By Kaileigh Deacon

Students get excited around the holidays for the upcoming vacation, as well as the thought of gifts waiting for them on Christmas morning. For a group of students at Calais High School, the holidays are also some of the busiest for them.

Members of the Calais High School Student Council and National Honor Society gear up for this time of year with fundraising and projects. The group starts fundraising in November, not for a trip or a party, but in order to give a Christmas to kids who wouldn’t otherwise have one.

The 2nd Annual Addison Coty Memorial 5K Turkey Trot was held last Saturday in Robbinston.  Addison, a 2018 graduate of Calais High School, lost his life in an automobile accident in July of 2018.  He was a great friend to many, and Addison was well-known for his athleticism, especially his ability as a cross country runner, having finished fifth in the state in Class C during his senior year.  The race, organized by Addison's mother Angela, raises funds to present as scholarships at Calais High School.

The Calais Lioness Club provides an annual donation to the Irene Chadbourne Ecumenical Food Pantry.  This year, however, the club decided to take advantage of Pratt’s matching donation campaign and took their donation directly to the dealership.  Throughout the month of November, Pratt will match all donations to any Washington County food pantry, up to $5,000.  Pictured are Lioness Lisa Smith, Lioness Lorraine Mitchell, Lioness Laurel Perkins, Ian Pratt, Fr. David Sivret of the food pantry, and Lioness Stacy Crosby.  (Photo by Jayna Smith)

On Saturday, November 3rd, a group of Woodland High School alumni came together for a volleyball game to raise awareness to emotional and mental health, while also raising funds for The Yellow Tulip Project.  The mission of The Yellow Tulip Project is to smash the stigma of mental illness.  

By Jayna Smith

Economy Motors in Hermon is giving away a fire truck to one lucky Maine town.

The truck was acquired by Economy Motors, and the family-owned business wanted to give back to one Maine town.  Those interested in having a chance of winning the truck for their town had to email a letter on department letterhead to be considered. 

Congratulations to the Calais Lady Blue Devil soccer team for earning the 2019 DAC soccer championship with a victory over the Shead Tigerettes. Members pictured are front l-r: Abby Downing, Libby Biter, Lauren Cook, Ivy McLellan, Kelly Carter, and Marleen Ruesche. Back l-r: Alexis Donahue, Mercedes Owen, Madyson Parks, Annalisa Driskel, Serina Fredette, Nadra Bassett, Katie Bitar, Skylar Smith, Sage Phillips, Sophia McVicar, and Coach Courtney James. (Photo by John Rogers)

By Kaileigh Deacon

By Jayna Smith

Looming cold temperatures always bring an increase in demand for the local food pantries.  With the added increase of the home heating bill, many are left with little discretionary money to spend on food.   

Recognizing how great the need is for the food pantries in Washington County and in an effort to decrease food insecurity locally, businessman Ian Pratt is once again matching donations of up to $5,000 to local food pantries.  He has done a matching donation campaign for several years.  

Submitted by Sherry Sivret

For over 30 years,  Woodland Recreation Director Mike Boies has headed up a Halloween party for area children.  The popular event saw over 200 kids who all enjoyed treats and games before they hit the streets for trick or treating. (Facebook photos)

By Jayna Smith

With the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife estimating the deer population to be around 260,000 to 290,000, many in Maine get excited for November.   To them, it means hunting season.  According to the Maine Department of Transportation, however, November is also Deer Collision Month.  

By Kaileigh Deacon

What better way to celebrate the spookiest holiday than with a ghost story? This is certainly what the Calais High School Calais Callbacks thought when arranging for their fall show. The Callbacks performed their two fall shows just days after Halloween, “Honeymoon at Graveside Manor,” a play by Pat Cook.

Beat Calais Lady Blue Devils 

3-1 In 2019 Thriller

The two toughest teams in the state, Calais and Woodland High Schools, met Saturday at 1 at Hampden Academy for the 2019 Class C state volleyball championship after each team took playoff victories to earn the right to represent their communities in this exciting best of five-game match. 

Calais, the defending state champions for the past two seasons, opened the championship series by earning a 1-0 lead as they secured a 25-19 win in the opening game. 

On Oct. 2, 2019, the Senior Companions of Washington County were honored for their many years of service to the clients in their communities that are homebound or isolated in some way. A total of 82 years experience is shared among 13 volunteers as well as countless hours of service helping others. They celebrated with a taco lunch and remarks given by State Director of SCP Don Lynch and Rep. Will Tuell about what is going on in Augusta. 

Woodland High School chapter of the National Honor Society held their annual induction ceremony on October 11th.  New members Summer Woodruff, Sierra Bryant, and Abby Walker joined current members Maya Gallant and Emily Erskine.  Congratulations! (Submitted photo)

Shown are members of the Woodland Dragons soccer team. Members pictured are back l-r: Coach Ripley, Brewer Andrews, Jason Lockenwitz, Chris Plissey, Alden Bacon, Austin Murphy, Dylan Thompson, Matthew Minoty, and Devon Wilder. Middle l-r: Ethan Monk, Mikey Blash, Jamie Bryan, Weston Bailey, Jaidyn Williams, Keagan Wormell, David Howlett, Josh Jordan, and Justin Overlock. Front l-r: Tristan Bryan, Cole Dunphy, Shain McIver, Gauge Howard, Braden Richard, Dehkin Sockabasin, and Cyrus Sewell. (Photo by John Rogers)

Lydia Cropley's horse Willow was a popular visitor at the Scarecrow Fest on Saturday.  Both Lydia and Willow were well-dressed for the occasion.  The festival, organized by Calais Downtown Revitalization Coalition, drew many to the downtown beginning with Friday night’s Harvest Dinner, street dance, and trunk or treat.  The fun continued on Saturday with a craft fair, many kids' activities, and the annual casket race, along with numerous other events, and ended on Sunday with a car show and junk-in-the-trunk sale.  (Photo by Wendy Little) See more photos in this week's The Calais Advertiser

At its annual state conference held Oct. 19, the Maine Press Association recognized The Calais Advertiser with four awards.  Its sister paper, Machias Valley News Observer, won nine awards.

The awards were presented Saturday night at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Portland, concluding a day of workshops and networking for reporters and photographers, journalists, advertising staff, and designers throughout the state.

On Friday, Oct. 18, 2019, Rachel M. Cundiff was admitted to the Maine Bar before Maine Supreme Justice Donald G. Alexander, Retired Federal Judge Margaret J. Kravchuk, Washington County Probate Judge Lyman Holmes, and Maine District Court Judge David J. Mitchell, her paternal uncle.   She was sponsored by her grandfather, Attorney John A. Mitchell, of Calais, Maine.

By Jayna Smith

Like many area kids, Greg Mitchell, son of The Hon. David and Tammy Mitchell of Calais began playing baseball through the Calais Little League program.  Coached by his father in Little League, Greg went on to play at the high school level in Calais under then-coach Kenny Murphy and assistant Marc Rohde.  

By Kaileigh Deacon

Every Veterans Day on November 11th, people all across the country take time to honor those who have served their country and fought for their freedom. For years students at Calais High School have taken time before that day to put together a ceremony to thank all those locally who have served and made the sacrifice for their country.