Portage Lake puts out red carpet
for Can-Am race teams
ASHLAND NEWS
by Susan Feeney-Hopkins
Eighty-one dog sled teams sprang from the Fort Kent starting gate March 6 in their quest for the Can-Am Crown titles. The 60-mile “Willard Jalbert Memorial” race teams kicked off the start of the annual event at about 8 a.m., with the Pepsi Bottling Company-sponsored 30-mile racing teams leaving the gates at 9:15 a.m. and the most popular and challenging race, the “Irving Woodlands” 250 mile, departing at 10:20 a.m.
Downtown Fort Kent was jammed with spectators and the overall vibe was high. Most would attribute this to the 45 degree temperatures and abundant sunshine. The crowd was estimated to be upwards of 8,000 – the largest crowd ever to attend this annual event.
Barb Pitcairn of Portage Lake, owner of Aroostook Real Estate and Can Am sponsor, who’s office sits on Main Street in the center of all the action said she “has never seen this many people” in attendance and thought it was “exciting to see” she added she is also “hopeful for the continued interest” (in the race) in the coming years making Fort Kent and the general area a “tourist destination.”
It was an odd sight indeed to see people walking through town in only a sweatshirt or vest during this time of year, and during this event. Obvious by the smiling faces and the sheer number of people in attendance, the unseasonably warm weather played a vital role. Not necessarily a good role for the teams although. Many were worried how the warmer temperatures would affect the dogs, and how it would impact the trail conditions.
Trails had already been re-routed in some areas due to lack of snow cover and very wet conditions from the early melt off. Unbelievably, snow had to actually be brought in by truckload to Fort Kent for the starting one-mile leg of the event. Many of the teams did run at a slower pace than what is customary, trying not to overheat the dogs. Keeping them well hydrated was a key factor, and the shade of the woods offered a break from the direct sun, making the temperatures on the trail much more tolerable.
Regardless, the teams began arriving at the Portage Lake checkpoint with the sunset, about 5:30 p.m.; which is actually within the usual time parameters. By giving up daylight, the teams gained the cooler evening temperatures, which would allow for better running conditions. This seemed to be the unanimous game plan.
Volunteers at the Portage checkpoint were well prepared as usual. Though things became a little more complicated with the re-routing of the trail, over the ice in front of the Ranger station, then across Route 11; the volunteers remained professional and well organized. The kitchen crews had hot nourishment, snacks and drinks ready and waiting for the mushers. They also prepared quiet areas for sleeping quarters and had a separate room for first aid and veterinary needs.
Volunteers monitored the teams’ whereabouts with the information arriving to them via hand-held radios and a laptop computer. A graph was set up with each team’s arrival posted in the respective position.
The team of volunteers here are a dedicated crew. They work hard to keep things well organized and to ensure each member of the racing teams has everything they need. When speaking with any of the mushers, dog handlers and veterinarians, they all speak very highly of northern Maine’s Can Am race, always noting how “helpful and friendly” the volunteers are. They also say they choose to race the Can Am partly because of the volunteers and how “welcomed” they are in the communities involved.
It was by far one of the most pleasurable of races because of the weather, but I most enjoyed seeing Main Street packed with spectators, taking part in this great event within our home communities. Of course we can’t expect such favorable conditions every year, but I sure hope everyone will still get out and experience the Can Am way of life; as it should be. Even if you have to bundle up.
ANDRE LONGCHAMPS of Port Rouge, Quebec, was one of the competitors in the March 6 Irving Woodlands 250 which was part of the 2010 Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Races. Mushers left the starting gate in Fort Kent and completed the race in the early-morning hours of March 8.
CLAUDE BARIL of St. Zenon, Quebec arrives at the Portage checkpoint.
Photo courtesy of Susan Feeney-Hopkins
The Ashland Rotary Club has generously donated $1,500 to Harry Hafford for the purchase of a flagpole as part of the “Avenue of Flags” being planned at the Maine Veteran’s Cemetery in Caribou. The “Avenue of Flags” is a longstanding tradition at veterans’ cemeteries around the country as a way to honor the veterans who are interred within the cemetery. Hafford, who has campaigned tirelessly for our veterans, decided the time has come for the veterans here to have the same honor.
The plan is to have 30 flagpoles erected at the entrance along the driveway near the administrative building, each with a flag representing a veteran who has been laid to rest within the cemetery. The flags to be hung will have been donated by the family of an interred veteran in their honor.
“That is the significant part,” said Hafford, “to honor the vets.”
Ideally, the flags will have actually belonged to the buried soldier for whom they represent, whether they be the original military-issued flag given to the families at burial or purchased by a family member. They will fly “until the wind has destroyed them,” then each flag, once tattered “will be replaced by another and so on,” explained Hafford.
