10 years of healing Circle of Tapawingo helps children overcome bereavement of loved ones; hopes others will join effort Page 2A
Cup reclaimed
Inside News
Fryeburg Academy makes a big defensive stand in the final minute to beat Lake Region in football
Calendar . . . . . . . 7D-8D
Page 1C
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 4D Country Living . . . 2B-5B Directory . . . . . . . . . . 3D Obituaries . . . . . . 6D-7D Opinions 1D-2D, 5D, 7D Police/Court . . . . . . . . 6A Sports . . . . . . . . . 1C-8C Student News . . . . . . 7C Towns . . . . . . . . . 6B-7B Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 4D
www.bridgton.com Vol. 142, No. 36
Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. 32 PAGES - 4 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
September 8, 2011
(USPS 065-020)
SIXTY CENTS
Pasture for his ‘buddies’
Schott developing Casco horse farm
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — One Maine resident savors his boyhood memories of swimming in Pleasant Lake at his dad’s summer home. He remembers fondly gazing across the water at the shore of a boys’ camp, where so much activity was taking place. Since 2005, George Schott has owned that property where the boys’ camp operated from the 1940s to as recently as two years ago. There, on Mayberry Hill Road, he plans to build his own retirement home facing Pleasant Lake, and to provide a space for 10 to 20 of his personal horses. “They’re my buddies,” he said. “As a kid, my sister had a horse, and I learned to ride. From there, I’ve had them all my life.” “They call them a ‘noble creature,’ but horses have their own characteristics and personality,” Schott said, adding that Golden Retrievers are also part of the family and, “everyone hangs out together and has a good day” where he lives in
Greene. He has owned a horse farm in Greene since 1981. Recently, Casco residents, who drive Mayberry Hill Road, have noticed that the landscape of the camp has changed as the parcel transitions from lawn and trees to a future pasture for horses. “The brisk pace has been to beat the weather and get the vegetation down,” Schott said. Currently, work crews are planting timothy hay and clover mix to appease his equines. Prior to clearing the land, Schott talked with his abutting neighbors as well as the town’s code enforcement officer. One abutting neighbor, who declined to have her name in The Bridgton News, said Schott came to her home and was forthcoming about his plans for the land. She thought he would be a good neighbor. Not only did she like that the cleared trees along Mayberry Hill Road would provide a better line-of-sight for drivers, she was also impressed that Schott stopped by and discussed the future use of his property with
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — Ron Shaw Jr. said talking about the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, still brings up the raw emotions of anger and sorrow. “It is a bad pain,” Shaw said this week. “It was a terrible day. I didn’t know anyone who died there. But, it seems like we’re all family.” This Sunday at 8:45 a.m., community members will hold a 9-11 ceremony to observe the 10-year anniversary of the events that shocked Americans and killed almost 3,000 people. The observance will be held at the Naples Town Dock on the Causeway. Shaw plans to start the cer-
emony by playing Taps on his trumpet, followed by a rendition of The Star Spangled Banner, the national anthem. The time of the ceremony will coincide with the approximate time that a hijacked plane hit the first Twin Tower of the World Trade Center (American Airlines Flight 11, 8:46 a.m., hits the North Tower), and moments later when another plane (United Airlines Flight 175, 9:03 a.m.) crashed into the second tower as television camera crews captured footage of what seemed unbelievable to viewers not only in America, but also around the world. At 9:37 a.m., American Airlines Flight 77 hit the
HEADED FOR A NEW HOME? — George Schott is developing a pasture for his horses in Casco, and will eventually build a retirement home there.
