The West Paris Bobcat Committee is asking for support in the form of financial donations to help in efforts to preserve the former Agnes Gray School buildings and grounds. The Committee’s mission is to protect this important piece of West Paris history to ensure it will serve our community in the future.

While the Town of West Paris is exploring different options for the future of the property, the Bobcat Committee has been lending a hand in cleaning up the grounds, mowing the grass, and monitoring the exterior of the building and grounds. Until future plans are made, the Bobcats will do what they can to help with the upkeep and prevent further deterioration. Some of the most pressing needs are new roofs, weatherstripping, replacement of broken windows, and heating system improvements.

The Bobcat Committee appreciates contributions of any size and as a thank you, they are currently entering all names from donations into a raffle. There are several prizes including three vinyl albums from West Paris’s very own Maine Humorist, Joe Perham, a car care kit, a crocheted baby outfit and more. The drawing is scheduled for the Dec. 15th Bobcat Committee Meeting. You do not have to be present to win. Donations by check can be mailed to the following:

The Bobcat Committee
Jim Marshall, President
PO Box 34
West Paris, ME 04289

You may also donate by following this QR code:

The Bobcat Committee is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Their meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at the West Paris Library. New members are always welcome.

The woolly bears are on the move! I’ve seen two of them this week. According to folklore, they are known for their ability to predict the length and severity of our winters by the length of their brown midsection. In the fall, these creatures make their way to a dark place to take shelter for the winter. In reality, the length of their midsection is just an indication of how old the caterpillar is. As it ages, it adds more brown hairs making their midsections appear larger, and therefore tricking us into thinking our winter will be a mild one, according to folklore. They survive the cold winter by producing a cryoprotectant that prevents their tissue from freezing as well as glycerol which insulates their body. Let’s hope they find their shelter soon, as the morning frosts have arrived! Maybe I’ll see these two flittering around as Isabella Tiger Moths in the spring.

Don’t forget to vote! Early voting is now open to West Paris residents any day the West Paris Town Office is open. M-W 8AM-5PM, Th 10AM-6PM, F 8AM-1PM. You may request an absentee ballot in person or online until Thursday, October 29th. You may also register to vote any day up to and including election day, November 3rd. Voting will be open on November 3rd from 8 AM until 8 PM.

Calendar of Upcoming Events:

Now through December 30: Art Exhibit, “The Nature of Trees” by Mick Liimatta, at the West Paris Library. Library open hours are Monday and Friday, 1:30-6 p.m.; Wednesday, 1:30-7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Thursday October 22nd: Public Hearing 5:00 PM.
The Town of West Paris will hold a Public Hearing at the West Paris Town Office in the meeting room to discuss acceptance of a Public Infrastructure CDBG Grant. The purpose of the grant is to replace the current water storage reservoir and associated piping, replace a critical river crossing, and the transmission main from the reservoir to the river crossing to comply with a MDWP Administrative Order. The district will also seek to locate and develop a secondary water supply. Public comments will be solicited at this Hearing and will be submitted as part of the Project Development Phase.

Saturday, October 24th: 4:30-6:00 PM Public Chicken Pie Supper at the Ring McKeen Legion Hall, 6 Church St. West Paris. Donation $12.00 per person. Eat in or take out. The full meal includes: chicken pie, mashed potato, veggies, homemade rolls, a dessert and beverage.

Monday Oct 26th: Goodwill Fellowship meeting/potluck at 12 noon at the West Paris Unitarian Universalist Church. Pokeno theme for Thanksgiving.

Wednesday October 28th: 5:30 PM, West Paris Old Home Days Planning Meeting. Held at Ripple Retreat, 186R Main Street, West Paris. All are welcome to join and share ideas.

Thursday October 29th: The Survey for the Town of West Paris Comprehensive Plan is due at the Town Office. Copies are available at the West Paris Town Office.

Saturday October 31st: The West Paris Vulnerability Assessment Survey is due. Paper copies of the survey are available at the Town Office and West Paris Library. You can also fill it out online at https://forms.gle/uxh5BpxzF3VXiQLy5 The goal of the Assessment Survey is to help West Paris become more resilient to extreme weather and other climate impacts.

