100 Years Ago: 1921

The Auburn street department had its sprinklers out for the first time yesterday. Goff Street was thoroughly swept and sprinkled, greatly improving conditions.

50 Years Ago: 1971

The local Altrusa Club will sponsor an April Fool’s Card Party on March 31 at the First Universalist Church, Elm Street, Auburn, at 7:30 pm. Committee chairmen are Mrs. Ellen Greer, publicity; Miss Mary Elizabeth Allen, program; Mrs. John Bunney decorations; and Frances Lawhorne with Natalie Young, refreshments which will feature special desserts.

25 Years Ago: 1996

Whether it has to do with the movies or merchandise, angels are in right now. Allison Chasse of Auburn is counting on that to get her to Colorado. Last September, Chasse was one of 700 young people chosen out of 8,000 applicants to join the 1997 “Up With People” organization that performs before audiences around the world to deliver a positive message to people who have fallen on hard times. Chasse, a senior at Edward Litthe High School, will perform with one of the show’s five casts. In order to join the cast, however, she must fly to Colorado in January to enroll in the group’s orientation program. Tuition for the five-week orientation is $12,000. Usually, when a person is asked to join “Up With People,” they solicit sponsorships from area businesses to raise the cost of tuition. Knowing that times are tough for local businesses, Chasse decided to try something different. With the inspiration of her mother, Kay, she decided to sell Christmas Angel pins to raise all of the money. Allison came up with the idea while watching Kay design pins for patients and her fellow nurses in the Day Surgery at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center. Word about the pins spread quickly around the staff at St. Mary’s, as well as the members of the Parish Nurses Program. It soon became obvious that the angels would be the ticket for Allison to get to Colorado. The pins are made with pearl beads topped in a halo, white lace skirts in gold and golden wings. Kay has also designed a similar angel with a wooden head painted with a whimsical expression. “I bought all of the supplies to make 3,000 angels,” Kay said. “We do them in an assembly line in the kitchen, It’s very much a cottage industry. We hope to have all 3,000 done by late December.” They already have an order for 700 pins for the National Symposium of Parish Nurses to be held in Chicago in September.

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