Hafford is hopeful the project will be completed and the first flag will be hung Flag Day, June 14, 2011. He would like to see “all the donators joining together to hoist the first flag” that will then hang until Veterans Day. From that point on, the plan is to have the flags hung from Memorial Day to Veterans Day of each year.
To date, there has been enough funding raised to purchase 14 flagpoles, and Hafford said he is “quite optimistic” he will be able to raise enough for “at least 20” saying “the last 10 will be tougher.” When asked how he does it, Hafford said he will “ask anybody that will listen.” He has been touched by the outpouring of support taking the time to mention that folks are giving him money for the project “without solicitation or participating in fund-raisers.” He tells a story about a man who approached him, unsolicited, in the post office telling him he would like to donate $500. Within several days of the encounter, he “received a check in the mail for $500.” Another man handed him $100 in the post office. Hafford said he most recently received another $1,500 donation from the Caribou Volunteer Fire Department, who had seen the story on the news. Again, unsolicited.
“The people here are kind and generous,” said Hafford.
If you would like to make a donation for the “Avenue of Flags” or would like more information about the project, contact Hafford at 435-6024.
The Ashland Rotary Club has generously donated countless volunteer hours and has provided financial support to many individuals, organizations and the local schools in our area. The men and women who serve as members of the club deserve much praise and accolades for all they do for our community. For groups such as Rotary, their hard work and dedication is sometimes overshadowed by the projects they support, this coverage included. The members do not give of themselves for the recognition. They do it because they have to. It’s who they are – and those in your community and the world are thankful for it! To learn more about the Rotary Clubs/Rotary International, visit www.rotary.org.
HARRY HAFFORD receives a check for $1,500 from Ashland Rotary Club President Janet Jandreau for the purchase of a flagpole in the Maine Veteran’s Cemetery in Caribou for the planned “Avenue of Flags” project.
“The most Who-tastic, non-grinchical party they threw.
The only things missing were Thing 1 and Thing 2.
We started off right with Happy Birthday to You.
And ended our night with fish – some red and some blue.”
On Tuesday, March 2, as schools and libraries throughout the United States celebrated “Read Across America Day” and the birthday of author Theodor (Dr. Seuss) Geisel, so did the families and students of Ashland Central School. With the admission cost of only “one gently-used children’s book” per child, there was a steady stream of attendees for nearly a half-hour before the event was scheduled to start.
With parents and grandparents in chairs and the children sitting quietly on the floor in front, retired kindergarten teacher Sheila Lyons entertained the group with the very-fitting Dr. Seuss book, “Happy Birthday to You.” The students and parents were then divided up into five groups and moved to classrooms to listen to more stories. Guest readers were selected from the five communities that make up the SAD 32 school district – Chris Dorr, Ashland; Bill Leach, Oxbow; Sheila Lyons, Masardis; Michelle Fournier, Garfield; and Rachel Stevens, Portage Lake.
As the groups returned to the gymnasium, they were served punch and pieces of birthday cake. The tasty treat featured a depiction of the United States with “Read Across America” written across it, and several Dr. Seuss’ titles and character names. Once everyone was back in the gym, it was time to settle down for one last story. SAD 32 School Principal Chris Hallett, with a huge stuffed Cat in the Hat at his side, read “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” while the illustrations from the book were displayed on a big screen for all to see. Five lucky students were chosen to receive two new books each, plus with so many books collected at the door, every child was able to take home two “new to them” books.
Helping the children in the book selection process were community volunteers Roy and Heather Clark. Co-sponsored by the Ashland Area PTO and the Barbara Bush Literacy Grant, this was another successful free family night in Ashland.
If you would like to help with future family events, either as a volunteer or a planner, please contact Kim Holmes, Ashland Area PTO president at 435-6043. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ashland Central School. Election of officers for the upcoming year will be held that night.
The Portage Lake Tourism Committee will be hosting its annual Pancake Breakfast at the Town Hall Saturday, March 20 from 7-10 a.m. The menu will include pancakes, sausage and home fries with coffee, tea and juice. The cost will be $5 for adults and $2.50 for children under 10. Toddlers will be admitted free. The servers will be Portage Lake Town Selectmen and the town hall office staff. What a great way to get out and meet your neighbors!
The annual old-fashioned supper will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 20 at the Union Congregational Church in Ashland. All tickets are $10. The dinner will include ham, turkey, baked beans, sides, coffee, tea and dessert.
Susan Feeney-Hopkins is the correspondent for Ashland, Portage Lake, Oxbow, Masardis, Garfield, Nashville Plantation and surrounding townships. She can be reached at 435-8232 or feenhop@aol.com.