Saturday October 31: Community Trunk or Treat at 5:00-7:30 PM at the West Paris Fire Station.

Tuesday November 3rd: Food Pantry 1PM-3PM at the West Paris Baptist Church.

Tuesday November 3rd: Polls are open for voting from 8AM-8PM at the West Paris Town Office.

Tuesday, November 10th: West Paris Planning Board Meeting at 6PM at the West Paris Town Office.

Tuesday, November 10th: West Paris Library Advisory Board Meeting 6:30-7:30PM. This is a monthly meeting and is open to the public.

December Date TBA: 100th Anniversary of the West Paris Library from 2:00-4:00 PM. Speaker: Rodney Abbott with displays and more. Join us to celebrate our 100-year-old Library! Everyone is welcome!

Ongoing West Paris Meetings/Events:

West Paris Selectman Meetings at 5PM Always the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month at the West Paris Town Office. All are welcomed to attend.

Recovery Ripples Meeting Every Tuesday at Ripple Retreat from 5pm to 6pm. This is a meeting for those in longterm recovery to discuss the good in our lives now, thanks to sobriety, rather than focusing on the bad. It’s an hour of Gratitude, sharing what we are grateful for as a direct result of our sobriety. We don’t share war stories or look in the past, we focus on today and the future. The meeting is held in person at Ripple Retreat, 186R Main Street, West Paris, ME 04289 and online at https://ripple-retreat.com/recovery-resources/.

The Ring McKeen American Legion Post 150 Every 4th Tuesday of the month the Legion and Auxiliary have a meeting and supper. The supper is at 6:00 PM and the meeting starts at 7:00PM. Any Veterans are welcome to join their Comrades.

The First Universalist Church of West Paris Worship Services Sundays, 9 AM. October’s services will feature music by guitarist Davy Sturtevant and a variety of guest speakers. Refreshments served following the service. All are welcome!
October 25, “Repairers of the Breach” led by The Rev. Scott Campbell.

If your West Paris organization has an event or meeting you would like to have listed in this newsletter, please email Stephanie at semery73@yahoo.com.

On Oct 12th, 1876, the West Paris Lodge No 15 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows dedicated their new “Centennial Hall” with a supper and ceremony. Approximately 250 people attended the supper where cakes and pies and “all the edibles which can be manufactured by New England cooks” were served along with “unsurpassable coffee provided to wash them down,” according to the Oxford Democrat. The dedication ceremony lasted for over three hours with even women in attendance, an unusual standard for groups at the time. Speeches were made by the IOOF officers and local talent provided entertainment.

Read more

Fall is in full force with the foliage nearly at peak color. The mornings are feeling colder and colder and we anticipate the first official frost any day now.

It’s a treat any time of the year to take in this view from High Street, but it really puts on a show in October. I have the privilege of driving by this view on a daily basis, and this time of year there is always a car pulled over to linger a bit longer and really take in the view.

Now that the flocks of redwing blackbirds, starlings, and grackles have taken off for the season, the local downy and hairy woodpeckers are once again regular visitors to my backyard feeders. Five cardinals have also made appearances. Last winter there were seven regulars. A few of the current ones are juveniles, so I am hoping even more than seven will eventually settle in for this coming winter. You can tell a juvenile by the muted color, similar to a female cardinal, but also by its black beak. Adult cardinals have very distinct red beaks.

Having been a bit reluctant to admit summer is over, I’ve left a hanging plant outside to give it any last chance it has to continue blooming. Most of the leaves have shriveled, but several red blossoms are hanging on. To my surprise, a pine siskin came to visit it on Sunday, hopping from flower to flower trying to get any remaining seeds from the plant. I was glad that despite its somewhat depressing decline, someone else was enjoying the poor plant’s last hurrah too! The pine siskin was one of the first birds I learned to identify (besides the very common chickadees and cardinals, etc.). My grandfather pointed it out to me, and that moment is what got me hooked on birding. They are very similar to a female goldfinch in size and color, but have a striped belly. Pine siskins are a bit skittish and I did not get a photo on Sunday. The above photo is from a sighting in 2016.

