Mapleton Lions Club President Rick Fowler named Lloyd Archer the Lion of the Year for 2024.
In his Jan. 6 presentation, he listed Archer’s many activities and projects that he worked on, including the repair and upgrade of the Mapleton Lions Community Hall to make it more usable by hall renters.
He also helped repair and hang the holiday street lighting, worked on a project to honor outstanding club members and assisted in the stocking of the Community Food Closet.
In his early years of membership, Archer served three years as president of the Mapleton Lions Club.
(Courtesy of Terry Sandusky)
2024 projects
The Mapleton Lions Club recently reviewed achievements for 2024. Among them was the club’s successful expansion of the holiday street lights, bringing the number from 33 to 44. This was made possible with the many community sponsorships, light dedications and donations.
The club also continued support of the Quoddy Jo Ski Center’s youth ski programs, hosted the annual Memorial Day Parade and Remembrance Service in May and worked with the towns to cover costs of community tennis court repairs and upgrades.
The club has a concern for folks who have fallen on hard times. Eyeglasses and examinations have continued to be purchased for low-income individuals. The club continues to hold fundraising events for families with substantial medical conditions and has been stocking the Community Food Closet. Lions encourage the community to join in and add dry food goods to the closet.
For a more in-depth review, watch for the Mapleton, Castle Hill and Chapman Town Report in March for the club’s annual report to the community.
The largest project for the future results from a nearly 6-acre land donation to the club by the Willard C. Doyen and Sons Family Farms. The land is next to the Mapleton Community Recreation area, where the club constructed the original Lions Club Community Swimming Pool in 1973-74.
The club envisions the future development of several recreation areas and activities on the site, including a lighted multipurpose sports field that could host youth T-ball, Little League and women’s slow pitch softball. The field will be dedicated in honor of Willard C. Doyen.
Community input is needed. The club asks residents to weigh in on their priorities for new recreational opportunities to be developed at the site. Everyone is invited to go to the Mapleton Lions Club Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/mapletonlionsclub/) to answer the one-question survey.
The survey presents these ideas: expanded parking at the recreation area, a full-size soccer field convertible to other uses, basketball nets, walking trail, pavilion, cornhole and/or horseshoe pits, badminton courts, and “other,” where people can share their own ideas.
If you are unable to complete this survey online, mail your suggestions to: Mapleton Lions Club, P.O. Box 405, Mapleton, ME 04757. The club appreciates the support and interest of community as they develop the site.
New deadlines
Please submit any news items to me by Wednesday each week in order to publish the information in the following week’s edition of The County. My email and phone number listed below will remain unchanged for the time being. Please feel free to contact me at any time with any questions about the column.
Terry Sandusky is the Star-Herald correspondent for Mapleton, Chapman and Castle Hill and can be reached at 764-4916 or at starherald.Tsandusky@gmail.com.
