BETHEL – The village of Bethel was just a bustling over the weekend. The Harvestfest & Chowdah Cook-off really called them in which is good for the Community. Be prepared for another wave of visitors the weekend of Oct. 5 thru the 7. There will be three big events happening simultaneously. The Jeep Jamboree folks are coming to enjoy the great trails Bethel has to offer. It is always good to see how the Jeep Jamboree folks help support our local non-profit groups. We live in a beautiful part of the world and it is nice to share that beauty with the Jeepers. Beside there a good bunch of people!
The second event is the North American Wife Carrying Championship at Sunday River. That draws a crowd. Also, at Sunday River is the Fall Festival. Part of the Fall Festival is the 5th Annual New England Cornhole Championship. There will be 48 teams competing for 1st prize of $300, 2nd prize of $200 and 3rd prize of $100. Entry fee is $15 per person. This Cornhole event will take place on Sunday, October 7 with a 10 a.m. start time. Registration ends October 4 and there are only 28 spots left in this Championship competition. Marilyn Swan recently had good luck and got 4 holes. This seems like a popular game even locally.
On Saturday Becky Kendall was the lucky winner of the Bethel Library’s quilt. The quilt was designed and made by a current library trustee, Donna Gilles. Becky Kendall was a former Bethel Library Trustee for many years. How wonderful she gets to take back to Machias a beautiful quilt with a Bethel Library connection! Congratulations Becky!
On Saturday during the Harvest Fest our “Church Kids” raised money for their Camp Mechuwana Campership Fund. They sold lemonade, homemade baked goods. garden tomatoes, pumpkins and squash. The kids were very grateful to the individuals who provided the food and to the local folks and visitors who were very kind and generous with their purchase. The kids are brainstorming how they can raise more Camp Funds. I am sure they will meet their goal.
On Sunday I participated in the annual Bethel Crop Walk. Folks walked to raise funds for hunger relief and draw attention to the people on our planet who have to walk miles to get clean water. Seventy-five percent of the funds went to World Relief Hunger efforts with the remaining 25 percent going to our local Bethel Food Pantry. These funds are a great help for our local food bank.The West Parish Congregational Church folks did a great job organizing this annual event. There was a lot of team work to pull off this event. Congregational Pastor Tim LeConey, Locke Mills Union Church Pastor Sondra Greenleaf Withey and Methodist Pastor John Baker-Streevy worked collaboratively on this Crop Walk Service. Nice job from all the participants at this third annual outdoor Ecumenical Service on the Bethel Common.
There are five more Qi Gong classes left in this Wednesday Series. Qi Gong (chee kung) is an ancient Oriental Method of building and balancing life energy through exercise. The exercises in this class are very, very easy and anybody can participate. We are standing during class but chairs are available for those who choose to sit. There is a lot of emphasize on the role of movement and proper breathing. Instructor, Jen Deraspe is a Holistic Life Coach and owner of Nature Through Nature Center in Denmark, Maine. It is always interesting to learn an alternative wellness philosophy. This class is held at the Community Annex at the Methodist Church on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Folks with news or events can reach me at 824-2328 or at lhowe7273@gmail.com
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