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Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 148, No. 52
20 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
December 28, 2017
(USPS 065-020)
Weather . . . . . . . . . . . 6B
www.bridgton.com
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
A night with Bud
Sleepover nets shelter $15K
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer FRYEBURG – Bud was not budging. He was not budging from the warm blanket on the couch. Tucked under one of his paws, only the pink triangle pattern on his nose was showing as he dozed off into dreamland. Christmas Eve 2017 was Bud’s turn to spend the night in the canine living room at the Harvest Hills Animal Shelter. This is the fourth year that longtime volunteer Deb Cloutier has been doing the Christmas Eve Shelter Sleepover as a way of raising money. In fact, in Christmases past, the fundraiser paid to renovate a room in the basement as a doggie hangout spot. Four years ago, before the playroom was built, Cloutier said she cuddled up with one of the dogs on a cot in the kennel. In the middle of the night, her canine companion kept hogging the blankets, she said. By the time morning came, the dog was toasty warm and Cloutier was a little bit chilly, she said. This month, Cloutier raised $15,000 toward her goal of $20,000. Donations were made through the GoFundMe page, Christmas Eve Shelter Sleepover ’17. The money will be used to rehabilitate some of the animals thus making them more adoptable. The money goes into a fund “so that dogs and cats with health or behavioral problems can become more adoptable, whether it be READY FOR DOGGY DREAMS – Bud, a pit bull mix, spends the night with volunteer because they receive a major surgery that an Deb Cloutier during the fourth annual Chrismas Eve Shelter Sleepover. The fundraiser adopter won’t have to pay for themselves or netted $15,000 for the Harvest Hills Animal Shelter in Fryeburg. (De Busk Photo) for things like training vouchers for dogs;
fencing installed for dogs who require a fenced-in yard to keep them safe; vouchers for specialized veterinary care such as acupuncture or drugs for anxiety; carts for amputees; or anything else that will address a problem of a dog or cat that will make them more adoptable,” Cloutier posted on the GoFundMe page. Major surgeries that are performed by a veterinarian include anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgeries, amputations, eye surgeries and major dental work, her post said. “Not to mention, this fund will always work to make the dogs and cats more comfortable and happy while they wait for their forever homes,” she wrote. Prior to the sleepover, Cloutier highlighted another future expense for the shelter’s inhabitants. “Some of the money will put a new sound system in the kennels. Studies show that certain kinds of music calm shelter dogs. Believe it or not, it is not classical. It didn’t relieve stress. It was soft rock,” she said during an interview. “Someone is coming over on Wednesday to put in the stereo system,” she said. “It is going to be positive, not to mention it is good for the volunteers. When the volunteers are there cleaning the kennels, and the staff, they can listen to music. I think there will be a lot of benefits to it.” Cloutier is very familiar with the dogs that spend their time in the shelter’s kennels. After all, she began volunteering for HHAS about 16 years ago. About 12 years ago, she initiated the nighttime dog walking service. It concerned SLEEPOVER, Page 3A
Everyone has a story to tell By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer Alice Anderson believes everyone has a story tell, they just don’t know it. For the past 20 years, the Bridgton author has listened and put down in words a wide variety of happenings and good deeds. At the age of 72, she recently eclipsed a milestone. “100 books in 13 different genres,” she proudly declared. “Writing keeps me sharp. I thoroughly enjoy interviewing and meeting people.” At a small desk near the front window of her local apartment is Alice’s writing station. Sticky notes cling to the edge of the desk and computer monitor. “I take two down and put four up,” she said. Sheets of paper are neatly stacked, representing either the two or three “projects” in the works. As an author and ghostREACHING A MILESTONE — This year, local author writer, the chase to 100 Alice Anderson accomplished her ultimate goal — she started in 1998. She has published her 100th novel. (Rivet Photo) penned novels, biogra-
phies, professional books in a client’s field of expertise, company histories and personal accounts. “I always thought I’d retire when I had written 50 books, but I don’t seem to be able to say no to helping people make their authoring dreams come true!” wrote Alice on her author’s page. Her background is in journalism, business and coaching. She earned a degree in Communication at Columbia University and went on to earn my doctorate in 1999, and then secured certification as a life coach. “I specialize in helping people write their own books. I am also an ordained nondenominational minister. I have a genuine interest in people, a positive attitude, effervescent enthusiasm, and a strong commitment to see- ONE OF ITS KIND? — Raymond could have the state’s ing a project through to first Mexican Diner as A La Mexicana set to reopen soon completion,” her author after a devastating fire. (De Busk Photo) page says. “Why do I do all this? First, because I love it! Second. because I enjoy helping people achieve AUTHOR Page 2A By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer RAYMOND — Like so many toys given as holiday gifts, the new building for a familiar restaurant needs to be assembled. Three pieces of 1950s-style diner have been trucked in, fact, one resident made a special trip to the sand two of which arrived on Friday; and it will be the new home shed and thanked the snow- for A La Mexicana Restaurant. The third section — which contains the kitchen — was on its way to Raymond on removal crew. “We don’t have a lot of Tuesday evening. The diner should be fully-functioning and ready for cuscomplaints. Most people are cordial to the crews. You’ll tomers by February. A La Mexicana restaurant has been in business for bump into people at the coffee shop and they’ll say, more than five years at the property between the Raymond ‘thank you’ to us,” he said. Shopping Mall and the Salvation Army Family Store building. However, a fire on April 19 did extensive damage to the “Somebody stopped by yesterday (Tuesday) and building where the business A La Mexicana was located. Later, the old building was demolished, leaving only the said they really appreciate what we did,” he said. DINER, Page 2A As far as what is required to remove snow and make roads more drivable, “It was just another storm,” he Established 1870 said. P.O. Box 244, 118 Main St. “My crew and P&K did a great job. I cannot ask for Bridgton, ME 04009 a better bunch of guys to 207-647-2851 work with. They come out Fax: 207-647-5001 and get the job done and do bnews@roadrunner.com a good job,” White said.
A fresh start
Plowing snow on Christmas
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer RAYMOND — While a white Christmas might be a delight to many, it added up to a 12-hour workday for area plowers. “It has been about 10 or 12 years since we have had a full storm on Christmas,” said Nathan White, the director of the Raymond Public Works Department. He recalled going out on Christmas Day in years past to do small jobs such as some sanding and some ice removal. Monday was the first time in a long time that White and his crew spent their Christmas in the seat of a plow truck. The entire Public Works crew and the town-contract-
ed company P&K Sand and Gravel, Inc., joined forces to remove more than a foot of snow from town roads on Christmas, he said. White oversees a fourman crew, which is responsible for 20 miles of Raymond’s main roads. P&K maintains 30 miles of roadways in the Town of Raymond. In addition, P&K is contracted by the Town of Naples and has numerous private snow-removal accounts. “We came out at 5 a.m. We were back home about 5 p.m. It stopped snowing around 2:30 p.m. It took a couple hours to make final rounds,” White said. Since the National Weather Service (NWS) predicted the snowstorm in
advance, the Public Works’ employees planned their Christmas accordingly. “My guys, two of them did Christmas on Sunday. My wife and I did ours Monday night. Scott Picavet, my foreman, has two young boys at home so they did their Christmas on Sunday,” White said. His observations were that the number of vehicles on the roads was higher than in the past. “The traffic was pretty heavy for Christmas. There weren’t many cars out in the morning But by the afternoon, there was a fair amount of traffic,” he said. If there were any Grinches out there, they kept it to themselves. In
The Bridgton News