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President’s Report
What a summer! Weather-wise, I heard a lot of to the department employees in attendance, more complaints but given the choices offered this year came than had ever come in years past and the tone across the country, I think we got the better end of of the meeting was one of interest and caring. the stick. Island Liaison Tom Fortier can assist us in finding the proper channels through which to direct our I saw more kids than I have in a long time and a concerns. One good piece of news that came out good many of them took in a lot of swimming at of the meeting is that the HCD funds that were the dock. Even Paul took a plunge on his birthday. awarded to us are being used to purchase a compartmentalized unit which will be placed on an We survived OpSail 2000, which brought enough existing DPW chassis. What that means for us is people viewing the tall ships in Portland to force roadside pickup of recyclables so all of you who the City to close the waterfront to most vehicular have been disgruntled at having to lug everything traffic. Many people avoided going to town during to the Square should be rather pleased by next that time and there are far worse places to exile summer. oneself to for a few days than Cliff Island. Our new teacher Stephanie Villacci has big shoes The Auction was a success, due in large part to to fill but she is no stranger to our island school, auctioneer extraordinaire, Norman Seagrave, and having once been a student of her predecessor. his family. And we have received some great ideas And her eight students had best remember that she for goods/services to be auctioned in 2002. was once the only girl in the school so she can handle just about anything they might be thinking Many thanks to to those responsible for putting on of dishing out! the Variety Show. Judging from the attendance I’d be willing to guess that a lot of people miss having A big part of what makes Cliff Island so special is these more often. all of the little things that get done by volunteers. By volunteers I mean people who do things The island had more than its fair share of without the thought of recognition or recompense. vandalism this summer but hopefully the These are our silent and/or secret heroes (and combination of community awareness and heroines). If you catch (or hear of) any of them willingness to act, with the installation of Libra committing a random act of kindness, take a Cusack as constable, has brought this to a stop. moment to stop and say thanks.
A meeting with City officials went well, although In closing I’d like to say thanks to departing Board many felt it could have been longer since a number members Eleanor Cushing, Cindi Gildard, and of subjects were not brought up. But in all fairness Charlie Merritt for their labors and dedication to 2
the Association.. Please join me in welcoming new +HDUDQG7KHUH Board members Skyler Barden, Bob Howard, Diane Little, Kim McCann, and Diane O’Reilly. Jeff Cusack’s CD Punt went on sale this summer. A complete listing of the Executive Board is on the Tayler Barden played and sang on it, as well as back page of each Seagull, as are dues and ad rates. writing one song and co-writing another, and two of The Executive Board meets at 7:30 p.m. on the the songs were written by Eric Anderson. Give Jeff a second Wednesday of every month with the call, 207-766-2869, or drop him a line, PO Box 100, Cliff Island ME 04019 for more info if you want one. exception of July (General Meeting) and August (Annual Meeting). All Executive Board meetings are open to the public. Inner Green, consisting of Eric Anderson, Heath MacVane, and Nick Lux played a couple May your autumn be pleasant and may the cost of of gigs at The Shady Lady in the Old Port in fuel drop before the cold weather sets in. Portland. Stephanie O'Reilly Villacci and her husband own the establishment. All of Inner Shane Barden, President Green’s songs were written by Eric.
Brooke Marie Anderson was born July12 to Todd and Bonnie Anderson in Salem, MA. She weighed 7 Ibs. 10 oz. A lot of Brooke’s relatives live on Cliff: grandparents Norman and Pam Anderson, Uncle Eric (Anderson), Great Aunt Muriel (Anderson), and Great Uncle Cal
There are eight students in the island school and four that commute to mainland schools.
Julian was born to Victoria and Ben Bernard at 6:15 on June 21. He 8 lb 10 oz, measured 20 1/2 inches and has dark curly hair. Grandparents are John and Artis Bernard.
25 July 2000 - The Argentinean naval training ship Libertad was the first of the OPSail 2000 tall ships to arrive in On June 30 at 8:00 pm., Robert Tucker was born Portland Harbor. She's a frigate - 103m stem to stern with a 14m beam. She was also the largest participant in the event. to Stephanie (Howard-O'Reilly ) and J.J. Villacci. Tucker weighed 9lb 7oz.
Cliff Island grandparents are Bob and Sally Howard. The school is discontinuing the CAMPBELL SOUP LABEL campaign. We thank all of you for your support over the years! Kerry Shedd, daughter of Charles and grandaughter of Ruth and Lincoln, graduated from high school June 10. Ben Potter’s family threw him a 70th birthday bash at the Hall on September 30. Humorist Joe Perham entertained us all. Esther Dyer passed away on June 15. 3
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2ELWXDULHV After moving to Cliff Island almost 70 years ago, she worked as a custodian for the Cliff Island Elementary School, a job that had been in her family for several generations. She retired in 1969 David A. MacVane Sr. and her son, Chester, has taken her place. David A. "Dave" MacVane Sr., 98, of Portland died Sept. 23, 2000, at Devonshire Center for Mrs. Pettengill was a longtime member of the Cliff Assisted Living in Portland. Island Seventh-day Adventist Church.
