PHILLIPS — Following a week of devastation in the Phillips area and surrounding towns, a few bright spots can be found.

We were blessed with sunshine, warm temperatures, no wind, and power restored in nearly all the areas. The wreaths on the Welcome to Phillips sign withstood the heavy winds.

The Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad, whose tracks run along the Sandy River, received a significant amount of damage, but promise the trains will run in 2024.

Brenda Wilcox, dressed in a snowman outfit to bring a smile to everyone she met. She purchased the costume to wear during the December 9 Christmas in Phillips events but realize doing face painting and serving hot chocolate wouldn’t work well in the outfit. Warm weather and sunshine prompted her to take a walk stopping at Shadagee Senior Housing and Edmund’s Market, returning to the library where she had left her car.

Jill Berry Bowen and Winona Davenport were unable to catch up with her for a group photo of Winona in her moose hat and Jill in her Santa hat, so they hammed it up at the Local Bull on Main Street. Further down on Pleasant Street, heavy rains had left over an acre of water, affectionately called Lake Winona. By Friday it was frozen solid and was an invitation for the Reinholt family a few yards away to get out their skates and spend an hour or so on the newly formed skating rink.

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