Rumford greets Birdie, raises hundreds for heart association

Eileen M. Adams/Sun Journal

Birdie Googins, aka the Marden's lady, pulls a name out of a straw bag to select the winner of a Marden's gift certificate in the Marden's lady look-alike contest at the retail store in Rumford on Friday. Jean Jeselskis of Rumford was the winner.

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- Eileen M. Adams/Sun Journal

Winne Barker of Rumford Center and Jeannette White of Dixfield were two of the 14 contestants in the Marden's lady look-alike contest at the retail store in Rumford on Friday.

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- Eileen M. Adams/Sun Journal

Eileen M. Adams photo

Fourteen contestants competed in the Marden's lady look-alike contest Friday at the retail store in Rumford. The winner was Jean Jeselskis, far right, of Rumford, whose name was pulled from a straw bag by Birdie Googins, the Marden's lady herself.

- Eileen M. Adams/Sun journal

Eileen M. Adams/Sun Journal

Dozens of people lined up Friday morning at Marden's discount store in Rumford to get a signed photograph of the retailer's popular ad personality, Birdie Googins, far left. The event was a fundraiser for the American Heart Association and the secondary anniversary of the store's opening.

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- Eileen M. Adams/Sun Journal

Eileen M. Adams/Sun Journal

Barbara Morse of Peru was one of the hundreds of people who flocked to the Rumford Marden's store Friday to see  Birdie Googins, the Marden's lady. The store celebrated its second anniversary and raised more than $350 for the American Heart Association with Googins' help.

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- Eileen M. Adams/Sun Journal

RUMFORD — Hundreds of people lined up Friday morning at the local Marden's store to get an autographed photo of Birdie Googins, who is featured in the discount retailer's ads.

Googins was celebrating the store's second birthday and helped raise more than $350 for the American Heart Association.

Ruth and Stan Sobocinski, recent transplants from Connecticut to Hanover, were looking forward to seeing Googins again, after attending a show she did in her hometown of Norway. There, she was known as Martha Lello, living in the parsonage of the Second Congregational Church and graduating from Oxford Hills High School in 1969. For most of her life since, she's been working in the theater as an actress by the name of Karmo Sanders, writing and doing comedy.

Barbara Morse of Peru was among those who couldn't wait to see the colorful character with the thick Maine accent. “We just had to see her,” Morse said.

Karen Gallant of Rumford stood in line to meet Googins and to get an autograph for her 92-year-old mother, Beatrice Deraspe. “Mom couldn't be here, so I'm here for her. She loves watching the Marden's lady on TV,” Gallant said.

Fourteen women, young and not-so young, competed in a Marden's lady look-alike contest. Winnie Barker of Rumford Center was one. “I just like her so well. She is so funny, and she makes me laugh,” Barker said.

Jeannette White of Dixfield also decided to give the contest a try. “My lady friends talked me into this,” she said.

So did Jean Jeselskis of Rumford. “My friends have been after me. They are constantly calling me the Marden's lady,” she said.

Googins and two Marden's employees judged the contest, but in the end, Googins decided to place the names in a bag — straw of course. She drew out Jeselskis,' who received a Marden's gift certificate.

While people inside were chatting with and getting autographs from Googins, others were outside listening to rock music played by Smith Crossing, a four-man band from Rumford, and eating from the offerings of several food vendors and trying to knock a local official into a dunk tank.

Rumford Selectmen Brad Adley and Frank DiConzo took their turns in the morning, along with several other local and legislative officials.

Rumford Town Manager Carlo Puiia and Mexico Town Manager John Madigan were scheduled for Friday afternoon. Madigan said prior to his turn that he had done this once before, when he was a young town manager in Monson. “Now I'm wondering what I got myself into,” he said. “But it's for a good cause.”

eadams@sunjournal.com