He was born on Cliff Island, a son of Vivian She enjoyed cooking and needlework. Bickford and James MacVane, and lived most of his life on Cliff Island. He served in the Marines Surviving are two sons, Edwin of Spencer, Okla., from 1919 to 1921. and Chester Pettengill of Cliff Island; a daughter, Mr. MacVane ran a Red & White store on Cliff Louise Estabrook of Freeport; five grandchildren Island in the early 1940s. He turned to lobstering and eight great-grandchildren. after closing the store during World War II. In the winter months he did carpentry. He devoted She occupies one of the last plots in the Cliff himself to the construction of the island's Island Cemetery. Community Hall, which was finished in 1953, and served as constable to the island during the 1950s. His interests included hunting, in his youth, and Ethel A. Davidson sailing the waters off Cliff Island in his later years. He had a great interest in wildlife and nature. Ethel A. Davidson, 86, died Oct. 2, 2000, at the home of her daughter and son-in-law. Surviving are a son, David A. Jr. of South Portland; a daughter, Nancy Roche of Lyme, She was born Feb. 11, 1914, in Braintree, daughter Conn.; a brother, Lloyd, of Portland, and a sister, of Wesley C. and Caroline (Plumpton) Amee. Madelyn Wilson of Portland. She attended schools in Randolph. She was married to Donald G. Davidson on June 12, 1935, His wife, Ellen McLeod MacVane, and an infant in son, Roger, died previously. Randolph. He died in 1995. Surviving are seven grandchildren, three great- grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She and her husband farmed in Royalton and later worked for the Farm Bureau Insurance Co. (now A memorial service will be held later. Nationwide Insurance Co.) in White River Arrangements are by Hay & Peabody Funeral Junction, where she worked in the office until their Home, Portland. retirement in 1975. They resided in Barre, Pomfret, Barnard, Royalton and Randolph. She moved to Julia A. Pettengill Rochester in 1997. Julia A. Pettengill, 93, of Cliff Island died July 6, he was a member of the United Church of 2000, at her home after a lengthy illness. Randolph and past member of the Randolph Grange. She was born in Richmond, a daughter of Howard and Mabel Flaherty Clark, and attended schools She enjoyed gardening, braiding rugs and cooking, there. especially doughnuts. 5
Survivors include a son, Lyle Davidson of Beverly, USM Historian Joel Eastman, who presented us Mass.; a daughter, Phyllis Kidder of Rochester; a with a slide show on the naval history of Casco brother, Alfred Amee of Glastenbury, Conn.; five Bay; another home-grown talent with a global grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and nieces itinerary, Myanna Pontoppidan - she and her band and nephews. serenaded on the Wharf for her Dad, Henning, on his 75th birthday; and the second Peaks Island group, the Sean Mencher Combo, with a spirited evening of diverse music. August brought us the return of Bluegrass specialists The Fogg Brothers, also from Peaks www.cliffisland.com Island; David Mallett, of national renown, came down from Dover-Foxcroft with a long and deep The next best thing to being there. repertoire of classic folk music; and the season ended with a third Cliff Island performance, by Inner Green, with Heath MacVane, Eric Anderson, Check it out for news, info, and photos . and Nick Lux - to our benefit, they were given a night off from their gigs on Stephanie Villacci's Sign up for the e-mail list and get the news as "Dirty Bird" stage in Portland. soon as we do. Two Trustees left the Board in August after a [email protected] couple of terms of active and valuable service. We are grateful to have had the guidance and thoughtfulness (and labours) of Bob Kramer and Bill Luneburg. Stephanie has taken over the A C E Fall Report "permanent" Board position as Teacher; we wish her a long and successful tenure at the Cliff Island Even without a Summer Program Director this School. At about the time ACE was founded year, it was a busy season forACE and the Island. (1977), a very young Stephanie came over to The There was basket-weaving and candle-making and BallField for her first lessons in softball; before another cultural exchange. There was softball, of long now, she will be sending her own Tucker over course, but without "Coach" Jim Colt, who is on there for his first practices... sabbatical leave. The Island's beaches were thoroughly cleaned several times, with the In the next Seagull we hope to report on the participants thoroughly rewarded with Official culmination of a process leading to a second piece EPA Certificates. There were movies on our brand of Cliff Island's traditional community land new overhead projector. There were sailing lessons coming under ACE's stewardship wing. at the Chebeague Sailing School. And there were the Monday Evenings. Meanwhile, have a great Autumn, and may we all spend as much of it on our beautiful Island as This year we were once again blessed with much possible! fine entertainment. We appreciate all the suggestions we receive and are happy with the ones that come to fruition. This July we enjoyed our own famous fiddler, Bonnie Rideout, Reminder: Trash must be placed in the special blue bags and each bag may weigh accompanied by her faithful mother Betty on no more than 30 pounds. Roadside piano; a Klezmer band from Peaks Island, who collection occurs Monday mornings. Please taught us Eastern European Jewish folk music; have your bags out by 8:00 a.m. 6
