A holiday tradition for many years, mitten trees in local banks is likely to end this year with the disbanding of the Athol Quota Club. The club, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in February, voted to disband as of June 30. “We had no new members and many of our people are getting older and are unable to continue,” Doris Blanchard explained. “We’d like to keep the mitten tree going, but I don’t know if we’ll be able to,” she said.
■EMT Timothy Newton recently presented a continuing education program on “Sportsmen’s Injuries” at Athol Memorial Hospital. Newton emphasized the importance of EMTs being trained before attempting a rescue.
■Robert L. Ewell II, son of Donald and Claire Ewell of Athol, has been advanced to the rank of chief petty officer in the United States Navy. He is the supply officer at Fleet Training Group, Naval Station, Ingleside, Texas.
■Recent donations edged the Athol Santa Fund closer to the $10,000 mark, with a goal of $11,000.
■Employees of Pete’s Tire Barn recently donated $200 to the Athol Santa Fund and $200 to the Orange Santa Fund.
■The Orange Elementary PTO made a $200 donation to the Athol-Orange Family Inn. The PTO also recently donated $500 to the Orange Fire Department Rescue Tool Fund and $500 to the Orange Santa Fund.
■Wal-Mart donated $1,316 to the Orange Santa Fund recently. Dee Wheeler, of Wal-Mart, said the funds were a percentage of sales received the Saturday morning after Thanksgiving. The Orange Santa Fund will also receive additional contributions from the pictures of children taken with Santa at the store.
■The Orange Santa Fund has gone over their goal of $7,000 with total contributions of $8,343.
■Quabbin Mediation has received foundation funding for conflict resolution activities including workshops and mediations. Two staff members, Lani Sherlock, teen outreach coordinator, and Sharon Tracy, have started conflict resolution workshops at the Athol Middle School and have been working with Orange District Court personnel on similar workshops for Juvenile Court days.
■Members of the First Congregational Church of Royalston, in conjunction with the cultural council’s tree lighting ceremony, recently presented a “Living Nativity” scene in front of their building.
■A groundbreaking ceremony for a $673,900 addition to Phillipston Memorial School, to include classrooms and a gym, was held this week. Construction is scheduled to begin next week with completion by April 1, 1996.
An Athol woman was struck by a car and hospitalized with a back injury as the first nor’easter of the winter belted the Mount Grace Region.
■The Athol Santa Fund is over the top with $732.60 raised! The goal was $700. One hundred forty-two Athol youngsters will benefit from the Santa Fund.
■The Athol Public Library Trustees approved a budget of $38,750 for 1971, an increase of $1,465 from this year. Raises granted library personnel and maintenance costs for air conditioning and a large copying machine, both installed this year, account for the budget increase. Major expenditures for 1971 include a microfilm viewer-copier and a new tile floor in the children’s library and trustees’ meeting room.
■Airman Russell J. Carey, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Carey, of Athol, has completed basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas. He has been assigned to Sheppard AFB, Texas, for training in transportation.
■Airman James T. Boudreau, son of Mrs. Dorothy T. Boudreau and the late Gerald A. Boudreau Sr., of Athol, recently completed basic training at Lackland AFB, Texas. He is receiving technical training in electronics at Sheppard AFB, Texas.
■Between 200-300 employees of the L.S. Starrett Company will be laid off for the week following Christmas. The company employs 1,200 persons. The layoffs affect departments where workloads have been lessened, primarily the assembly department.
■The Athol High School Chorus, Philip M. Anzaldi director, and the high school band directed by Ray H. Dumas, will present the annual Christmas concert at the school.
■The Mahar Regional High School music department, under the direction of Robert Ellison, will present the annual Christmas assembly to parents and friends at the school.
■Coasting streets in Orange were designated: Clifton Street, School Street and East Howe Street. Only cars of street residents and their visitors will be allowed on those thoroughfares, selectmen said.
■The Tully Fire Company, with their wives and the auxiliary, entertained 23 children of the members at the fire hall. Santa Claus came with gifts for all and cookies and punch were served. The following evening firemen and their wives were served a ham supper by Mrs. Norma Johnson and gifts were exchanged by the guests.
The familiar red kettle of the Salvation Army which has for years taken its place on the street during the Christmas season, will again be placed there to receive contributions from the public. Contributions will be used specifically for Christmas cheer among the aged, the sick and the less fortunate.
■One of the biggest parties ever to be held in town took place when the N.D. Cass Co. played Santa Claus to employees of the Cass plants, entertaining 700 guests at dinner, amusement and dance, adjourning to Memorial Hall for the latter part of the program. No one place in Athol was large enough to cater to the numerous guests, so it was arranged that employees and their families would dine in four different restaurants and Liberty Hall.
■Due to relinquishing Liberty Hall for the Cass Christmas party, members of the 15th Co., 29th Infantry, MSG will meet in the assembly hall of the YMCA to enjoy an evening of training movies. These films are all new and have never been shown to the Company.
■With a membership which has now reached 186, and more applications being received daily from World War II veterans, the Roy L. Boyce Post, V.F.W., at a special meeting, took initial steps leading to the acquisition of larger quarters. A committee of 11 was named at the meeting to seek a new home and to determine means of raising funds towards the purchase of such a home. The present quarters are at 59 Exchange St.
■Christmas carols and Christmas music will ring from the laurel-garlanded bell which swings above the intersection at Orange square. A sound system is being installed and will be in operation until after Christmas.
■The Orange High School Student Council presented a one-act Christmas play entitled “Pop Reads the Christmas Carol.”
■A Christmas social was held at the Baptist Church in West Royalston with approximately 80 present. Entertainment consisted of carol singing by children and adults. A reading was given by Mrs. Dorothy Corser and games were played. When Santa arrived, a heavy-laden tree was dismantled.
■Gen. George S. Patton, Jr., 60, who led the victorious U.S. Third Army from the beaches of Normandy into Czechoslovakia, died a dozen days after his neck was broken in a traffic accident.