Chichester Old Home Day, 2009
Cub Scout Pack 85
created a float “Lettuce Entertain you” inspired by the Chichester Old
Home Day 2009 theme “Let Us Entertain You.”
Congratulations to Jaan Luikmil, Old Home Day Citizen of the Year
for 2008. It is the effort to keep this honor a surprise for the
recipient, who just happens to be the head of the Old Home Day
Committee. Very little was said until the award was presented on
Thursday, August 13, at the Variety Show. As a result, Jaan was
surprised and so was everyone else, including a few other members of the
Old Home Day Committee! Jaan has done many things for the town,
but his greatest accomplishment has been to bring Old Home Day from a
quiet town picnic to the modern extravaganza of the past few years.
It was certainly hot this year, but the heat seemed a reasonable
trade-off for the lack of rain. Sunny skies smiled on all the outdoor
events for both Friday and Saturday.
Cruise night on Friday at Carpenter Park was a big success, the
vehicle exciting the most interest being the tractor-trailer cab with
the railroad whistle horn. The Scavenger Hunt had ten teams out
searching Chichester for clues. The winning team was Bob Shaw and family
with the team of Holly MacCleery and Sandy Ordway in second place. If
you missed it this year, put it on your calendar for next August. Julie
Raposa and Sue Hartley did a great job of setting up the clues and doing
all the behind-the-scenes work for this new event.
Saturday’s events all took place, although some ran a bit behind
schedule. The first place float in the parade was the Chichester Cub
Scouts, with the Lake Cliff Farm in second place, and the Chichester
Rockers in third. The first place classic car was the ’55 Chevy with the
license plate “Blast,” second was the1930 Model A Ford pick-up, and
third was the maroon Mustang (a’67?). The judges would like to thank
Cody Therriault for his help in assigning “Wow” factor to the cars.
The noon meal was delicious as always. Linwood Marden and family
prepared the beans in their family tradition. There were some different
folks roasting the pigs this year, but all seemed to go smoothly. Many
thanks to Joann Luikmil of the Old Home Day Committee for again
organizing the food and preparing pounds of potato salad. Thanks to the
Weathervane Restaurant for its donation of cole slaw and to all who
baked dessert items. Thanks to all who stood in the heat for hours to
set-up, serve, and clean-up.
The Flea Market tent did a great business both Friday night and
Saturday, and the money raised will help out with next year’s expenses.
Thanks to Stacy Luikmil and her mother who put in very long hours
before, during, and afterward to make the Flea Market happen.
Thanks to all the businesses who sponsored all or part of an event.
Thanks too, to all the businesses and others who put Old Home Day
promotions on their changeable signs and to Donna Chagnon for
coordinating this effort. It added to the excitement to read all the
signs as one drove through town.
Thanks to the teenagers who parked cars and picked up trash. It was
good to see the recycling wagons back again. I hope everyone made the
effort to use them!
