Donations will help fund
music study scholarship

CARRABASSETT VALLEY — The Carrabassett Valley Public Library and Community Center announces the opening of the “Art for Uncle Al Exhibition,” dedicated to the memory of Alexander Scheeren and providing a giving opportunity to benefit the Uncle Al Fund.

In the Carrabassett Valley that Alexander Scheeren was happy to call home for nearly 50 years, he was known simply as Uncle Al. Cultivating his natural ability through formal training on violin and trombone, Alex was comfortable on any stage, but he was most at ease when he was close to home, improvising melodies with an impish enthusiasm and navigating his way downstream “playing by ear.”

He was beloved by his friends and neighbors for his spirit, his wry wit and humor, and his warm and compassionate nature. Everybody’s uncle and nobody’s fool, Alexander Scheeren played from the heart, spoke his mind and shared his soul. 

The Uncle Al Fund is an endowed, component fund of the Maine Community Foundation. It is a scholarship fund that will provide financial assistance to musicians residing in Franklin or Somerset counties, who wish to pursue further instruction or musical development on their chosen instrument(s). Preference will be shown to musicians who play acoustic instruments, including “voice.”

Information about applying for this scholarship will be available in early January 2018 on the Maine Community Foundation’s website at http://www.mainecf.org/Scholarships/AvailableScholarships.aspx under the sections for Franklin and Somerset counties. 

The exhibition will include works by artists who were friends of Uncle Scheeren, all of whom have donated their art to the exhibition. Ninety percent of any sale will go to the Uncle Al Fund; 10 percent to the library. The participating artists are: Betsy Bass; Rommy Brown; Karen Campbell; Claudia Diller; Mike Gerstner; Parker Hall; Magi Leland; Abbott Meader; John and Cindy Orcutt; Patty Ritzo; Marguerite Robichaux; Gail Rowe; Jan Royall; Fritz Scheeren; Barbara Sullivan; Carol Tanner; Hugh Verrier.

The “Art for Uncle Al Exhibition” will continue through the end of December. The Library Board will host a gala reception on Friday, Dec. 29. All are invited to see the exhibition during the months of November and December, to arrange for a purchase from the exhibit, and to attend the Dec. 29 reception.

“Uncle Al’s trombone,” by Hugh Verrier, watercolor paper sculpture