Our American Legion baseball team, the 36ers, are really coming together! Bill Pearson did a great job covering the first game in last week’s Register that wasn’t a win for the 36ers but considering it was their first game together after only two practices, they did really great! Consider that members of the team come from as far away as Rockland and Lisbon, and only a week before many of the players didn’t know each other much less play together. Just two days later, playing against the Erskine Area (China Lake), they lost by only one. Last Monday the 36ers played the Capital Area team in Augusta and on Tuesday played Skowhegan at home. If you are reading this on Thursday (writing this on Sunday), I am hoping you will have heard about those two wins. The next home game is July 10 against Erskine again, so hopefully a big turn out to see the 36ers turn the tables on them.

The Yard Sale is fast approaching! The Legion is accepting all treasures now, deliver to the back of the Hall in the plastic grey storage area or call the Legion for items to be stored in the Hall. We can also pick up by calling the Hall at 633-4487 and make arrangements. Please spread the word that Legion has reserved the Common for everyone to have their yard sale. To reserve a spot, call the hall as well. This year there may be even more opportunity to buy things, so stand by! The Common will be the place to be on Aug. 5!

This coming week we celebrate the 4th of July. Please indulge me by submitting a poem by Peter Cacciolfi, a Navy veteran.

Our Beginning

The Fourth of July

The 1770’s, both good and bad

we were in a new land, both happy & sad

The British controlled, & were demanding & bold

but we had brave people who didn’t like to be told

Town meetings were held & great speeches rang out

they wanted to make sure everyone knew what the rule was about

But the British had an army, uniformed & armed

they had food & shelter & felt very charmed

They never suspected the commoners would rise

and when they did, it was a disastrous surprise

Through terrible conditions the common folk endured

but they were determined, challenged & demurred

Through starvation and sickness, the death toll was high

but despite all the hardships they never went awry

Sure there were deserters, too sick to go forth

they went in all directions, east, south, west and north

But Washington pleaded, and gave it his all

seeing his suffering, with them, they together stood tall

In the end their freedom was won

they returned home in peace once the fighting was done

We must always remember the sacrifices from those who devoted their lives for the cause of freedom and are still doing so on this very day

Happy 4th!