Events

Time is running out for nearly three dozen popular garden plants in Maine, and it’s not because another snowstorm is on the way. It’s because the state of Maine has been warning homeowners about invasive species for several years, and after next year they’ll no longer be allowed for sale or planting.

The list covers popular tree types such as the Crimson King and the Royal Red Maple.

“People want that particular maple. That’s the one with the red leaves. It’s red all year round. They like it because of that color. It’s different,” says Melissa Higgins, a garden expert at Sprague’s Nursery in Bangor.

But Higgins this is the last year those kinds of trees, both varieties of Norway maple, will be available. Starting next year they will be banned, along with 32 other plants and trees.

Retailers have until Dec. 31 to get rid of all remaining invasive plant stock. After that, the selling, distribution or transport of the plants on the list, as well as the intentional propagation, becomes illegal.

At the moment, the state is only planning to ban the sale and transport of the 33 listed plants. There is no mandate to dig up or destroy plants you possess at the end of the year, but they warn that could change in the future.

A Rotary Club Assembly is a regular club meeting dedicated to discussing and coordinating club business, such as future plans, projects, and committee reports, rather than a formal program. These assemblies provide a forum for member participation, enabling the sharing of ideas, addressing concerns, and fostering a collective understanding of the club's direction, with the club president typically leading the discussion to ensure transparency and engagement. 

Key Purposes of a Rotary Club Assembly

• Monitoring Progress:

Directors and committee chairs provide updates to the club on their projects and activities. 

• Strategic Planning:

The assembly serves as a platform to develop long-term plans, coordinate committee efforts, and discuss upcoming initiatives for the new Rotary year. 

• Member Engagement:

Assemblies encourage members, especially new ones, to learn about the club's operations and contribute their ideas and feedback. 

• Information Sharing:

Members exchange information on topics of importance to the club, ensuring everyone is informed about goals and ongoing activities. 

• Education:

The meetings offer ongoing education about Rotary, including the importance of membership development, community outreach, and Rotary's values. 

How a Club Assembly Typically Works

• Leadership:

The club president or a designated officer leads the assembly, guiding discussions and ensuring member interests are addressed. 

• No Formal Program:

Unlike a standard Rotary meeting, a club assembly lacks a pre-scheduled guest speaker or entertainment, focusing instead on internal club business and member interaction. 

• Focus on the Future:

While past performance might be reviewed, the primary goal is to look forward, outlining the president's aspirations and the plans of various committees for the upcoming Rotary year. 

• Member Input:

The assembly provides a crucial opportunity for members to voice their ideas, concerns, and commitments to the club's goals. 

Why They Are Important

• Transparency:

Assemblies promote transparency and inclusivity by providing a clear channel for communication between club leaders and members. 

• Shared Vision:

By involving members in the planning process, assemblies help create a shared vision and commitment to the club's success. 

• Improved Administration:

Regular assemblies facilitate effective club administration by fostering communication and allowing for adjustments to plans.

The Tyngtown Club of Wilton celebrates its 125th Anniversary this year! The club founded January 13, 1900 originally included nine women devoted to self-improvement. The women rotated alphabetically to present an area of research including topics such as agriculture and Parliamentary Law. During their recent celebration, current Tyngtown members reminisced and read “A Poem written for the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Tyngtown Club by charter member, Mary A. Bass, in her 92nd year.” A couple stanzas speak to the club’s origins and slogan “service, sociability, and study”.

On a winter day of long ago

Some ladies met–but not to sew

Their minds on higher things were bent,

Time for study should be spent.

Library, schools, community projects

And many other worthy objects

Have received a helping hand

From our useful Tyngtown band.

The current Tyngtown membership includes about 25 active members and additional supporting members who have moved away but continue to donate to Tyngtown projects such as the annual Christmas project and in-bloom flowers for the Club’s May Plant Sale. Historically, Tyngtown is notable for several large community projects. One such project is the creation of Bass Park Playground, which began construction in 1974. Historical club notes include a catalog clipping of the playground’s “super arch climber” noted for its weight of 405lbs. The climber, for better or for worse, is still in use today. Another Tyngtown undertaking includes the mural on the side of Food City created originally and maintained by Nancy Stowell. Books for Babies was another long-lasting (15 years+) historical project spearheaded by Nancy Cureton in cooperation with the Wilton Free Public Library to provide a bag of books for every newborn child in Wilton and promote getting a library card.

Today Tyngtown is most well known for its current, multiple town initiatives. The first, Tyngtown’s installation and maintenance of the Wilton downtown planter boxes and flowers–an initiative and legacy of Paulette Cahn and her husband, Tom. The second initiative, the Blueberry Pie Sale at the Wilton Blueberry Festival, is in its 23rd year. Lead by pie and sales phenoms Deb Aseltine and Marcia Parker for the last 18 years, any profits made Tyngtown puts back into the community with donations to nonprofits such as the Wilton Free Public Library, Western Maine Museum of Play, Fit Girls of Wilton Maine, Wilton Historical Society, and the Wilton Scholarship Fund (Robin Bragg). Third, Tyngtown members lead and staff the volunteer teams responsible for packing the food for the RSU 9 Anita’s Hope Backpack Program. Anita Spencer, for whom the Backpack Program is now named, was a Tyngtown member so passionate about children’s access to food that her son donated $10,000 in support of the program. Robin Bragg spearheads the Backpack Program volunteers with countless volunteer hours herself. A final Tyngtown initiative, and most timely, is the May Tyngtown Plant Sale. The Tyngtown Plant Sale that began in 1980 is on its 45th Anniversary this year! 

To join Tyngtown, one must live in Wilton and be interested in fellowship, giving back, and supporting a prosperous, beautiful Wilton community. Please email tyngtownclub1900@gmail.com for more information! Much cake and pie is to be found, and occasionally, as historically designated, tea with the fine silver utensils and china plates make an appearance in both joy and jest. Any donations for the Downtown Flowers and/or Plant Sale can be made to Tyngtown, P.O. Box 665 Wilton, ME 04294.