DEAR SUN SPOTS: Students at Edward Little High School’s video production class are working on an aviation series and would like to interview a few local naval veterans who were assigned to Naval Auxiliary Air Facility Lewiston during World War II. If you are interested, please contact Jim Horn at 333-6652 or email: jhorn@auburnschl.edu.

— Jim, no town

ANSWER: Jim is a teacher who is anxious to hear from folks about this important project for his class. It sounds interesting and I can’t wait to hear how it goes.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I would like to express my thanks to an employee of Central Maine Power. My car was broken down on the East Bethel Road and I had left home with no phone or emergency communication. I am a senior citizen and it was very cold and windy. A CMP truck driver stopped to ask if I needed help. He called AAA for me and stayed with me until the wrecker truck came to tow my car. He was very helpful to me and I called CMP to tell them. I hope they got the message.

— Jean, Bethel

ANSWER: Beautiful! Thank you for sharing.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Regarding memories of Sim’s Restaurant (Feb. 28 Sun Spots), as a young boy I remember going to Sim’s with my parents and seeing a live lobster for the first time. They were on the left side of the restaurant swimming around in open water tanks.

Sim’s was located across from the Rollerdrome in the triangle where the Dunkin’ Donuts parking lot is now. The front door was on Riverside Drive facing the Rollerdrome front door. Hector Aube’s Service Station was in the front of the lot at 24 Broad St. where the Dunkin’ Donuts building is now. The proprietor of Sim’s was Charles Levesque.

Prior to 1953, the Rollerdrome was the Bowlerdrome, a candlepin bowling alley owned by a young undertaker who later became a famous entrepreneur and benefactor, Roland Fortin. He also owned the Dairy Queen to the left of the Rollerdrome closer to the bridge which later became Chicken City.

— Gerard, New Auburn

DEAR SUN SPOTS: A reader recently wrote in about Sim’s. I lived near the Minot Avenue Sim’s when I was a little girl. We rarely ate out, but going to Sim’s was an occasional special treat. My absolute favorite childhood meal was a Sim’s lobster roll and a butterscotch sundae. I still remember them fondly. I have never yet met a lobster roll as good.

— No name, Auburn

ANSWER: These memories are fun to read and I hope everyone is enjoying them. It does bring to mind my own wonderful childhood memories which can be comforting right now during this time of great uncertainty.

If you like to read about “the way things used to be,” a great website is the Maine Memory Network at mainememory.net. On the site, you can access information by participating historical societies from all over the state. It’s a wonderful resource. And don’t forget about using local libraries when you’re curiosity gets the better of you!

If you have a memory about a special place from your childhood in the L-A area or in western Maine, you can share them here.

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name. We won’t use it if you ask us not to. Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

 

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