PTC Report by Libra Cusack The parents and children of Cliff Island School would like to extend a warm welcome to our new teacher, Stephanie Howard-O’Reilly Vallaci. As a teacher, Stephanie is no stranger to the children here. She substituted for a month or so for Earl when he had his hip operation two years ago. I was very impressed with her teaching, organizational, Patience McCann, Clarice & Molly Medrano, Lynn Annis and disciplinary skills. We are very lucky to have her. This year there will be eight children attending the school - up from six last year. Jessica Griffin and Andrew Annis are our new students enrolled in Kindergarten. A big welcome to both of you!! Many thanks to everyone who took the time to sort cans, bottles, and plastic redeemables into the new receptacles at the school. Your effort did not go unnoticed and helped tremendously when it came time to bag and box them to send off island. To everyone who purchased a blanket, t-shirt, bumper sticker, or gave their redeemable cans and bottles to the school: Your generosity has made it Stephanie’s first day as teacher at the island school. feasible for the PTC to buy THREE new computers for the school to replace the very outdated ones there already. The school will then 5REHUW0F&DQQZRQWKHPLQLOREVWHUWUDS have four high-functioning computers - one for LQWKHUDIIOHWKDW(OHDQRUVSRQVRUHGDWWKH every two students. It hardly ever gets any better than that in a school system (unless Governor King 6XJDU6KDFNWKLVVXPPHU3URFHHGV gets his wish of one laptop computer for every 7th EHQHILWHGWKH0HPRULDO)XQG grader in Maine, and I won’t even GO there with my opinion on that!). Contact Marianne Annis or myself to purchase a 3RVWDJH6WDPSV blanket or t-shirt.
5HPHPEHUWRKHOSRXU FRPPXQLW\ E\ EX\LQJ \RXU SRVWDJH VWDPSV IURP WKH &OLII ,VODQG3RVW2IILFH,I\RXFDQ·WEH KHUHLQSHUVRQ\RXFDQSXUFKDVH WKHP E\ PDLO &RQWDFW WKH LVODQG 3RVW 2IILFH IRU PRUH GHWDLOV RU SULQW RXW DQ RUGHU IRUP IURP WKH &OLII,VODQGZHEVLWH Paul MacVane takes his annual birthday plunge. 7 MARY KAY
Judy (Burns) McCormick, longtime Cliff Island summer visitor and Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant, now has her own web site for product information/tips, promotions/ contests, and direct ordering of Mary Kay products: www.mymk.com/jmccormick1. You can also email her through the web site to ask questions and discuss the details of your order. Judy will ship regular postage prepaid by her up to $3.00 per order (extra for special delivery), accepts VISA and Mastercard for immediate shipment, and personal checks with which she'll ship your order upon receipt. She carries a full inventory and will ship orders anywhere in the U.S. for Christmas, birthdays, etc. with standard gift wrapping free of charge. Free samples and catalogs sent upon request.
Judy McCormick 1 Mount Vernon Place Independent Beauty Consultant Chadds Ford, PA 19317 610-388-0545
“Thank You” from )LVKHUPDQ¶V&RYH Chebeague &OLII,VODQG0DLQH On behalf of the Chebeague Parents Association, I would like to thank Carlton Cushing (F/V Eleanor), Earl MacVane (F/V Lady J), and Stewart Norton (F/V Three Sons) for donating lobsters for our July Fisherman's Fair on the Island. The money we made on the lobster rolls will go to support our Pre-School program. As you know the program is not 2QH6WRS)RRG6HUYLFH6XSSOLHUV funded by the state, but by the parents of the 6X]DQQH 5LHWK children attending Pre-School. We rely totally on fund-raisers to keep the cost of the program :,17(5+2856 down. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. I 0RQ :HG 7KXUV )UL 6DW 6XQ DP SP only hope we can return the favor. 0RQ :HG 7KXUV )UL 6DW SP SP Thank you again. &ORVHG 6XQGD\ QLJKW DQG DOO GD\ 7XHVGD\ Sincerely, *52&(5,(6 %((5 :,1( 0$5,1( 6833/,(6 Karen Hamilton 3523$1( *$62/,1( .(526(1( +20(+($7,1* ',(6(/ )8(/ 8
&OLII,VODQG9RO The Variety Show was a big success - standing XQWHHU room only! Many thanks to all organized, set up, performed, and attended. )LUHDQG5HVFXH 'HSDUWPHQW A special thanks to all of the younger people who performed. It’s not always easy to stand before a crowd but they all did a great job! This is going to be a brief report. Not that things are not happening - just the opposite - but things have been a bit hectic lately with the usual seasonal activities and a few added in to make things interesting.
