Year In Review

 

A very very few of the people and events that appeared in The Monument in 2004!

Nancy and Gladys work a little magic on the famous chocolate and banana cream pies early Thursday morning at Cole Farms Restaurant on Rt 100. The ladies work tirelessly keeping their customers fed with excellent food and scrumptious desserts.

This photo indicates how much of our community is run behind the scenes. The pie ladies produce hundreds of pies each year, while customers order a slice and a coffee, and talk about their day. Think of how much of the community's business was pondered, judged, and solved over a Cole Farms dessert this year?!
The Monument: Mark Miller photo

New Gloucester's Joyce Hodgman with her young employees at Hodgman's Custard, a local institution for 58 years. From left to right: Wes Davis, Joyce Hodgman, Jessica Fochler and Kelly Ray.
The Monument: Kevin Upham photo

Businessman and store owner Mike Brady detailed his travails with the Town officials and neighbors in attempting to revive the 111 year old store at Lower Village. The historic interior of the local business inhabiting NG Lower Village for 111 years. This issue was complicated, its brief but intense firestorm signaling many layers to the issue, including commitment to community vision, insularity vs. progress, and the most important issue to us- proper and fair application of Code Enforcement and Planning to all applicants, no matter their status, reputation or income level.

The Monument Newspaper was invited to a press conference at Walker's Point, former President Bush's summer estate, to announce his support of Charlie Summers' candidacy for Representative in the First District. Summers lost to incumbent Tom Allen, but it was definitely a thrill to be an intimate part of the democratic election process, a process that included shaking the former leader of the free world's hand.
The Monument: Janet Neal photo

GNG Football
The high school football team played their first game Monday, Sept. 6th, against Fryeburg Academy. Thanks to a band of dedicated and hard-working parents and community members, GNG now has a football team at the Middle School and the High School, where before there had been only a dream.

Dave Herrman and Harley
The Monument: Pam Kinney photo

The Monument Newspaper often profiles people. We profile not only the citizens who participate in local government by speaking up, those who volunteer their time, or those who have made a great accomplishment, we also love to profile local people with interesting jobs or who are interesting themselves. Pam Kinney's affinity for eliciting these facets from people is stellar, and we printed this article and photo Pam submitted about Business Agent for Local IATSE 114 Dave Herrman on page 1 in October.

Scene at Gray…the junk stops here. We absolutely love to photograph life's ironies, silliness, and funny things that tickle us. Thank you to the person who pointed this out to us. It's still funny 9 months later!
The Monument: Mark Miller photo

Saturday proved to be a day that people still do care about others. The Rosengren family received a new handicapped-accessible van with a wheelchair lift for their son, Derek, thanks to a successful fundraiser begun as a surprise for Derek. Derek has a rare disease called Pelizaus Merz Bacher which makes him unable to talk, walk, or even feed himself.
Here, Derek Rosengren happily tries out the new wheelchair lift with his father, Dale, during Saturday's celebration at New Gloucester Bible Church.
The Monument: Kevin Upham photo

Driving by Monday, one may have seen several high school youths painting this final message to Pierce Boldoc on the rock on the Egypt Road in Gray.
The Monument: Kevin Upham photo.

Bryce Neal, grade 2, points to Uranus in his Memorial School Science Fair project entitled, "The Solar System." This editor must admit that the science fairs are her favorite photographic experience. It's the kids that make it, and being able to reflect their educational efforts to the wider community is a highlight of this newspaper.
The Monument newspaper: Prata photo

Gray's new sand and salt shed construction begins.
The Monument: Prata photo

Jeff Raymond of Pownal brought his Middle Ages warfare device, the trebuchet, to New Gloucester Community Day, and its unusual and stately appearance at the back of the field attracted quite a crowd. Pumpkins were placed in the basket and participants allowed to pull the pin to see if their pumpkin could hit the painted billboard of the dragon.
The Monument: Prata photo

The NG Community Day Committee definitely did a great job this year, as with all years, in shepherding this growing festival to its full potential. This year saw the addition of more music, an bigger car show, and the trebuchet. Great job on the Festival, and how creative to bring the trebuchet machine for a close-up look.