RUMFORD – Scot Grassette hopes everyone got what they asked from Santa this year, particularly those who took part in the 100- by 25-foot letter that was shipped to the North Pole right after Thanksgiving.

Grassette’s efforts to get what he is sure is the world’s largest single page letter into the Guinness Book of World Records failed.

There is no such category and the organization isn’t interested in making one, it said.

He received an e-mail from the London-based recorder of the biggest, smallest, longest and tallest whatever Monday when he returned to work at NewPage Corp.

“Whether they accepted it or not, I still believe it’s the world’s largest letter. Because they didn’t accept it doesn’t affect what has happened and what is,” he said late Wednesday afternoon. “What came from the event, the magic, can’t be taken away.”

Hundreds of people lined up at the Mountain Valley High School gymnasium on Nov. 29 to make their wishes known. Elves, also known as the high school’s majorettes, wrote each wish on a single sheet of paper supplied by NewPage Corp.

All 62 pounds of it, requiring 288 first class stamps, was mailed to North Pole, Alaska, which is the official location of all mail sent to Santa.

Grassette’s attempt was covered by local newspapers as well as by newspapers from around the eastern part of the United States. Local and national television programs also covered the event.

The day-long event, which also included a magic show, and bake and craft sales, raised $3,000 for the high school majorette team.

Grassette is grateful for the support he and the majorettes’ efforts received to get into the Guinness Book. The manager of North Pole, Alaska, submitted letters of support, as did municipal and other leaders from the area.

Grassette and the letter’s supporters were trying to establish a new category in the Guinness Book of World Records. The e-mail from the organization simply said it was not interested in the new category.

The e-mail also suggested that Grassette try to beat the world’s record for largest greeting card.

Grassette said he won’t be trying that because such an entry must be able to stand on its own and be rigid. He did receive, however, another idea for getting the spotlight on the letter to Santa from an acquaintance.

He plans to submit documentation to Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. That paperwork goes out on Thursday.

“It would be really cool if it was in a book,” he said.

Grassette, an amateur magician, has lots of other ideas for drawing attention to Rumford, but he’s not talking about them right now.

The letter was a positive experience for so many people, he believes.

“It created a lasting memory in the hearts and minds of the children of Western Maine. It was well worth the effort,” he said.

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