Habitat for Humanity opens doors for Wade family

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Home is certainly where the heart is, especially when it is one built with love by people whose purpose is help those in need.

And when you have such a deserving partner as Brenda Helton, you recognize this home will not only be built with love, it will be filled with love.

Aroostook County Habitat for Humanity is about to build its third home in Wade.

The new building will be its first four-bedroom project.

The chapter’s Habitat for Humanity partner in this project is Helton, a 60-year-old grandmother who has adopted her five grandchildren.

According to Habitat member Nadiene Brewer, construction on the house “will begin as soon as the ground is ready.”

It is obvious chapter members are eager for this project to begin, because of their great respect for Helton.

“We are so very proud of her,” Brewer said of the woman who is shouldering such an incredible responsibility.

It is hoped the new home construction will get off to a good start, but that depends on the site.

“We have to prepare some of the ground,” Brewer said, “but we don’t know if it has ledge or not.”

When the work is complete, however, what a wonderful day it will be for everyone in Wade when the welcome mat goes out at the Helton home.

Aroostook County Habitat for Humanity has been organized for about 11 years.

A member of the international, nonprofit organization whose mission is to build and renovate simple, decent and affordable housing in partnership with needy families, Habitat for Humanity sells the homes it builds to those partner families at no profit, through zero-interest loans.

The payments are then recycled into a local Fund for Humanity to build more homes.

And while the Aroostook chapter of Habitat for Humanity is “close to its goal” in raising funds for this house, there is still more money to be raised, and you can help.

The annual Aroostook County Habitat for Humanity Easter Weekend Walk is 7-9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 30, in the Aroostook Centre Mall.

Brewer said participants include not only individuals who have collected pledges to support the work of Habitat for Humanity, but also church groups and scouts.

If you are interested in participating in this event, you are welcome to do so.

If you cannot, but would like to make a donation of money for the walk, or offer assistance in the form of services or materials to help build the house, call Brewer at 769-5831.

For information about the work of Aroostook County Habitat for Humanity, write the organization at 79 Fleetwood St., P.O. Box 992, Presque Isle 04769.

Joan Leavitt, secretary of SAD 48 Music Boosters, invites the public to attend the Maine State Instrumental Junior High Jazz Festival beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, March 23, at Nokomis Regional High School in Newport.

Leavitt reports that the daylong event will bring together more than “32 different junior high school and middle school” groups from all parts of Maine to compete in three divisions.

“Group and individual awards are given in each division at the end of the competition,” she explained. “It is an exciting day for hundreds of music students.”

Some of them, she added, “are even experiencing statewide competition for the first time.”

In addition to the groups’ performances, Northern Kingdom Music will conduct improvisation clinics for the students.

You are encouraged to spend the day, if you wish, listening to excellent jazz music.

Plans are well under way for Sherman VFW Veterans Week 2002 from July 20 to 26 at Katahdin Elementary School in Sherman Station, but money still needs to be raised, participants are still being sought and volunteers are still needed to sign up to help out at the event.

Auxiliary president Janice Charette hopes for a good turnout for two dinners the groups are sponsoring to help in the fund raising for this event, which features the Traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial, known as The Moving Wall.

The first event is an all-you-can-eat bean supper set for 4-6 p.m. Saturday, March 23, at the VFW Hall in Sherman Station. The cost of the meal is $5 per person, but any donation you can make above that amount would be greatly appreciated.

The second event is a public Easter dinner set for 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, March 31, at the same site. The cost for the “ham and all the fixings you can eat,” according to Charette, is $6 per person.

Charette said that while many groups are confirmed for participation in Veterans Week, the sponsors need bagpipers and, most especially, a 100-foot crane to support the VFW’s 30-by-60 foot POW flag the group wants to display.

“It weighs 100 pounds and it is one-of-a-kind,” Charette said.

The sponsors also need meals provided by organizations that would be open to the public and through which the host organization would financially benefit.

Charette emphasized such meals are needed to help feed all the people “who come to see The Wall.”

If you can help support this project financially, write a check or money order for The Wall Fund and mail it to Janice Charette, P.O. Box 87, Sherman Station 04777, or send it to Legion post Cmdr. Wayne Guiggey, Sherman VFW Post, 68 North St., Sherman Mills 04776.

If you want to volunteer, or participate in the event, call Charette, 365-4858, or Guiggey, 365-4832.

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.