Scouts and Residents Clean Lebanon Roadways, Enjoy a Hot Dog BBQ and K-9 Demonstration.

The Lebanon Maine Boy Scout Troop 369, sponsored by the Lebanon American Legion, hosted this year's Lebanon Clean Up Day today beginning at 9 am.
Teams of Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Pioneer Girls, and Adults took to the streets and back roads of Lebanon picking up debris for most of the morning.
Lebanon Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts who participated were; Andrew Merrifield, Ryan MacKenzie, Connor MacKenzie, Tyler MacKenzie, Eric Sirois, Dana Grover, Dakotah Grover, Kaden Fuda, Anthony Fuda, Colby Watson, Greg Sirois, Zachary Burns, Hunter Brown, Eli Teatrealt, Caleb Poulin, Kayden Spence, Ryan Upton, Colby Amidon, and Larry Abbiati.
The boys were grouped with an adult and a follow vehicle, Our thanks to Norm Sirois, Ryan Burns, Jake Teatreault, Veronica Poulin, Matt Amidon, Barry Spence, Kieth Merrifield, Jenn MacKenzie, and Adam Watson for being out there with our town's Scouts and working alongside your young men!!
Lebanon Girl Scout Troop 1908 were also in attendance with a good number of young ladies, who worked equally as hard!!
Lebanon Girl Scouts who participated were; Samantha Merrifield, Cammie Rose, Ella Shennett, and Hannah Barr, under the leadership of Scout Leaders Andrea Rose and Jennifer Merrifield.
We were also pleased to have two Lebanon Pioneer Girls working with the Scouts today!! Great job done by Marie Sirois and Sophie Teatreault.
There were also a group of younger siblings on hand, and for little folk, they did an amazing job!! Our thanks to Hali Fuda, Kristen Fuda, and Lily Watson.
The younger residents did an AMAZING job cleaning up all around the Lebanon Elementary School and the Hanson School. They raked and added mulch and picked up trash from the school grounds.
As we drove the back roads of town, we saw there were many who had left bagged debris on the side of the roads. Teresa Brooks and her husband Ed had come along to help, as did Sandy Adams and her son Jim.
Our thanks to the many residents who also went out and cleaned along the roads, leaving the rubbish neatly bagged by the roadside for pick up!
After cleaning up some of the major roadways in town, the group headed back to the Lebanon Town Office for hot dogs and macaroni salad. Grill Chef Selectman Ben Thompson and his Sous Chef daughter Summer did a wonderful job of keeping the dogs coming!
Around noon, the Lebanon Road Crew workers came with three trucks and drove the roads, picking up the bagged trash and larger debris, tires and construction debris and taking it all to the Lebanon Transfer Station.
A call to Transfer Station Head Man, Ronal Patch, at about 3:30 found that the Crew had already brought 3 full truck loads of trash, tires, and debris to the Transfer Station.
After the hot dog BBQ, the scouts were in for a surprise as their Scoutmaster, Norm Sirois had arranged to have Maine Game Warden Michael Coyne and Portland Police K-9 Officer Christian Stickney and his dogs arrive for a demonstration. Stickney who also trains dogs from his business, North Edge K-9 located in Gorham, Maine.  Mr. Coyne, who has done several cameo appearances with his dogs on the television show North Woods Law, also arrived with his dog. Coyne's dog, Sheba, a 3 year old Belgian Malinois, remained in his vehicle, but Officer Stickney did presentations with both of his dogs, Blaze, a 2 year old Belgian Malinios, and Tigger, a Bavarian Mountain Hound pup.

North Edge K-9 Owner Christian Stickney and Blaze speak to Lebanon Scouts

Adults and children alike sat mesmerized as Officer Stickney put Blaze through his paces, all the while speaking about his training, what police dogs are used for, and how important they are in finding lost children and in the protection of their human counterparts.
"He's with me more than my wife, more than my kids," said Stickney of his partnership with Blaze. "I trust him with my life. I know he'll be with me. Even more than other Police Officers as he doesn't understand fear or failure."
Stickney's commands to his K-9 partner are issued in Dutch. But he assured the children that even if a criminal knew the Dutch language and was yelling commands at the dog, "he would only listen to me, I'm sure of that."
Tigger, the Bavarian Mountain Hound was brought out to sniff the woods and lawn and get some pets and adoration from all the residents. According to Stickney, there is only one other Police Tracking Hound in Maine and he is up in the northern areas. Tigger is one of two in the State, "And Tigger is the only Mountain Hound", he added with pride. Tigger comes to Stickney, his family, and his Department from Berlin Germany.

Tigger the Bavarian Mountain Hound Pup, will be one of only two Police Tracking Hounds in Maine

The Officer than showed the gathered children important parts of his uniform, and his vehicle. There is a button on his uniform and if he pushes it, the passenger side rear door of the vehicle opens, releasing Blaze. "He knows that if that door opens and I'm not there, I need him and he has to find me", said Stickney. He also demonstrated the "heat sensor" on the cruiser that sounds a siren, turns on the lights, and opens the windows should the engine fail and the temperatures become too hot inside the vehicle for the dogs.

Portland K-9 Officer Christian Stickney Shows the Scouts the Special Equipment in K-9 Cruisers

The North Edge K-9 owner, Officer Stickney, also brought North Edge K-9 T-Shirts to hand out to everyone!! That was a GREAT surprise!!
We'd like to extend a huge THANK YOU, once again to Scoutmaster Norm Sirois and all the Lebanon Boy and Girls Scouts, Scout Leaders, Residents, Road Crew, Lebanon Road Commissioner, Lebanon Transfer Station, Selectman Ben Thompson, Welches Hardware, Market Basket, North Edge K-9, Police Officer Christian Stickney, Blaze, Tigger and Maine Game Warden Michael Coyne for their hard work and community involvement today!!
SO much got done and the roads look GREAT!!

