Letters to the Editor
Festival of Trees a success
Dear Independent,I want to extend a heartfelt thank-you to everyone who helped make this year's Moquin Family's Festival of Trees a huge success! I especially want to thank my family, my son Orion and my mother Barbara, if it wasn't for their tireless help with this very ambitious project, our Festival of Trees would have never been possible. Thanks, guys!
I would also like to thank the St. Aspinquid Masonic Lodge for their donation of hall space. Due to their donation, this wonderful Festival of Trees was able to come to York. My dream a year ago was to bring this festival to York and hope that everyone else would enjoy it as much as I enjoyed it and, amazingly, that's exactly what happened and I couldn't be more pleased with the results! All of this year's proceeds will be donated to the St. Aspinquid Charity Fund and the money will be used to help others in the community.
I would also like to thank the following businesses, organizations and individuals for their donations of time, gift certificates and decorations: Sohier Park Welcome Center, York Town Hall, Autumn Designs, York Middle School Civil Rights Team, Yorkshire Commons, Ginny & Al Butterworth, Judy Deabler, Rosie Lent, York's Wild Kingdom, York Village Market Place, York Corner True Value, Stolen Menu Café, Rick's All Seasons Restaurant, York Community Service Association Thrift Shop, Market Basket, Kittery Optometric Associates, MSB Enterprises, Blaisdell Yard Care Plus and St. Aspinquid's Square and Compass Couples Club. (Sorry if I forgot anyone.)
We're already planning for next year's Festival of Trees, so if you're interested in getting involved, if you have some decorations or trees that you'd like to donate, if you'd like to sponsor a tree for next year, please feel free to call 361-2116 for more information.
Remember, the best time to purchase your Christmas items for next year is coming very soon! I plan to purchase many Christmas trees, lights and decorations after the holiday season this year in order to make sure that next year's Moquin Family's Second Annual Festival of Trees will be an even bigger success!
Thank you,
Janalee Moquin
York
Praise for "Shtick Happens"
Dear Independent,Last weekend the new YHS group, "Shtick Happens Players," performed two benefit shows for teacher Jack Hoyt, who is currently battling cancer. They raised over $1000!
Kudos to Lisa Stathoplos and Michael Crockett for donating their time and expertise to teach and direct this 20-member ensemble of students, including some who had never participated in theater activities before! There were students from each high school grade, all collaborating and thinking on their feet in front of a live audience!
In addition to being a lot of fun to watch and obviously a wonderful gift to Mr. Hoyt and his family, I wonder if there are opportunities for this work to be developed. From an educational standpoint, it seems like there may be ways to integrate some of this work into growing our performing arts department. In my opinion, theater improvisation helps students become: Clear and Effective Communicators, Creative and Practical Problem Solvers, Collaborative and Quality Workers, Self-directed and Lifelong Learners, Responsible Involved Citizens, Integrative and Informed Thinkers, Critical Thinkers.
Interestingly enough, these are all Guiding Principles listed in our resource for curriculum guidelines; State of Maine Learning Results.
Thank you Lisa, Michael and the Shtick Happens Players!
Sincerely,
Beth Boynton, RN, MS
York
Program Committee offers thanks
Dear Independent,We want to thank everyone who participated in the Second Gingerbread Festival hosted by the Program Committee of the York Public Library.
Thanks to all who crafted the wonderful gingerbread houses. The creativity, humor and talent were amazing. Thanks to our fine judges, Annette Fazio and David Lincoln. Thanks also to those who enthusiastically visited this exhibit.
We are grateful to those who participated in the raffle. This year the raffle included five houses: Hansel and Gretel by the staff at Bragdon Real Estate, "Jefferds' Tavern" by Owen Dyer, "The Magic of Christmas" by Lucia Velasco-Evans from Lucia's Kitchen, "Christmas Cove, Maine" by the employees of Stonewall Kitchen and "The Candy House" by Peter Blanchard. The proceeds of the raffle will go to the York Public Library. Bragdon Real Estate has generously agreed to match what is raised with a donation to the York Food Pantry.
We are already looking forward to the Third Annual Gingerbread Festival in December, 2007.
Paula Hoy, Sue Little, Sharon Lohmann and Julie Steedman
York
VPG/PAT holiday fair appreciated
Dear Independent,To the Village Parent Group (VPG) and the Coastal Ridge PAT,
Many thanks to everyone involved with the planning (and success) of the "Stay in Town, Shop at Village" evening last Friday at the Village Elementary School gymnasium. Such a wonderful community event! It gave many parent entrepreneurs the opportunity to display their goods and services ~ exposure that is so important to the marketing of a small business. What an amazing number of talented people we have in York!
Thank you, too, to all of those families who ventured out in the cold to attend the fair. It was delightful to meet so many new people as well as catch up with old friends.
Kudos all!
Juanita Reed
Party-Mom Productions
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