Freedom Town Column Lisa Wheeler wheelersinfreedom@adelphia.net [06/19/2007]

By Lisa Wheeler

Freedom naturalist Carol Foord recently presented all Freedom Elementary School fourth-graders with a copy of her book, "Sketches of Freedom." This book shows the tiles made for Old Home Week over the years and gives a little story behind them. It is a very well done book and makes a great gift for those who love Freedom. It can be purchased from Gail Bickfords press in Freedom Village or at the Historical Society.Dan Grady and his Marvelous Marionette Medley will be kicking off the librarys summer reading program with a performance at the school on Wednesday, June 20. Come see Gradys incredible puppet handling skills as he introduces the stringed puppets he made himself. The entire community is invited to this free performance sponsored by the Friends of the Library and Freedom Elementary School.Longtime Freedom resident Bob Fowler will be 98 years old on June 22! Bob is at the Sunbridge Nursing Home, P.O. Box 3417, North Conway, NH 03860. No particular room number, but he will get your warm birthday wishes at this address.Freedoms Mountain Garden Club would like to thank Paul Greenblatt of Freedom Farm Stand for his generous donation of beautiful flowers for the library. Ellie Stokes and Nancy Seabury spent an afternoon this week planting the geraniums and impatiens by both library entrances, and everything is blooming and looks lovely.Several Freedom residents competed in the King Pine Triathlon last weekend. Kurt Niiler and Jo Ann Peterson each placed first in their division, John Krebs placed fourth and Jesse Wheeler placed third in their respective divisons. It was a great turnout, sunshiny day, good barbecue, and event organizers are already talking about planning for next years triathlon. Several Freedom residents also helped by volunteering in numerous ways in this well-organized event.Freedom Kennett High School seniors this year are Scott Brooks, Tyler Creps, Buffy Garland, Lindsay Thibodeau and Joe Viveiros. Graduating from Kennett Middle School eighth grade on June 21 are Brandi Brooks, Nicole Fauteaux, Sarah Fauver, Emily Johnson, Ryan Kasianchuk, Harland MacDonald, Eden McKinley, Greg Palmer, Quincy Perry, Laura Pittman, Shannon Ryan and Nate Smith. Sixth-graders graduating from Freedom Elementary School on June 19 are Elyse Clancy, Devan Doe, Alex Fauver, Haden Furnbach, Liz Lariviere, Liz Lowden, Philip Mathieu, Kurt Niiler, Becky Pittman and Boo Strachan. Congratulations to all!Many try out but few will make itbaseball players selected to the All-Star Baseball Team this summer are Jon Brady, Abram Giles, Nick Farinella and Boo Strachan. Good job, boys!The third session of "Issues on Aging in Freedom" will be Tuesday, June 19, at 7 p.m. at the side door entrance of the church. This weeks program centers on social concerns, and our three speakers will be Mary Ellen LaRoche, presenting information on home services that she oversees; Roger Landry of N.H. Works, discussing senior citizen volunteer and employment opportunities; and Anne Cunningham for the Freedom Planning Board, responding to questions and ideas about senior housing facilities. Please return the questionnaires that Anne handed out last week on this matter before the program begins Tuesday night. They can be placed in the box in the fellowship room. Call Gale at 539-5449 with questions or let her know you will attend.Start the summer off with a lot of fun at the library! Fun Friday begins on the last day of school, Friday, June 22, and will continue through Old Home Week. There will be games and activities for elementary school students from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Then at 5, its pizza and a movie for all ages. This weeks movie is "Charlottes Web" with Dakota Fanning, rated G. Pizza is $3 per person. From 7 to 9:30 p.m., junior and senior high students are invited to Teen Night. This week well be watching the first episode of "Dead Like Me and playing Guitar Hero II or Dance Revolution on the librarys new PlayStation. The teen program is free. Hey, graduating sixth-gradersyou qualify for Teen Night! Come on down! Call 539-5176 for more information.Interested in helping Elizabeth with the Paws to Read summer reading program? She could use individual or organization donors to help with the pet food. Call her at 539-5176 if youd like to help out.Dont forget your rubber ducky tickets, on sale now on Saturdays at the post office and the transfer station. Though there are tickets on sale for over 1,000 ducks, in the past few years all of the tickets have been sold out before the start of the race, which begins at noon at Cold Brook in the village.Mark your calendars:Tuesday, June 19: "Hear Them Play Again!" Restoring old radios, at 7 p.m. at the historical society.Tuesday, June 19: "Issues on Aging in Freedom," 7 p.m. at the church.Tuesday, June 19, At 7 p.m., Freedom Conservation Commission meets at town hall.Wednesday, June 20: At 1 p.m., library summer reading kicks off with Dan Grady and his Marvelous Marionettes at the Freedom School. All are invited to attend.Friday, June 22: Pizza and movie night at the library.Tuesday, June 26: At 9 a.m., Library Book Club takes a trip to Portland, Maine. Call Lee Fritz at 539-4868.Tuesday, June 26: At 7 p.m., ZBA meets at the town hall.Thursday, June 28: Application submittal deadline for the planning board.