, and Poland, the Maine Moose under-16 White Team of the Maine Amateur Hockey Association recently went undefeated through the State Playoffs. By winning the title with an exciting overtime victory over a powerful Casco Bay Black Team, the Moose earned the right to represent Maine in the U16 National Tournament, to be held in Dallas, Texas in March.
LPL Friends campaign to update furniture
In a plan to update the seating and table arrangement in LPL’s ground floor area, these tables would be replaced with window counters featuring built-in electrical outlets.
In late 1996, Lewiston Public Library first opened its doors on Lisbon Street at a time when activity in downtown Lewiston was minimal and several storefronts sat vacant. Today, almost two decades later, the downtown is humming again with new cafes, businesses and activities that the Library’s 600 daily visitors have helped to support.
However, the furniture the Library purchased for its ground floor area is now showing its age, and the Library would like to update the original seating and table arrangement in this area to accommodate the changing needs of patrons. In this plan, the aging tables near the windows would be replaced with window counters featuring built-in electrical outlets for all the laptops, tablets, smartphones and other electronic devices that people make use of in the Library.
Twin Cities Holiday Celebration
The annual Twin Cities Holiday Celebration will take place on Wednesday, December 3. Pre-parade activities will include free wagon rides by Stillbrook Acres, leaving from the Pine Street side of Kennedy Park in Lewiston (5 to 8:30 p.m.); free interactive ballet presentations in Callahan Hall at Lewiston Public Library (4:30 to 5:30 p.m.); and a free children’s story time (4 to 4:30 p.m.) and craft activities (4:30 to 6 p.m.) presented by Auburn Public Library in Community Room #206 at Auburn City Hall.
The parade will begin at 6 p.m. at the Great Falls Plaza parking area in Auburn. From there, it will go to Turner Street, cross Court Street, head down Mechanics Row, go left onto Auburn’s Main Street (with a stop at Festival Plaza for Auburn’s tree lighting), go right onto Court Street, cross the Longley Bridge, go up Lewiston’s Main Street, take a right onto Park Street and end at Kennedy Park.
St. Michael’s Church presents Celtic holiday concert
With members of the Maine Harp Circle, Celtic folk duo Castlebay will perform holiday tunes both ancient and familiar at St. Michael’s Church on Sunday, November 30.
St. Michael’s Church of Auburn will be filled with sparkling Yuletide music from the Celtic tradition when folk duo Castlebay, featuring Celtic harpist and vocalist Julia Lane, and members of the Maine Harp Circle perform on Sunday, November 30 at 3 p.m.
The lilting sound of Irish flute, Celtic harp, fiddle and guitar will mingle with vibrant songs of revelry and wonder in a program that will include joyous and mysterious seasonal songs and tunes from Ireland, Scotland and the British Isles, as well as more familiar holiday favorites.
Rotary completes Haiti Water Truck Project
Pastor Rigaud (l.), with the reunited members of the Club’s 2012 Haiti Work Team, including (l. to r., from front) Christine Wilson, Melande Antoine, Helen Belisle, Ed Plourde, Gerry Gelinas (kneeling), Stephanie Gelinas, Claire Durgin, Amy Laverdiere, John Belisle, Adam Dow, Phil Nadeau, Don Grant, Kari Grant-Gagnon and Charlene O’Clair. (Not pictured is Shawn Wright).
Widely known as “Pastor Rigaud,” Dr. Jean Rigaud Amilcar Antoine, Past President of his Rotary Club in Port Au Prince Haiti, was the guest speaker at a recent Lewiston-Auburn Rotary Club dinner to celebrate the successful completion of the L-A Club’s Haiti Water Truck Project. With nearly 100 people in attendance, Club President Christine Wilson, International Committee Chair Stephanie Gelinas and Pastor Rigaud discussed the development and results of the effort.
Clock ticks on City’s historic bells
Less than 50 days remain to donate to the City’s effort to acquire and preserve the bells of St. Louis Church. The deadline to contribute is December 27.
The City of Auburn’s effort to raise $12,000 to acquire and preserve the four bells of St. Louis Church, cast in 1915 in Annecy, France by the world renowned Paccard Bell Foundry, have so far reaped $6,500 in donations, putting the project more than half way toward its goal. December 27 will be the final day to donate to the project.
Among the state’s most remarkable heritage treasures, the bells are believed to be the only ones manufactured by the Paccard Foundry that now exist in the state, with the sole exception of the treasured Liberty Bell replica displayed at the Maine Statehouse in Augusta. The replica was one of 51 commissioned in 1950 by the U.S. Treasury Department.
