The Androscoggin Historical Society recently elected officers and directors at its annual meeting.

Re-elected were President Curtis Jack, Vice President Penny Jessop, Secretary Douglas Hodgkin, Treasurer David Chittim and directors Joline Froton, Sonia Jack, Beverly Robbins and Elizabeth Young. The slate included two new directors, Rebecca “Becky” Drew and Laura Juraska.

Drew grew up in Wellesley, Massachusetts, but after graduating from college, she, her husband, and two children became accustomed to being transferred every three years with his job. These moves took them to Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. The Drews finally realized their dream when they moved to Turner, where they restored a 1798 brick cape on the Nezinscott River and opened their third antique shop, Irish Meadows.

Upon retirement she and her husband moved for 10 years to Seneca, South Carolina. She returned to Maine just in time for the lengthy pandemic.

Drew taught for 42 years in many different school districts in kindergarten through eighth grade. History and reading were her specialties. History is her first love, whether it was restoring two historic homes, collecting and restoring antiques, reading historic novels, or evaluating dwellings for the National Register of Historic Places. Gardening and building rock walls is another passion.

Wherever she has lived, she has become involved in that community, generally counseling cancer patients and assisting the League of Women Voters. She is a member of Daughters of the American Revolution and the Philanthropic Educational Organization Sisterhood.

With an undergraduate degree in anthropology (archaeology) from the University of Wisconsin — Madison, Juraska earned her master’s degree in information and library science from Indiana University. She came to Maine with an offer to join the Research Services group at Bates College in 1983. She experienced the digital transformation of the library profession and eventually progressed to head of research services, retiring in 2018.

After moving to Leeds, Juraska became interested in the history of the town, got involved in the historical society, and soon became its president. When the town office moved to a new building, the society took responsibility for the 1822 building and over time renovated it into a collection, exhibit, and programming center.

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