Town to make movie to mark centennial

EAST MILLINOCKET – Think of it as the town’s ultimate home movie.

Members of a committee organizing the town’s 100th birthday party said this week that they want to edit old photographs, videotapes and home movies of historic town events into a giant compilation video to be displayed during the town’s centennial celebrations in July 2007.

“There is a lot of history here,” centennial committee co-chairwoman Debby Grass said. “I don’t think that people realize how much.”

The photographic materials can be edited together at the local-access TV suite in Millinocket, said Millinocket Town Council Chairman David Nelson. He attended the committee meeting at the town office on Monday also as a representative of Millinocket Regional Hospital, where he is the director of public relations.

Everything from big historical tragedies, such as fires or mill closings, to sporting events such as basketball or football games can be included, committee members said. Films or videos featuring well-known landmarks are also welcomed.

The committee asks residents interested in loaning materials to drop them off at the town office.

The event is tentatively scheduled for July 11-14, 2007. Residents voted at the last town meeting to set aside $10,000 to spend on the centennial celebrations, which are hoped to be a boon to town businesses.

Other ideas under consideration:

. Lining Main Street with 100 American flags as part of a fundraiser. Families or businesses that buy the flags will be commemorated with small plaques that will go with the flags.

. An audiotape history of the town featuring elderly residents. This could be a companion to the town’s home movie or the history being written for the event.

. Gathering names of alumni from local schools to draw former town residents back home for the celebration.

. Running an old-movie night, perhaps on the town green, complete with popcorn that could feature the compilation video.

. A fireworks show, although committee members feared that the expense, more than $2,000, would fail to be justifiable. The town hasn’t had fireworks since the early 1980s.

. A homecoming parade, which the area Chamber of Commerce already has agreed to sponsor and help organize.

. A fun, collaborative effort among residents of East Millinocket, Medway and Millinocket, such as a softball game or a tug of war contest.

Anyone interested in contributing to the event is invited to drop donations at the town office. Checks should be made out to the East Millinocket Centennial Celebration. Anyone interested in joining the committee is asked to attend its next meeting at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at the town office.

Committee co-chairwoman Kelli Williger asked members to display ingenuity and thrift.

“We want to do everything we can to make as much of this free to people as possible,” she said.