Thumbs up to all those who helped organize and participated in a ceremony the weekend before last at The Ballpark in Old Orchard Beach that recognized the 500-plus Mainers in the military who are still missing in action or prisoners of war, dating back to World War II. The event ”“ POW/MIA Recognition Day ”“ began Friday and continued through the weekend, and included speeches and appearances from representatives from the Department of Maine AMVETS, Maine National Guard, Gov. Paul LePage, U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud, state Rep. Sharri MacDonald, representatives from the offices of both U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King and a color guard from Hudson, Mass.
It is important to take time to honor these men and women, as they are not able to be thanked in person, and to remember the families that still wait for answers about their loved ones.
Thumbs down to the news that White Star Laundry in Biddeford will soon close. The family operation has been in business for more than 100 years, and it’s unfortunate to see another local business closing after such a long history in the community.
Thumbs up to Smithfield Foods and Hannaford Supermarkets for donating 40,000 pounds of hot dogs to the Good Shepherd Food Bank’s Biddeford Distribution Center last week. The donation equates to 160,000 servings, which food bank staff said is sorely needed. Kristen Miale, president of Good Shepherd Food Bank, said they receive a lot of carbohydrate-rich donations, like macaroni and cheese and other pasta products, but protein is in short supply. Hot dogs are particularly helpful, she said, due to their long shelf life.
Thumbs up to the Buxton Police Department for rescuing animals that were allegedly the subjects of animal cruelty earlier this month. Police executed search warrants at two properties in the town and seized one horse, which was malnourished and emaciated. At another residence, 21 animals were removed, including a dog that needed an injured leg removed, along with other dogs, cats, rabbits, two birds and a reptile. Thumbs up to the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland and the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals also for their assistance in these cases.
Thumbs up to the Geraldine Waterhouse family for its generous donation of $1.5 million to establish an endowment for Kennebunk’s skating rink. According to Town Manager Barry Tibbetts, Geraldine Waterhouse wanted to provide free skating opportunities for children. This endowment will do just that, and gives a boost to the town’s efforts to find a beneficial use for the property. After creating a temporary rink for the past few years, the town is working on more permanent plans for the site ”“ centrally located on Main Street ”“ and recently purchased two compressors for the planned skating rink. We’re pleased to see Kennebunk continue to proactively develop and improve its downtown, which is certainly a draw to locals and visitors alike, and will continue to be with these types of projects.
Ӣ Ӣ Ӣ
Thumbnails is a Monday feature of the Journal Tribune’s opinion pages. If you want to respond, feel free to write to the Readers’ Forum via email at jtcommunity@journaltribune.com or by dropping your letter off at our Biddeford office.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
