Great good news on the Fort Edgecomb front! The State's Bureau of Public Lands, Division of Historic Sites, is applying new shingles! I stopped by Thursday, June 28, to find several maintenance supervisors half-way around the top siding. I talked with one, Ralph Wilkinson, who said they plan to have an independent contractor do the roof, while at the same time, they will continue on the lower walls. Others in the group are Ron Shaw, apparently in charge, Terence Donahue and Scott Robinson. Welcome to Edgecomb, guys!
But this brings up an ethical problem for me: I have been gearing the Friends of Fort Edgecomb fund-raising to the shingles. Now, the State has taken care of that. We have been asked, however, to underwrite a thorough weather-seal over the structure, which might cost about $1,000. May I ask for your flexibility, o ye stalwart matrosses, to use your donations toward this end?
A further plan, for further fund-raising (so be braced!) is to provide a salary for a part-time assistant grounds manager for the Fort, to work under Jim Davis. This dollar-amount may run between $25,000 to $30,000, so I do not mention it lightly. Our (EHS and FOFE) intent is to get a student (high school, college or graduate) in American History preferably, to work in the summers. This person would need lodging as well as salary. It would also be nice to have one or more, dare I suggest volunteers? to monitor the Fort during its down-time, September to April, to do minimal upkeep but mostly to alert BPL/Historic Sites Division if vandalism or weather damage occurs. Please, everyone, let me know your opinions of these plans!
This Saturday, save yourselves some cooking! Come to the second Edgecomb Congregational Church Summer Supper! This supper's benefit focus will be ECC's sister church in Nortontown, Zimbabwe, and their joint selfhelp project, providing fabric and sewing machines to help Nortontown women continue to make clothing, especially the uniforms required by Zimbabwe schools. The supper (church supper basic: beans, casseroles, salads, rolls, beverages and desserts; dietetic desserts available) will run from 5:00 to 6:30 pm., adults $6.00, children under 12, $3.00. "Good Food, Good Fellowship, for a Good Cause." For anyone who wishes to help out with preparation or clean-up, call Gail Boudin, 882-7972, or the Church office, 882-4060.
Do not forget the schedule of meetings leading up to Edgecomb's Special Town Meeting to allocate a complete road budget, including the snowplowing contract. A small sum will be asked for on behalf of the Waterfront Committee, so that they can mark off Edgecomb's mooring areas. Other matters will include minor amendments to several ordinances. Monday, July 9, will be the Public Informational Meeting, at 6:00 p.m. Monday, July 16, also at 6:00 p.m., will be the Public Hearing. The Special Town Meeting itself will be at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 26.
As the family dwindled away, with Kevin leaving Sunday, Daphne and Kate off for Connecticut on Monday, Bisi and Johnny, Ben and I spent the afternoon looking for our mica mine, and found it! I'm happy my memory? instincts? are still sound. We looked for mica specimens, and made our way back down through a gentle sun shower. Bisi and Johnny returned to Cincinnati the next morning. Ben has had a chance to admire Katharine Braid's 5-week old filly, and even helped to feed her horses. The last hurrah of the 50th, our girls had joined with my cousin Mike Odell to buy a tree to mark the occasion. We selected a Cusa Dogwood at Anderson's Farm. It was installed last Thursday, all resplendent with lovely white blossoms!
Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty at 234 River Road, 633-2978, jocam@midcoast.com. This column appears in several local papers, and at www.Edgecomb.org.