An odd week

First of all, we welcomed the first day of spring with yet another blanket of snow. I will say that this storm was acceptable since it was not sufficient to plow, but was enough to cover up all of those ugly snow banks. Maybe the end of this long winter is finally in sight.

Everyone I run in to is sick with this incredibly weird viral strain that causes dizziness, vertigo, fevers and chills, coughs and sore throats. I am quite sure that I can thank Barbara McDonough, our Naples town secretary for passing this nasty illness on to me.

Last week the Naples Planning Board took a “road trip” to Saco to participate in a Maine Municipal Association training session for local planning boards and boards of appeals. We met at the Town Office at 4 p.m. and as we all piled in to Kevin Rogers brother’s new Yukon (sorry Kevin, I forgot that we not supposed to tell your brother Darin that we borrowed it) Barbara and I ended up in the way back, so we were able to exchange germs on a one-to-one basis.

Almost the entire board was in attendance. We had Kevin Rogers (chauffer), Anthony Longley, Mark Clements, McDonough, me and the “Energizer Bunny,” Florence Mayberry. I believe it was after 11 p.m. when we all got home.

I cannot emphasize enough how seriously our board members take their responsibilities. Keep in mind that although these are elected positions, they are all volunteers and after many hours of working at their real jobs, still find the time to educate themselves and work very hard to serve this town in the best and most prudent possible way, working with our existing ordinances, while putting in many extra hours and effort that you do not see on Lake Region TV.

Spring in print

I know that the calendar said that March 20 was the first day of spring, but I am still not feeling “spring fever” how about you? I hear a roaring crowd saying NFW. I will leave it at that.

I do have something that should make you “think spring.” Did you know there are 46 species of wild orchids in Maine? When Bethel resident Michael Hicks discovered that, he set out to locate and photograph every one of them. The results of his search will be the topic of “Wild Orchids in Maine: Rare Flowers in our Backyard,” at the Naples Public Library Wednesday, April 16 at 7 p.m.

Hicks will narrate this photographic slide show in the Gathering Room at the Naples Public Library. The event is free and open to the public, so put down your snow shovels and roof rakes and join us for this fascinating look towards spring. For more information please contact the library at 693-6841 or visit the library’s Web site at www.naples.lib.me.us.

While we are on the subject of the library, I would like to let you know that Dan Craffey, owner of Moose Landing Marina in Naples, recently made a very generous $1,000 donation to the Naples Public Library. The donation, which was made on behalf of all employees at Moose Landing, will be used for children’s and young adult programming at the library. This is yet another example of the caring and generosity that exists within our community. Thanks to Dan and the entire crew at Moose Landing.

On display

We have a budding artist in our midst. On Saturday, March 8, Kiersten Eldridge was one of 137 students to receive a certificate at the Portland Museum of Art during Youth Art Month.

Eldridge is a seventh-grader at Lake Region Middle School in Naples. Her art teacher is Molly Mains. Students in grades K-12 from all around Maine came to the museum to be honored for their outstanding artwork. Youth Art Month has been observed nationally and locally during March for 29 years. You can view her artwork as well as the entire student exhibition at the Portland Museum of Art through the end of March.

Raise a fork

The Lake Region Middle School National Junior Honor Society is going to host a pancake breakfast Saturday, April 5 from 7-11 a.m. at Songo Locks Elementary School in Naples. Tickets are $5 per person or $20 per family. For more information, please contact Kelly Fowler at 615-1864.

Local winners

The winners for the March 8-14 drawings of the Lake Region High School Project Graduation 2008 March Madness Calendar are:

• March 8 – Jeff Hall (The Flower Pot, Speedy Stop – Raymond)

• March 9 – Evan Varney (Main Street Variety, Butcher’s Seafood)

• March 10 – Greg Watkins (Black Horse Tavern, Speedy Stop – Raymond)

• March 11 – Kevin Rogers (Lake Region House of Pizza, Studio 324)

• March 12 – Trish Shaw (Trailside Restaurant, Tanorama Windham)

• March 13 – Harvey Toews (Bridgton Subway, Colonial Mast Pool)

• March 14 – Diane LaPierre (The Commons, Sunsports)

Tickets are still available at Norway Savings Bank in Naples, Coldwell Banker Lakes Region Properties in Naples and at Lake Region High School. Tickets are one for $3, two for $5 and five for $10.

Also, Lake Region High School Project Graduation is looking to help you clean out your yard this spring. We are collecting junk cars. If you have a junk car you would like to donate to a great cause, contact Connie Eldridge at 693-7298.

Enjoy this first week of spring and stay healthy! As always, if you have ideas or information you would like to share, I am always happy to hear from you.