Newsletter

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM BELGRADE

WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE CENTER FOR ALL SEASONS????

I know that the Holidays are here and we are all very busy, but always remember to take time out for you and your family to come and enjoy some of our activities.

Kids, we are holding a coloring contest at the Center For all Seasons. Entries are due on December 21st. The contest was handed out through the Belgrade Central Elementary School. So, grab your crayons and show us what you can do. We have first and second place prizes to give away. Who knows, you may be a winner. If you did not receive your holiday coloring page, stop by the Center or pick one up at the Belgrade town office GOOD LUCK!!

For our adults, we will be putting together an adult exercise club on Thursdays at 6 p.m. So grab your sneakers and come share your knowledge with the group, get some good exercise, and meet some wonderful people. We are also trying to start a Women’s Self Defense Course. If this is something that you are interested in give me a call and I will add you to the list. We need to have 20 women signed up to offer this course. It is a 12 week course and cost is $50.00. Learn your options and become more aware of your abilities. For all you parents that may be waiting. A couple of slots just opened up in the After School Education Program. This program is a Tuesday thru Friday program. The kids come in and get a snack, get help with their homework, participate in sports clinics, make different crafts and learn about wild life and environmental issues. All for $5.00 a day!! If this sounds like the program for your son or daughter, give me a call. Golden Pond Realty has just held their Annual Blood Drive at the Center For All Seasons and it was very successful. If your organization would like to hold your annual event at the Center, give me a call and reserve your space today. If it is rental space that you are in need of we can accommodate your needs. The Winter Carnival sponsored by the Belgrade Lakes Business Group is approaching us. The carnival will be held once again at the center on February 16. Watch for their schedule of events. For all you seniors that love to take trips, our next trip will be to a flower show. If you have any ideas, let us know! We went to the Bangor Garden Show last year. Is there somewhere else you would like to check out this year? Give us a call at 207 495-3481 if there is no answer leave a message.

Before closing, I would like to thank the many volunteers that help us out a the Center. If you see Ray Hutchinson, Sue Feather, Jean Dalton, Lori Murphy, B.J. Howard Miriam Ladd, or Katie Lemelin give them a special thank you. These individuals help out on a weekly basis and have gone way above the call of community involvement. Keep up the great work.

MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR FROM THE CENTER FOR ALL SEASONS

BELGRADE LAKES REGION INC.

Overall, it was a successful and busy season for the region. The information booth was open for a total of 81 days this year and assisted 1738 visitors representing 34 states and 10 foreign countries. This is up from last year’s figure of 1278 visitors. Naturally, none of this would be possible if it were not for the many hours generously donated by the association’s volunteers. In total there were 425 hours of time volunteered at the booth. All the volunteers were honored on October 7 at a pot luck dinner hosted by Doug and Candee McCafferty of Whisperwood Lodge and Cottages. Individuals donating the greatest amount of hours were Dick Skeel (66), Frank Mitchell (60) and Ray Weingardner (40). It is the combined efforts of everyone that has made this a great year-even if only a few minutes.

The association has undergone some changes this year, which we believe will only improve it. Starting this year, the membership was expanded to include business members instead of just accommodations. Our new brochure is in the making steered by a committee composed of four members from each segment. This should create some fresh ideas for the region. If you want to be part of this years brochure, there may still be time. Also in the works is a web site being designed by MaineExchange.com which members may be part of with a link to their own site. This will be a great tool for getting our region out there in the minds of people looking to travel.

It will be a quiet winter for many of us but already we are thinking of the 2002 season. Anyone interested in joining the association or volunteering for the information booth should contact Sylvia Amon at 495-3509

To all of you volunteers WE NEED YOU AND WE THANK YOU ALL!!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL FROM THE BELGRADE LAKES REGION INC.

NEWS FROM OUR HEALTH OFFICER, LOIS DORAN

Information regarding flu vaccine for this winter. The Health Center and also the Bureau of Health is recommending the flue vaccine for the following high risk groups: Residents who are 65 years old and over. Residents who have diabetes, heart disease, asthma or other chronic lung problems and who are immuno-suppressed or women in their 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy.

All other residents who wish to be vaccinated should be able to do so by late December or early January. Please call the Health Center at 495-3323 to make an appointment.

Facts on Anthrax given by the Department of Human Services. Anthrax is most common in agricultural regions where it occurs in animals and will occur in humans exposed to infected animals or their products. Anthrax has occurred only in wild livestock in the United States. Anthrax infection can occur in three forms: cutaneous (skin), inhalation and gastrointestinal. The anthrax spores can live in the soil for many years and humans can become infected by handling products from infected animals or by inhaling anthrax spores from contaminated animal products. Anthrax can also be spread by eating undercooked meat from infected animals. However, it is vary rare to find infected animals in the United States. The symptoms of anthrax vary depending on how the disease was contracted, but symptoms usually occur within 7 days. Cutaneous: Most anthrax infections occur when the bacterium enters a cut or abrasion on the skin. Skin infection begins as a raised itchy bump that resembles an insect bite but within 1-2 days develops into a painless ulcer with a characteristic black area in the center. Lymph glands in the adjacent area may swell. Deaths are rare with appropriate antibiotic therapy.

Inhalation of anthrax: Initial symptoms may resemble a common cold. After several days, the symptoms may progress to severe breathing problems and shock. Inhalation anthrax is usually fatal.

