Mapleton Lions Club preparing
for Memorial Day ceremony
MAPLETON NEWS
The Mapleton Lions Club will host the annual Memorial Day Parade this coming Monday at 2 p.m. Following the parade, the Mapleton Lions Club, with the assistance of local veterans’ organizations, will honor all who served in our nation’s Armed Forces. A special remembrance ceremony will take place for those who sacrificed all to preserve this nation’s freedom near the flagpole in front of Mapleton Elementary School. This year’s featured speaker will be State Rep. Mike Willette (D-Presque Isle) who has sponsored state legislation on behalf of veterans. All veterans are welcome to attend this special recognition.
Organizations, businesses and individuals who wish to participate in the parade should contact Lion Steve Hanning (764-5170) to reserve a spot in the afternoon parade.
THIS PAST SATURDAY, members of the Mapleton Lions Club worked preparing the memorial site before the Memorial Day weekend. They spent time painting the flagpoles and cleaning the monuments in front of the Mapleton Elementary School. Pictured on the scissor lift platform is Lion Steve Hanning, while working at the bottom is Lion Wes Buck. Two other Lions volunteering their time but not photographed were Dennis Hoffses and Dale McHatten. The club would like to thank Buck Construction for the loan of the scissor lift platform used in painting and repairing the flagpoles at the veterans memorial.
Birthday wishes this week go out to Bill Parker, Courtney Hoffses, Tom Steeves, Galen Kennedy Sr., Brayden Boulier, Jeannie Wilcox, Erin Frost, Adam Beals, Joseph Bushey, Andrew Paterson and Woody Garland.
Happy Anniversary wishes to Wayne and Jill Ireland on the 28th, and Graydon and Shirley Dougherty and Mark and Judy Ireland on the 30th.
Senior citizen news
The Mapleton, Chapman, and Castle Hill senior citizens will hold a special meeting Monday, June 7 at 11:30 a.m. at Maple Tree Estates to discuss the future of the club. A potluck lunch will be served. If you have any interest in seeing this club continue to meet, current and any potential new members are encouraged to attend.
The Mapleton Elementary School faculty, staff and students honor their amazing group of dedicated volunteers with a special ceremony at the end of each year. This year, the celebration was held May 20. Each class performed their own personalized tribute to thank the volunteers who have helped out at MES during the year, including songs and skits. All volunteers recognized received a gift bag decorated by the students. Included in this year’s bags were SAD 1 note pads, pencils, stickers, SAD 1 School Farm gift certificates, notes written by the students and chocolate kisses. Thank you, MES volunteers! Your love and dedication for the school and its students do not go unnoticed!
As the school year winds down, students and faculty at Mapleton Elementary are gearing up for their year-end celebrations. If you have children, or even grandchildren, nieces or nephews, you may want to mark your calendar for the following events.
On Thursday, May 27 and Friday, May 28, the third-grade classes will each be presenting a patriotic musical program at 1 p.m. and 9 a.m., respectively. Contact the school for specific class dates and times.
The annual school-wide “Fun Day” will be held Wednesday, June 2 with a rain date of June 3. On June 3, the morning Pre-K class will be celebrating their graduation ceremony at 9 a.m. in the cafeteria. The afternoon Pre-K class will be graduating the same day at 1 p.m. The fifth-grade classes will be holding their graduation and awards assembly at 9 a.m. June 4 in the cafeteria.
Students will have an opportunity to visit their new teachers and classrooms for next year during “Step-Up Day” which is celebrated June 7, the last day of school. This is also an early release day for Mapleton Elementary. School will be dismissed at 1:30 p.m.
This spring, grades 1, 3 and 4 at Mapleton Elementary School had the privilege of attending a tour at the Francis Malcolm Science Center in Easton. On May 21, the two first-grade classes enjoyed two programs and a picnic lunch at the center. Larry Berz, planetarium director and astronomy educator, led one session in what he called the “Bubble Room.” His fun and energetic approach to learning various aspects of space made the experience very enjoyable for the students – and adults! He sang space-related songs with kid friendly hand motions, including the “Rotate” song to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat,” which helped the students understand that the Earth rotates to create day and night. Also during the hour-long presentation, he explained the difference between stars and planets and the students enjoyed viewing an educational film on the dome of the “Bubble Room” learning about constellations and planets in the form of an interactive crossword puzzle.
Vaughn Martin, the science and nature educator at the center, led the second program, focusing on seeds. He read the story “All About Seeds” and showed the students samples of various seeds, including the largest known seed in the world, the coconut. All students received a bag of seeds to compare, studying the size, shape and textures of each. Martin explained how seeds wear a coat, similar to the coats the students would put on to protect themselves from the weather. He, too, used fun analogies and silly hand motions to help the students learn how seeds travel. The students in both classes had the opportunity to plant their own zinnia seeds in a small container to take home. At the conclusion of the seed program, Martin briefly introduced the students to the center’s touch tank full of ocean creatures. He showed the students several different types of ocean life including a starfish, sea urchin, hermit crab, clam, oyster, horseshoe crab and a lobster. If you asked any of the students, the highlights would certainly include the clam squirting water at everyone and the lobster “winking” at them!
Numerous parents attended the tour, along with first-grade teacher, Lynne Brabant; substitute teacher for Rebecca Langille, Chelsea Kaiser; Ed Tech Shelly Brown, and Mrs. Brabant’s classroom helper for the day, fifth-grade student, Mary Shaw.
The Caring Area Neighbors for Cancer Education and Recovery (C.A.N.C.E.R.) Golf Tournament will be held Saturday, June 5, with a rain date of Sunday, June 6 at the Presque Isle Country Club. Registration begins at 8 a.m. with a shotgun start at 9 a.m.
Anyone interested in assisting this group of local volunteers raise funds for our neighbors in treatment for cancer, while spending a wonderful day on the golf course, is encouraged to register and reserve a cart by calling the PICC at 764-0430. The four-person format will have gross and net prizes for both men and women. The $200 entry fee includes 18 holes of golf, games with prizes, team mulligan, hot dogs, soda, and water. Hole number 8 will offer a $10,000 hole-in-one prize. The other par 3 holes will offer auxiliary prizes for a hole-in-one. Each team must have a minimum handicap of 40. Registration forms are now available at the Presque Isle Country Club by stopping by or by calling 764-0430. Please make checks payable to C.A.N.C.E.R. and return to the PICC before Monday, May 31. All profits from the tournament stay here in Aroostook County, where “we are neighbors helping neighbors.”
The United Methodist Church will be hosting its weekly luncheon Friday, May 28 at 11:30 a.m. All are welcome to attend.
The Mapleton United Methodist Church will host its weekly family night at the church Friday, May 28 at 6:30 p.m. Come enjoy a free night of family entertainment!
Jennifer Buzza is the correspondent for Mapleton, Castle Hill and Chapman. She can be reached at 760-9115, or by e-mail at jbuzza@ainop.com.
