RUMFORD – Read, get a good education, believe in yourself, and never give up.
About 17 third- and fourth-graders from St. Athanasius and St. John School heard these encouraging words from Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, Tuesday morning as the state’s junior senator helped light the municipal Christmas tree.
“If I can go from Caribou, Maine, to the U.S. Senate, you can be whatever you want to be,” she told the youngsters. “When I was in school – this is potato country – school would get out so we could all pick potatoes.”
One youngster asked her if she picked Idaho potatoes. “We’d never pick Idaho potatoes,” she laughed. “They’re our competition.”
Children listed a variety of their career goals, ranging from veterinarian and builder, to Navy SEAL, author and teacher.
Collins shared her love of the Harry Potter book series, and when she asked who had read them, nearly every had shot up.
“I’ve read every Harry Potter book. If you become a good reader, you can be whatever you want to be when you grow up,” she said.
After the tree lighting, youngsters sang Christmas carols, and Collins handed out American flag stickers.
Later in the day, Rumford Selectman Jolene Lovejoy taped interviews with some of the children, as well as with Collins, for broadcast on the local access channel program, “River Valley Connections.”
Collins also toured the River Valley Technology Center, the downtown area, including several of the architecturally significant buildings, discussed the town’s revitalization efforts with Town Manager Steve Eldridge and homeland security goals with Fire Chief John Woulfe, and had lunch with NewPage Corp. and other community leaders.
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