Intestinal : The intestinal disease form of anthrax may follow the consumption of contaminated meat and is characterized by an acute inflammation of the intestinal tract. Initial signs of nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, fever are followed by abdominal pain, vomiting of blood and severe diarrhea. Anthrax can be found globally but it is more common in countries without veterinary public health programs. Certain regions of the world (South and Central America, Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and the Middle East) report more anthrax in animals than others. Direct person-to-person spread of anthrax is extremely unlikely to occur. All of these concerns have been raised due to some letters that have been sent containing anthrax spores to various people in the U.S. Maine has had a number of hoaxes but no evidence of anthrax spores. The Postal Service is using many new methods to make sure that our mail is safe. Hopefully, this use of biological warfare is being controlled and we can resume some level of normalcy when we receive and open our mail

Respectfully Submitted: Lois Doran, Belgrade Health Officer

BELGRADE LIBRARY NEWS

We have passed our one year anniversary with solid achievements-a room full of good book, procedures in place, and over 3,000 circulations. Much credit is due to Librarian Melanie Coombs. Whose energy, personality, and professional skill made the Library a welcoming place for patrons. She got us off to a great start. New book and magazine racks have stretched the physical limits of the library space. We cannot offer everything our patrons need, but we will try to respond with Interlibrary Loans from other libraries. We will also concentrate on the subjects you care about, like current fiction, the environment, the best non-fiction and Maine-related books. Melanie has left the Belgrade job, but volunteers are keeping the library open until we have a new Librarian. Please use the suggestion box for titles or other things you want us to know or do for you, including your phone number if you wish to volunteer. Laura Palange Romano will be helping to gather a Friends of the Library group; we welcome her help.

OUR WINTER HOURS ARE TUESDAY AND THURSDAY NOON TO 7 P.M.; WE ARE NOT OPEN ON SATURDAY. THESE HOURS PROBABLY WILL CHANGE ONCE THE NEW LIBRARIAN STARTS WORK

BELGRADE FIRE AND RESCUE

The week of Oct 6th was fire prevention week. During this time Belgrade Fire, Rescue and Junior Fire donated over 236-man hours to the education of our children on fire safety. This was done at Belgrade Central School and local day care centers. Many thanks to all. The Christmas season is upon us. Please ensure that all lights are tested before being put up. Keep all trees well watered on a daily basis. Also keep them away from any source of heat. Let’s keep this a safe and Merry Christmas for all. Wood stoves and portable heaters: Be sure and keep the area around them clear of any combustibles. (Mittens, hats, etc.)

We would like to take a moment to welcome Doug Sawyer to the Dept. As our newest firefighter. And to welcome Brian Bangs to Rescue as our newest EMT. Congratulations to you both. Belgrade Fire meets the first and third Monday of the month for training. Belgrade Rescue meets the Second Tuesday of the month. Belgrade Junior Fire (ages 13 to 17) meet the second and fourth Sunday of the month.

• Fire Calls 5
• Trainings 5
• Control Burns 1
• Rescue Calls 31
• Rescue Training 2 @ 64 man hours
• Junior Training 4

NEWS FROM THE LAND USE ORDINANCE STEERING COMMITTEE

Our committee has been holding a series of neighborhood meetings-we’re looking for your input and ideas. If you have been unable to attend previously, mark your calendar for Monday, January 14th, 7 P.M. at the North Belgrade Community Center. Although we’ll focus that night on North Belgrade and the East Great Pond, Salmon & McGrath Pond watersheds, we welcome input from everyone in the community at each meeting. The central principle of our group has been protecting lake quality, as the economic health of our town depends on it. Our tax base relies heavily on waterfront properties. If those property values fall (as they will if water quality declines) those tax dollars will have to be made up by inland property owners, or town service reductions. We all have a part to play, since the rain that falls anywhere in town flows down to one of the lakes. As important as water quality is though, it’s only part of the picture. The larger question is: since we are growing as a town, how do we regulate future development to preserve those things that make our town a great place to live?

UPDATES AND INFORMATION FROM TOWN MANAGER KATIE FARRIN

As you can see, most of the road signs have been placed in support of the E-911 street naming and numbering system. This project has been underway for more than six years now, and has taken an enormous amount of volunteer hours to accomplish. Please remember that this is a Federally mandated project. The guidelines that the Town of Belgrade is following are created for the protection of all citizens in times of emergency. The committee is working at this time to coordinate information for personal addressing purposes.

This holiday season finds us surrounded by new emotions brought forth by the events of the fall. A few months ago we were reminded that all we hold precious can be whisked away with the stroke of a hand dealt by individuals whose madness most of us cannot comprehend. While the first impulse is to say that we are not going to let these people change our way of life...they have. We are all dealing with this event differently. Some of us are not making any outward changes in the way we move through our day; while others are taking precaution after precaution. The important element here is that we all realize that our friends and neighbors must be allowed to achieve their own level of comfort. Be patient with each other. Normal behavior may be changed by feelings that are hid behind a tranquil façade. Under ordinary conditions, holidays can be stressful for many people. We are definitely not experiencing a normal season this year.

Please take care of those flags that are still out in the weather. If you know that we are due for a storm, please protect your flag. If it becomes necessary to keep your flag indoors for a period of time, remember this: THE MOST IMPORTANT FLAG YOU HAVE IS THE ONE WAVING IN YOUR HEART.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

KATIE

SELECTPERSONS CORNER

Selectpersons meetings every first and third Tuesday of the month 7 P.M. Town Office.

For those of you who would like to have something on an Agenda please have the information to the office not later than Thursday afternoon so that the Secretary (Mary) may have the information ready for the Selectpersons in a timely manner.

Thank you

Planning Board meetings every first and third Thursday of the month 7 P.M. Town Office.

Code Enforcement Officer, Gary Fuller is here on Thursday evenings from 5 -7 P.M.

CALANDER OF EVENTS