For the third year in a row we will be sending representatives of the Cliff island Fire & Rescue to the Annual EMS Seminar in Rockland. In past years when I have attended it has been always worth it. This year Bob Howard, James Griffin, Ben Bernard, and Dale Dyer will be our representatives. They deserve a big thank you for attending these courses which will result in a better trained department here.
I would also like to welcome Norman MacKone and Steve Little to the Fire Department. They have been attending the Sunday meetings for several The Cliff Island Legs Contest was brought back after weeks now. We will be doing some new training umpteen years and this year’s winner was Norm Seagrave. for the recent recruits as well as the necessary review for all of us.
Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank Alice Carter for the arrangement of flowers she has put at the firehouse. For the last couple of years, Alice has done a wonderful job of keeping the fire station looking more friendly with her gardens. Thank you, Alice. And thank you, Leo, for keeping the weeds back.
Dave Crowley, Fire Chief
Steve Little (with wife Diane) in his dress whites. The Coast Guard considered OpSail 2000 to be a formal affair. 9
A BEACHEAD THANK YOU! Congratulations Hani On Sept 20, Hani recieved the Garden Club of The second Beachead summer has passed. Run- America’s Civic Improvement Award in Des ning the Beachead is a classic example of “the Moines, IA. She was honored for outstanding con- grass is greener on the other side.” By the end of tributions to organizations that enrich the Omaha July, I was frazzled with the incredible business community. the BH was bringing in and wished that it would She has been involved in the developement of the end! But by Labor Day weekend I was sad that it Omaha Botanical Gardens, landscaping at the Sa- was over. I already missed the wonderful patrons cred Hearts School and worked with City Sprouts. and even the frenzy. Go figure! Charlie Merritt was my rock this summer. Having had a summer under his belt already, he exuded 7KHGHDGOLQHIRUWKHZLQWHU6HDJXOOLV confidence and wisdom while working many hours 'HFHPEHU for me. Charlie—thanks! EXWDQ\LWHPIRUWKH6HDJXOOFDQEHVXEPLWWHG Thank you Ann Sharp, Annie Akers, Tori and Alli WRWKHHGLWRU 6KDQH%DUGHQ DWDQ\WLPHLQ Marsh, and Megan Benton for your willingness to SHUVRQRUYLDHPDLORUUHJXODUPDLO work and always with a smile! [email protected] Jack LaRochelle—you are one heck of a worker! I didn’t even know I needed you until you made me Seagull Editor hire you—hah! I look forward to “hiring” you next PO Box 9, Cliff Island, ME 04019 season. And what would I have done without my 3:50 boat BY LAW...... ice cream scoopers-- Cris-Hawk Farrin, Austin Granger, Suzanne Granger and Nick? If I over- If you’re under 21, you need a valid looked anyone, I am sorry. driver’s license to operate a golf cart Paul MacVane—I owe you at least a dozen ice and...... cream cones for all the help you have given me, if you’re a canine, you need to be attached but you never collect! (Watching your waist, I via leash to either a human being or a guess.) stationery object. The Coke Machine began running incredibly well )LQHVWNLQG after one of the MacNamara clan fiddled with it. Was it you, Bob? Wow, whatever you did worked %XVLQHVV2IILFH6HUYLFHV wonders! UHDGLO\DYDLODEOH Finally, I thank my family, Jeff and Taylor. Jeff continued to make Sam’s Club runs for me even &RS\LQJ though I didn’t have a neck brace this summer! )D[ LQDQGRXW And my 11-year-old Taylor single-handedly opened the BH one day when I was ill. Great job, 1RWDU\3XEOLF Taylor! &DOO5RJHU The Beachead will return next summer with some (hopefully) pleasant surprises. I’ve been filing away your suggestions for future use. $//XVHRIWKH+DOO Thank you, EVERYONE, for your patronage and 0867EHVFKHGXOHG support. 3OHDVH FDOO 5XWK 0LVWDUN IRU VFKHGXOLQJ