her family. She said she’d prefer his single-family home and his horses to hundreds of boys creating all the noise that happens during their one week of camp. She was also glad some-
one would be “treating the land with love” by providing a pasture for horses and designing the home to which they planned to retire. “I wanted to make them aware of what’s going on,” HORSE FARM, Page A
10 years later, 9/11 pain remains
RUNNING FOR A CAUSE — Glen Niemy of Bridgton will be running in the Maine Marathon next month, and hopes to raise money to help bring clean water and sanitation to a poor West African country. (Rivet Photo)
Runner looks to make difference
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer Like many people, Glen Niemy rarely gave much thought about how fortunate he is to have clean running water and a reliable sanitation system. “It’s a luxury we all take for granted,” the Bridgton resident said. His outlook changed after hearing a Rotary Club guest speaker representing the BARKA Foundation who talked about poverty-stricken Burkina Faso, a landlocked country in West Africa which less than half of its population has access to clean water and in rural regions less than 10% of the people have access to adequate sanitation. To help this region, Niemy decided to use one of his passions — running — to raise $5,000 to be used to improve living conditions in Burkina Faso. Niemy plans to run in the Maine Marathon in Portland on Oct. 2, and is seeking pledges from area residents and businesses. “Women walk great distances in search of water, and even then, the quality isn’t very good — often it is full of diseases. Children and people die daily because of bad water,” said Niemy who has been a member of the Rotary Club for the past three years. “When we think about water, it is simply there by opening a tap. We see it as a basic right. For these people, it is very hard to obtain.” Water availability in Burkina Faso has decreased annually for the past 45 years. Poor living conditions has resulted in a life expectancy of 49 years of age, while 50% of all deaths in children under age 5 are due to malaria. In Niemy’s mind, helping others is just the “right thing to do.” “I believe we all should give something back — to help those less fortunate than us,” he said. Last week, Niemy finished his last “big” training run — 22 miles — prior to the marathon. Most weeks, Niemy covers about 40 miles. He likes to run in the mornings, mainly on flat surfaces to prevent strain on a balky knee affected by arthritis. An avid runner, Niemy has participated in both the 26.2 miler, as well as the half-marathon. He was forced to the sidelines two years ago when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. “When I had some testing, they found that my PSA levels had jumped. A biopsy revealed that I had third stage prostate cancer,” he said. “I can’t emphasize to people enough the importance of testing. It’s very simple. I know a lot of guys are afraid to have it done because of what they might find. Men over the age of 50 should get tested. I believe it (testing) saved my life.” Niemy would suffer a relapse 1 ½ years later. After undergoing radiation treatment for a couple of months, Niemy RUNNER, Page A
Pentagon. And finally, at 10:03 a.m., United Airlines Flight 93 crashed into a Pennsylvania field. The Naples Fire Department will sound its emergency siren at the town office at the times of those crashes. “This is our way of honoring the 343 firefighters who gave their lives that day doing their job. Never forget,” said NFD member Rick Paraschak. On the morning of Sept. 11, 10 years ago, Shaw was working in his shop — his business that was then located in the garage on his property. His long-time friend, Bob Allen, joined him that morning. The Portland-based radio
Life in the Military
station, WBLM, began to report what was taking place in New York. The two men thought it had to be a joke. So, they went inside Shaw’s house and turned on the television. “We saw the second plane hit live, and our jaws hit the table,” he said. “Your immediate reaction is to run right there and help.” Meanwhile, Allen — who had served in the Army for 20 years — jumped in his Camaro and drove to Fort Dix in New Jersey, where he tried unsuccessfully to re-enlist. Shaw described the anger so many people felt in those days and months following the 9/11, Page A
Tying the knot on short notice
Editor’s note: This is the first of a two part series about local families and their loved ones presently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer Chelsey Dougherty wasn’t one of those young girls who envisioned exactly how her wedding day would unfold. “The only detail I had picked out was that I wanted Gerber daisies and sunflowers as part of the décor,” she said. When a loved one is a member of the U.S. military, expect the unexpected. After serving two tours in Iraq, U.S Army Captain Ryan Dougherty of Bridgton was told by military officials that he could be deployed to “another part of the world,” but the assignment would not be Afghanistan. While attending a briefing in the spring for staff and spouses regarding upcoming training, a commanding officer entered the room and informed Ryan and his fiancée that the power-point presentation had been canceled, and the unit had been selected to leave on short notice for a 12month stay in Afghanistan. “It was stunning news, as
going to Afghanistan was not even on their radar as a possibility for their unit,” said Ryan’s mother, Laurie Dougherty of Bridgton. Chelsey had just one order to give Ryan. “I told him he couldn’t go until we were married. He had no problem with it, and he was glad I felt the same way, too,” Chelsey said. “We haven’t had much time together during the last six years, so I didn’t want to be apart from him without being married.” The couple became engaged last December when Ryan proposed during a Christmas military ball at Fort Bragg. Now, they were on the clock to plan the biggest day of their lives. “There was a flurry of phone BROTHERS AT THE FRONT — Nathan (left) and calls between North Carolina and Ryan Dougherty of Bridgton are presently stationed in Maine to both families to try Afghanistan. to put together a plan. People — from a photographer to the reception site — we contacted to pull together wedding plans were Established 1870 so gracious and accommodating P.O. Box 244, 118 Main St. when they heard the circumBridgton, ME 04009 stances,” Laurie Dougherty said. “Thankfully, the military is really 207-647-2851 good about getting soldiers home Fax: 207-647-5001 for a visit before deployments.” bnews@roadrunner.com
The Bridgton News
MILITARY, Page A