Rocking ?the night away

Who says rocking chairs are just for the golden years? The Raymond Village Community Church Youth Group and several of their friends rocked the night away from Saturday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. through Sunday morning at 8 a.m. to raise money for two very important community causes. These 14 teens had originally chosen to support the Raymond Food Pantry with part of the proceeds from the rock-a-thon and to hold a food drive as well. However, when they heard the very sad news of the tragic death of one of their former schoolmates, they decided to donate the remainder of the proceeds to the Josh Waldron Scholarship Fund to honor his memory. The students had an extremely successful night gathering four large boxes of food and paper goods and raising more than $870 to support these two causes. The youth group is comprised of students in seventh grade through seniors in high school and is primarily focused on service projects in the surrounding communities and the world as well as having fun together. They welcome anyone to join them in their upcoming projects including serving at the Monday Meals in Windham and Preble Street Resource Center.

Josh Waldron Scholarship Fund

The Waldron family and Carrabassett Valley Academy have established a new scholarship fund to honor Josh Waldron who tragically passed away in January. The scholarship will help assure that bright and talented kids like Josh have the opportunity to attend CVA to reach their athletic and academic goals. CVA will select the annual Josh Waldron Scholar-Athlete based upon applicants who are younger freestyle skiers from Maine who show academic and athletic promise.

If you would like to donate to this fund, please mail your check payable to CVA to Joshua Waldron Scholarship Fund, c/o CVA, 3197 Carrabassett Drive, Carrabassett Valley, ME 04947 or call 237-4471 to make a gift with a credit card. For more information, contact Wendy Darienzzo at wdarienzzo@gocva.com or 237-4471.

Dedication services

The members of the Lake Region Baptist Church recently held their annual business meeting and Outreach Committee meeting in their new kitchenette. The new kitchenette was initially built to better house the Raymond Food Pantry which is open on the second and fourth Thursdays each month. In the process of construction, the church found itself blessed with a beautiful new room for a new sanctuary.

The church already offers Bible studies and Sunday school, and the Outreach Committee met to discuss additional ways to utilize the facility while reaching out to those who live in the area. In addition to hosting an Open House, ideas discussed were holding a family movie night and showing “The Passion of Christ” prior to Easter. The Open House and dedication services will be held on Sunday, April 10, at 10 a.m. and all are invited. For more information, please call the Rev. Barbara D. Adlard at 428-3637.

Library outreach

Speaking of reaching out to the community, the Raymond Village Library has a wonderful program called Outreach for anyone who loves to read but is unable to get to the library for any reason. Simply call the library at 655-4283 and library volunteers will come to you with your chosen books and will collect and return them when you are done with them. This free service is offered in order to help all patrons use the library.

World Arts Day

The students and staff at Raymond Elementary School will be celebrating World Community Arts Day on Thursday, Feb. 17, by devoting the entire day to creating art. World Community Arts Day began as a way to pay tribute to Reg Bolton, an educator, clown, director, actor and writer, by bringing the community and school together through the arts. Fourth-grade teacher Sue Crockett has planned and organized this event, and community members and staff will share their talents with the children throughout the day. Please feel free to stop by and share in this fun day at Raymond Elementary School.

Engagement

Nancylou Stiles of Naples is pleased to announce the engagement of her daughter, Susan Stiles, to Scott Proctor, son of Lawrence and Florence Proctor of Casco. Susan Stiles of Raymond is a graduate of Portland High School and is currently employed with Delhaize America-Hannaford Banner. Scott Proctor of Raymond is a graduate of Lake Region High School and is currently employed with Titan Machine. A summer wedding is planned.

Dr. Seuss night

It is that time of year again; the Raymond Village Library is hosting its annual Dr. Seuss Party on Friday, March 4, at 6:30 p.m. Each year, children of all ages and their parents gather to celebrate the great wordsmith’s birthday and because it has become so popular, the event will be held in the Jordan-Small Middle School gymnasium where there is more space. This party, which is free of charge, will feature games, crafts, storytelling, prizes and lots of fun for everyone, so you will not want to miss it.

Golden Apple Award

Debby Tarr, second-grade teacher at Raymond Elementary School, was recently nominated and selected for the Nassau Broadcasting Golden Apple Award, created to recognize individuals who are dedicated to the intellectual and emotional growth of Maine’s children and young adults. As this month’s winner, Tarr was honored with a certificate of appreciation, dinner at Ricetta’s, flowers from Ann’s Flower Shop and a personal chauffeured limousine ride to and from school, courtesy of Atlantic Limousine. Congratulations to Ms. Tarr for her dedication and commitment to the youth of Maine.

Roadrunners for sale

Did you realize that the Jordan-Small Middle School’s mascot is a roadrunner? In an effort to show our pride, signature clothing has been designed and is for currently for sale with all proceeds benefiting the sixth-grade class. There are a variety of Raymond roadrunner items available including T-shirts, hoodies, flannel pants, sweatpants, duffle bags, ball caps and winter beanie style hats. Most of the items can be personalized for a small additional fee. Not only do the kids love them, but these items make perfect gifts for coaches and teachers. Brochures and order forms are available by contacting Caj MacDonald at 655-4783 or cmacdon3@maine.rr.com. She will also be selling items at the upcoming basketball round robin on March 12 and at the craft fair on March 19, both held at JSMS. This is an ongoing sale with new designs and styles being added.

Community meal

Christ Chapel, located on Northern Pines Road, is hosting this month’s free community meal on Saturday, Feb. 26, from 4:30-6 p.m. and will serve meatloaf, mashed potatoes and vegetables. This meal is free of charge and open to the surrounding communities. For more information, please contact Tammy Gisel at 655-5058.