Bethel(Nancy)

A local hiking spot and business get special mention in the July Down East magazine’s “Best of Maine” issue. Maggie’s Nature Park in Greenwood is rated as one of Maine’s top ten “Unsung Hikes.” Carey Michael Kish, editor of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Maine Mountain Guide reports that “Maggie’s Nature Park has six color-coded trails on eighty-six acres and they’re all great little hikes.” Maine Line Products, which has stores in Bethel and Greenwood, is noted for one of the “Four Kitschy Souvenirs” found in Maine: the Maine Woodsman’s Weather Stick. Pat’s Pizza (which has several locations including Bethel) won the award for Best Pizza in the third annual Down East Readers’ Choice Awards. You can borrow a copy of Down East from the Bethel Library or buy a copy locally at the Bethel Foodliner.

On July 7, 2012, Jonathan and Jennifer Head graciously hosted the annual reunion/picnic for the descendants of George and Harriett Swift Stowell in West Bethel. Nine of their twelve children were in attendance: George and Mary Luxton Stowell, Falmouth; their children, Rachel Stowell and Bernard Webster, Atlanta, Ga., Sandra Stowell and Jon Harris; Kailey Harris, Portland; David Stowell’s children, Macy and Nathan Stowell; Suzanne Stowell Bartlett, South Paris; Michael and Andrea Jean Stowell, Flagler Beach, Fla.; Suzanne Stowell Zooleck, Weymouth, Mass.; Michael Stowell, Jr., Harper’s Ferry, WVa.; Sara Stowell Carson, Palm Coast, Fla.; Jon and Jenn Head, Julia Head, Joshua Head and many of his high school friends from this area; Jeremy Head and Crystelle Head, Bethel; Peter’s daughter, Rhonda Stowell, Phoenix, Ariz.; Billy Stowell’s children, Jennifer Stowell and husband Lee Norris, Rumford, and Ryan Stowell, Woburn, Mass.; Jonathan and Renie Gilbert Stowell, Shirley, Mass.; Melanie Stowell and husband Paul Vermette, N.H.; Nathan Stowell and Caryn Conway, Leominster, Mass., and sons Wyatt Stowell and Alex Conway; Martha Stowell White, Norway; Michelle Bennett Sprague, Rumford Center; Tia Sprague and Ayva, Rumford; Andrew and Marlene Stowell, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.; Jason Stowell and Corissa Giglio, Bangor; Brian and Linda Stowell, Bryant Pond; Rachel Stowell and husband Tim Adams, Fayette; Benjamin, Joshua and Zack Adams; and Rebecca Stowell Lloyd, Rumford.

Also attending were Sheila Gilbert Head, Bob and Jane Head Rottari, New Gloucester, who are not direct descendants, but dear friends of the family. Others came by to say hello to the Stowell clan. The evening culminated with many going to Mike and Jean’s house on Mill Hill to enjoy the fireworks.

Mollyockett Days are this weekend, July 21-22. New this year is the closing of downtown streets on Saturday to make way for vendors’ booths, which will be set up in the streets, as well as on the Common. A complete schedule of events is available elsewhere in the Citizen, as well as on line at www.bethelchamber.com.

The Bethel United Methodist Church on Main Street will be open all day Saturday as “a cooling center” and will have cold water, a cookie walk, and crafts for sale. The church will also provide water and dog biscuits for dogs attending the Saturday events. The sanctuary will be open for meditation and prayer.

The Bethel Library will hold its annual used book sale this Saturday during the Mollyockett Days from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The sale is held under the tent on the library’s lawn, across from the Common.

Bethel Dog Park supporters will meet tonight, July 19, at 6 p.m. at the Mahoosuc Land Trust building on Route 2, next door to the Crossroads Diner. Everyone interested in a local dog park is welcome.

If you have news you’d like to share, call me at 824-2483 or e-mail nancybrown1150@yahoo.com.