Group planting ‘seeds of pride’ in Katahdin area

Seeds, seeds and more seeds. That’s one simple way you can help the 8,000 people in the three-town Katahdin Region adversely affected by the bankruptcy of Great Northern Paper Co., which resulted in the loss of 1,200 jobs for area residents.

Barbara Waters of Millinocket is a member of the Vision Subcommittee, one of eight committees of the Katahdin Region Vision Committee.

She describes KRVC as “an all-volunteer group of approximately 150 people” that was formed last fall to work “on many aspects of the area’s vision for the future,” such as “finding jobs, luring businesses and manufacturers to the area, and combining municipal and school operations where feasible,” along with many other possibilities.

Her subcommittee, however, came up with a terrific idea that will immediately and literally bear fruit.

One of the objectives of the Vision Subcommittee, she explained, is “rejuvenating the pride of the people of the Katahdin Region.”

And one way that committee believes this can be accomplished is by requesting major seed companies to donate one packet of flower seeds to the subcommittee.

“These packets will be stamped with the words, ‘Growing Katahdin Pride,’ and will be distributed this spring to residents of the area,” Waters wrote.

And, she told me this week, she has already received one very special response.

“I have already written a personal thank you note” to representatives of Johnny’s Selected Seeds of Winslow, she told me, “for their contribution of 127 packets of seeds” and, for which, the committee is extremely grateful.

Letters have gone out to other major growers but, Waters pointed out, “response may be limited, since many seed companies make only one major donation to a single charity.”

And that is why the Vision Subcommittee “is hopeful citizens of Maine, as well as Maine businesses” that are in “a position do to do so, will step up and help out by contributing at least one packet of seeds,” either harvested from their own gardens or recently purchased.

“A favorable response from citizens and businesses from across Maine would truly help the region to watch Katahdin Pride Grow,” Waters added.

The committee is also writing the governors of all 50 states, asking them to send a packet of flower seeds representative of their states.

Flower seeds, of course, will help brighten up the surroundings in the greater Katahdin Region, but vegetable seeds will help feed those who “are living with the dramatic economic and personal upheaval” created by the GNP bankruptcy, Waters said.

All seed donations need to be received no later than mid-March or early April, she added, and can be mailed to Barbara Waters, 202A Penobscot Ave., Millinocket 04462.

For more information, call her at 723-4828, or email waters@kai.net.

Planting the seeds of pride: That’s what this group of determined individuals wants to do, and what an easy way they have come up with for all of us to help them accomplish that goal.

Everybody gearing up to cheer on those fearless fund-raisers who dare to participate in the 4th annual North American Polar Bear Dip at noon Friday at Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point Reservation just might want to check out the column written today by my colleague John Holyoke.

John assures me he’ll have an update on who is braving the frigid waters of Passamaquoddy Bay to help Washington County Community College in Machias raise money for Ronald McDonald House of Bangor.

According to him, you can add another name to the list, one I believe you can truly call “a good sport!”

Exeter Historical Society 2004 historical calendars are available for $7.50 each at the Exeter Town Office or at Exeter Variety.

They are also available through the EHS, for an additional $2 shipping charge, or by calling Deanna Wetzler, 379-2449, or Stewart Bean, 285-7903.

You can order them by making a check out to Exeter Historical Society and sending it to EHS, P.O. Box 141, Exeter 04435-0141.

Through the same contacts, two designs of souvenir place mats, laminated and washable, are also available for $3.50 each plus a shipping charge of $1.50.

It should also be noted that EHS members are already planning their spring rummage-bake sale for next June.

If you have items to donate, call Wetzler or Bean, or write the EHS at the above address.

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