Lebanon Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts Come Together to Host Lebanon Clean Up Day on Saturday June 13.

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Lebanon Maine Boy Scout Troop 369 and Lebanon Maine Girl Scout Troop 1908 will head up the Lebanon Maine Clean Up Day, tomorrow beginning at 9 am at the Town Office Building, 15 Upper Guinea Road in Lebanon.
Boy Scout Leader Norm Sirois has other children's civic groups contacted and we're expecting a lot of young folks, their parents, and follow vehicles.
Scouts will be sent out in groups of 4 or 5 with an adult and a follow vehicle, cleaning up the roadways in town.
Rt. 202, Carl Broggi Highway, will not be cleaned by the Scout troops as there have been concerns about crews working along Rt 202 and the heavy traffic this weekend mostly attributed to the fact that this is Bike Week in Laconia, NH and Rt. 202 is a major route for motorcyclists coming from points in Maine and heading through to Laconia.
Lebanon residents are encouraged to get out on the roadsides along their own properties, and along vacant stretches of roadside in town and bag up trash, leaving the bags tied along the roadside. This day is for roadside debris only and residents are asked not to include their yard debris and household trash in the debris pick up.
Newly appointed Road Commissioner, Tom Torno and the Lebanon Road Crew will be canvassing the town's roadsides between 1 pm and 3 pm, picking up the bagged litter and bringing it to the Lebanon Transfer Station. Residents are encouraged to have their roadside trash bagged and ready for pick up by 1:00 PM as the Road Crews will only be making 1 pass down each roadway in town.
After the roadways are cleared of debris, all who helped are invited back to the Town Office for 1:00 pm to a Hot Dog BBQ hosted by the Scout Organizations.
Norm Sirois, Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 369, has also been in contact with North Edge K-9 from Gorham who have graciously agreed to bring some of their trained K-9 dogs down and put on a demonstration for us!!
There will be signing of Community Service paperwork for Noble High School students toward their graduation goals.
Schoolhouse Ice Cream will also gift all of the workers with a certificate for a free kiddie sized ice cream cone!!
Many thanks to Selectman Ben Thompson who has agreed to let us use his grill and propane for the day and to keep the Town Office restrooms available, to Butch, Tony, Nancy, and Scott of Welch's Hardware for donations of garbage bags and rubber gloves, to Big Lots for the donation of garbage bags, to Hannaford's Supermarket for the hot dogs and rolls, to Market Basket for the donation of macaroni salad, and to the Lebanon Truth Seekers for the donation of bottled water to keep our hard workers hydrated!
Thank you to the Lebanon Road Commissioner for working with us on a date that we were all available to come together and to his Lebanon Road Crew who will be donating their hours for the afternoon debris pick up.
Thank you to the Lebanon Transfer Station Crew for letting us bring the roadside debris to the Transfer Station on Saturday afternoon. And to the Lebanon Board of Selectmen for opening the Town Offices for restroom facilities and for the use of the Town Office lot for our BBQ.

Lebanon Maine's Beautiful Memorial Day Services Held at Town Office.

What a beautiful day for rememberance!!
Memorial Day 2015 in Lebanon Maine started off absolutely stunning, the sun was shining, the temperatures were warm, a nice cooling breeze was wandering across the town, and about 50 people had gathered at the Lebanon Town Office on Upper Guinea Road, awaiting the American Legion and the Boy Scouts to come marching down the road to begin the day's somber rememberance services.
A murmur came over the crowd as someone spotted the group marching toward the Town property just after 11 am.

 

 

 

 

 

How proud to see so many youngsters from town participating in the day's services. You have to give kudos to the Scout Masters and the parents for involving their children in town events, and in such a somber remembrance service. GREAT job by the Lebanon Boy Scouts and Lebanon Girl Scouts!! Thank you for all dressing in your Scout Uniforms and coming to represent your community's young people!!

 

 

Scouts and American Legion Members lined up across the front of the ceremony to for the day's observances.

The services were started with the playing of The United States National Anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner", with which many people heartily sang along. 

Don Lovely of the Lebanon, Maine American Legion Post, acting as Master of Ceremonies, introduced Brother Dave Johnson from the Grace Baptist Church in East Rochester, who led the opening prayer and then Lebanon Fire and Rescue Department's Chief, Daniel Meehan, dressed in the period costume of a Civil War Union Soldier provided a message about the History of Memorial Day. The American Legion's Don Lovely, then shared a statement of remembrance with the community which was heartfelt, also remembering to thank the families of those who had given the ultimate sacrifice and reminding us all of their complete loss and sacrifice. 

 

 

 

 

 

Civil War canons provided the Canon Salute, (3 volleys) and the wreath was laid at the Civil War Memorial honoring the Lebanon men who did not come home from war, by members of the American Legion Post.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Flag over the Lebanon Town Office was risen to glory, and then lowered to half staff to commemorate the observances of the town in remembering our war dead, while Taps was played on an audio DVD player. A moment of silence was observed as the American Legion and Scout organizations stood at attention saluting our flag.

 

Also in attendance of the morning's services were The Lebanon Voice's, Harrison Thorp, Selectman Royce Heath, Candidate for Lebanon Selectman Corinna Cole, and State Representative Karen Gerrish.