On to the happenings in West Paris...

Two Important Surveys for West Paris Citizens:

1. Please fill out the Survey Questions for the Town of West Paris Comprehensive Plan and return to the town office by Oct 29th, 2026. Copies are available at the West Paris Town Office.

2. Please fill out the West Paris Vulnerability Assessment Survey (due by 10/31/26) from CEBE. Complete the survey and/or attend a Community Forum to win a $100 Hannaford Gift Card. Paper copies of the survey are available at the Town Office and West Paris Library. You can also fill it out online at https://forms.gle/uxh5BpxzF3VXiQLy5

The goal of the Assessment Survey is to help West Paris become more resilient to extreme weather and other climate impacts.

Calendar of Upcoming Events:

Now through December 30: Art Exhibit, “The Nature of Trees” by Mick Liimatta, at the West Paris Library. Library open hours are Monday and Friday, 1:30-6 p.m.; Wednesday, 1:30-7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Thursday, October 8th and October 22nd: Selectman Meetings at 5PM (always the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month) at the West Paris Town Office.

Tuesday, October 13: West Paris Planning Board Meeting at 6PM at the West Paris Town Office.

Tuesday, October 13: West Paris Library Advisory Board Meeting 6:30-7:30PM. This is a monthly meeting and is open to the public.

Monday, October 19th: West Paris Historical Society will hold a Potluck Supper followed by a brief meeting and presentation/speaker at 6PM. Update: We will be celebrating 150 years of the IOOF/West Paris Historical Building. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Tuesday, October 20th: Bobcat Committee Meeting at 6PM at the West Paris Library. New members are welcome to attend.

Wednesday, October 21st: 6PM-7:15 PM. Poetry and History Discussion Group with Rodney Abbott at the West Paris Library.

Wednesday October 21st: 5:30 PM, West Paris Old Home Days Planning Meeting. Held at Ripple Retreat, 186R Main Street, West Paris. All are welcome to join and share ideas.

Thursday October 22nd: Public Hearing 5:00PM.
The Town of West Paris will hold a Public Hearing at the West Paris Town Office in the meeting room to discuss acceptance of a Public Infrastructure CDBG Grant. The purpose of the grant is to replace the current water storage reservoir and associated piping, replace a critical river crossing, and the transmission main from the reservoir to the river crossing to comply with a MDWP Administrative Order. The district will also seek to locate and develop a secondary water supply. Public comments will be solicited at this Hearing and will be submitted as part of the Project Development Phase.

Saturday, October 24th: 4:30-6:00 PM Public Chicken Pie Supper at the Ring McKeen Legion Hall, 6 Church St. West Paris. Donation $12.00 per person. Eat in or take out. The full meal includes: chicken pie, mashed potato, veggies, homemade rolls, a dessert and beverage.

Monday Oct 26th: Goodwill Fellowship meeting/potluck at 12 noon at the West Paris Unitarian Universalist Church. Pokeno theme for Thanksgiving.

Saturday October 31: Community Trunk or Treat at 5:00-7:30 PM at the West Paris Fire Station.

Sunday, December 6th: 100th Anniversary of the West Paris Library from 2:00-4:00 PM. Speaker: Rodney Abbott with displays and more. Join us to celebrate our 100-year-old Library! Everyone is welcome!

Ongoing West Paris Meetings/Events:

Recovery Ripples Meeting Every Tuesday at Ripple Retreat from 5pm to 6pm. This is a meeting for those in longterm recovery to discuss the good in our lives now, thanks to sobriety, rather than focusing on the bad. It’s an hour of Gratitude, sharing what we are grateful for as a direct result of our sobriety. We don’t share war stories or look in the past, we focus on today and the future. The meeting is held in person at Ripple Retreat, 186R Main Street, West Paris, ME 04289 and online at https://ripple-retreat.com/recovery-resources/.

The Ring McKeen American Legion Post 150 Every 4th Tuesday of the month the Legion and Auxiliary have a meeting and supper. The supper is at 6:00 PM and the meeting starts at 7:00PM. Any Veterans are welcome to join their Comrades.

