The winner of the Voice of Democracy will receive $100 and a certificate.

PARIS – The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9787 of South Paris has announced that Brian Hodgdon, a senior at Oxford Hills High School, has won the Voice of Democracy contest.

Hodgdon and his parents were honored at the December post meeting when he received his $100 award and a certificate of merit for his work.

Also, during this time 400 students in the Oxford Hills Middle School wrote essays on the topic “My Dream for America.” The winners were Brandilee LaCasse, Chelsey Duguay and Zachary Wright. The winners, their parents and teachers are invited to a special banquet on Wednesday, Jan. 7, when they will receive $25 cash awards and certificates of merit. LaCasse also placed third in the district competition which includes posts from Rumford, Auburn, Lewiston, Lisbon, Jay, Canton, Greene and South Paris.

The post sold raffle tickets on a Christmas basket and the winner was seventh-grade student, Rachel Brown, at the Oxford Hills Middle School. The basket was delivered to her by Quartermaster Myron Pierce and past Cmdr. Joseph Cooney. Pierce said proceeds from the raffle would be used to help pay for the post colors recently purchased.

Cmdr. Richard Hamilton says that paid membership in now at 340 or 80 percent of the quota. Of that number, 210 are life members. Hamilton reminds members that the first nomination of next year’s officers will take place at the March meeting.