Three portable “bowling lanes” will be sent to troops in Iraq, Afghanistan or Korea from Sparetime Recreation in Lewiston, Augusta and Waterville.

Each bowling kit consist of 26-foot carpet bowling lanes, 10 rubber bowling pins and a matching rubber bowling ball. It’s not the same as bowling in a real bowling alley, but it will provide troops with recreation, said Jeremy Morang, manager of the Augusta Sparetime.

The portable bowling centers set up and break down in minutes, Morang said, and come in giant burlap bags being personally signed by well-wishers of troops on the front lines.

The Lewiston Sparetime Recreation will send its portable bowling lane kit to husband and wife Sgt. Timothy Verreault and Specialist Jessica Verreault, who are with the 399th Combat Support Hospital, according to a statement from Sparetime Recreation Centers owner Andy Couture.

The bowling kits will be “a little slice of home to our troops,” Couture said. “Our bowlers and our centers want to show that we appreciate their sacrifice.”

Each center will celebrate New Year’s Eve with a Salute to Our Troops party, then send out the mini-bowling centers.

For more information, contact marketing director Wendy Smith at 786-2695, write to Sparetime Recreation, 24 Mollison Way, Lewiston, ME, 04240, or e-mail [email protected].

– Bonnie Washuk
Giving bus drivers

Throughout the year 13 Poland bus drivers each gave Sharon Potvin $2 every payday.

The money was to help buy Christmas presents for two Poland families, both single mothers with one or two daughters.

By December the drivers’ $2 turned into $548.

Potvin, a bus driver and assistant to the director, spent a recent lunch hour shopping. Then she wrapped warm winter jackets, hats and mittens, toys or gifts for each girl, something the girls wanted. One family received food for their Christmas dinner.

There was some money left over, so the drivers picked six names off the Poland Corner Store giving tree and bought presents for more children.

Before Christmas, Potvin played the role of a bus driver Santa and delivered the gifts.”The families were very appreciative,” she said. “They wouldn’t have had much at Christmas if they didn’t get help. You feel good that you’ve done something to help someone else.”

Bus drivers don’t just drive students around, she said. “We care about your kids.”

– Bonnie Washuk
Illegal drug use fueling robberies

‘Tis the season for more armed robberies, most fueled by the demand for drugs, according to Steve McCausland of Maine’s Department of Public of Safety.

On Wednesday of last week, the Bank of America branch on Auburn Street in Portland was robbed. It was the 22nd bank robbery in Maine this year, a record according to McCausland.

In that week other robberies included: in Portland a man robbed a Dunkin Donuts with a knife; in Wilton a gunman robbed the Big Apple store; in Canaan the Canaan Country Store was robbed for the third time this year; and in Skowhegan four teenagers robbed Skowhegan’s Snack Shack.

Also, agents from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency are assisting troopers in investigating the death of a 23-year-old man from Stonington, McCausland said. The man is believed to have died from a drug overdose. Found at the home were Vicodin and methadone.

– Bonnie Washuk