100 Years Ago: 1924

The complete program for the Auburn second annual winter, Feb. 24-15-16 has just been announced by the Auburn Community Service which is arranging it. It includes a bewildering array of competitive contacts, fancy skating and skiing exhibition, hockey game between Bates-Colby Colleges, a carnival street parade with prizes for the best costumes, free tobogganing for the public, exhibits of the McMillan dog team, etc.

The closing event Saturday will be Miss Laura Jean Carlisle and her partner Jimmie Bourke, famous fancy skaters from the Boston Arena. They will perform on the Court Street rink each evening of the carnival, except the closing night, when everyone goes to Carnival Ball on Saturday – the closing day – they perform in the afternoon. Mr. Bourke was at the Auburn carnival last year, skating with Miss Blue. The Boston papers this season said that Miss Calisle is superior to Miss Blue. The cost of securing these two skaters is considerable.

Expert ski jumpers from the famous Nansen Ski Club, Chisholm Ski Club and others will give exhibitions on Auburn’s new 50 feet ski tower- the largest in Maine. There will be a 3 mile ski cross country race, and Miss Margaret Towne,16 year old Berlin, N.H. ski jumper will also give an exhibition.

50 Years Ago: 1974

(Sun Journal photo) The heart, associated with the Valentine motif chosen for the YWCA Membership Supper, is appropriate in the light of the YW’s concern for people. Here, Mrs. Melvin Curtis and Mrs. Bruce Lepage, co chairmen of decorations for the Feb 12 supper are photographed with some of the decorative accents they are creating for the affair. The supper, a smorgasboard, will be served at the Kate J. Anthony House at 6:30 pm, and there is a Feb 8 deadline for reservations.

25 Years Ago: 1999

A hairdresser can be a very important person in some people’s lives, but for those losing their hair due to chemotherapy treatments a stylist can play a critical role.

Cosmetologist and hairstylist Cynthia Thibodeau of Expressions by Cindee at 86 Main St. became interested in learning more about the techniques she was using to help her clients who had become ill. So she volunteered for the Look Good… Feel Better program sponsored by the American Cancer Society and the National Cosmetology Association.

She will give workshops at Stephens Memorial Hospital for people who are undergoing the appearance related side effects of cancer treatments. Participants will learn about skin and nail care as well as support and techniques for coping with hair loss.

With the help of simple, inexpensive hairpieces, wigs and headdresses, Thibodeau can help relieve some of the anguish associated with dramatic changes in ones’ image due to illness. Through her workshops and consultations, what can often be a very sad time for a person can become an opportunity to have fun.

In order to qualify as a volunteer she underwent training.

“The LGFB team really makes sure that we have the skills we need to be able to help people,” said Thibodeau. At a session helping another volunteer she said the woman first came in somber and serious, “but by the time we left we were all laughing.. she said. “Each one of us had made a new friend.”

Thibodeau has also worked as a certified nursing assistant in a hospital setting, which she said helps her in her work with cancer patients.

“I will do anything to help them through this,” she said. “I would never try to gain financially from their hardship,” she said.

As a volunteer she will be speaking to church groups and other organizations to make them aware of the program and enlist their help in donations of material or sewing talents to make some of the hats and turbans, and donations of wigs and other items.

If someone wants to buy a wig, they can buy it through her at cost.

Thibodeau stresses that the workshops are not just for women.

She knows men can be as concerned as women about their appearance and wants to help them too.

Thibodeau has made some modifications to her styling area to be sensitive to cancer patients. Her booth has a special screen to give privacy. Her mirror has a curtain that can be pulled over it. Often clients come to her to be fitted for a wig before all of their hair has come out and it is necessary to shave the rest to have the wig fit properly. The curtain over the mirror protects the client from that first moment when all of their hair is gone. Thibodeau can have the wig all styled and in place before they ever have to see themselves.

“No money can ever match that feeling of helping someone,” she said.

The material used in Looking Back is produced exactly as it originally appeared although misspellings and errors may be corrected.

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