The First Universalist Church of West Paris Worship Services Sundays, 9 AM. October’s services will feature music by guitarist Davy Sturtevant and a variety of guest speakers. Refreshments served following the service. All are welcome!
October 11, “There Is No ‘Them” led by guest speaker, Linda Smith.
October 18, “Stuff Beyond Hope,” a reflection from guest speaker, Maryli Tiemann.
October 25, “Repairers of the Breach” led by The Rev. Scott Campbell.

If your West Paris organization has an event or meeting you would like to have listed in this newsletter, please email Stephanie at semery73@yahoo.com.

For the past 22 years I have been running my own company called Adventure Bus which takes folks on hiking and camping tours throughout the US, primarily to the National Parks. Once based in Utah, I have now brought Adventure Bus to my hometown and offer many tours in Maine and beyond. I am a Maine Guide, an avid birder and love spending time in the woods or on a lake.

Now that I once again live in West Paris full time, I am striving to be more involved in the community. I am a member of the Bobcat Committee and the current secretary for the West Paris Historical Society. I do not claim to be a writer, but when asked if I wanted to be the contributor for the West Paris section of the Western Maine Neighborhood News, I thought why not… I’ll give it a try!

I will primarily report on local events, meetings, and activities but may become brave and offer up more at some point. For now, here is a photo of a frequent visitor to my backyard, and a summary of what is going on in West Paris.

The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a fairly common bird in the forests of the Northeast, but this is the first time I have had one hanging around consistently for several months. A fun fact I found on AllAboutBirds.org states “A Red-bellied Woodpecker can stick out its tongue nearly 2 inches past the end of its beak. The tip is barbed and the birds spit is sticky, making it easier to snatch prey from deep crevices.”

Two Important Surveys for West Paris Citizens:

1. Please fill out the Survey Questions for the Town of West Paris Comprehensive Plan and return to the town office by Oct 29th, 2026. Copies are available at the West Paris Town Office.

2. Please fill out the West Paris Vulnerability Assessment Survey (due by 10/31/26) from CEBE. Complete the survey and/or attend a Community Forum to win a $100 Hannaford Gift Card. Paper copies of the survey are available at the Town Office and West Paris Library. You can also fill it out online at https://forms.gle/uxh5BpxzF3VXiQLy5 The goal of the Assessment Survey is to help West Paris become more resilient to extreme weather and other climate impacts.

Calendar of Upcoming Events:

Now through December 30: Art Exhibit, “The Nature of Trees” by Mick Liimatta, at the West Paris Library. Library open hours are Monday and Friday, 1:30-6 p.m.; Wednesday, 1:30-7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 3: The Center for an Ecology-Based Economy (CEBE) will hold a Community Forum at the West Paris Town Office from 10-11 AM.

Thursday, October 9th and October 16th: Selectman Meetings at 5PM (always the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month) at the West Paris Town Office.

Tuesday, October 13: West Paris Planning Board Meeting at 6PM at the West Paris Town Office.

Tuesday, October 13: West Paris Library Advisory Board Meeting 6:30-7:30PM. This is the a monthly meeting and is open to the public.

Monday, October 19th: West Paris Historical Society will hold a Potluck Supper followed by a presentation/speaker at 6PM: “Love Letters for Leland.” A look back into West Paris History by Bethany Riley. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Tuesday, October 20th: Bobcat Committee Meeting at 6PM at the West Paris Library. New members are welcome to attend.

Wednesday, October 21st: 6PM-7:15 PM. Poetry and History Discussion Group with Rodney Abbott at the West Paris Library.

Wednesday October 21st: 5:30 PM, West Paris Old Home Days Planning Meeting. Held at Ripple Retreat, 186R Main Street, West Paris. All are welcome to join and share ideas.

Monday Oct 26th: Goodwill Fellowship meeting/potluck at 12 noon at the West Paris Unitarian Universalist Church. Pokeno theme for Thanksgiving.

Saturday October 31: Community Trunk or Treat at 5:00-7:30 PM at the West Paris Fire Station.

Sunday, December 6th: 100th Anniversary of the West Paris Library from 2:00-4:00 PM. Speaker: Rodney Abbott with displays and more. Join us to celebrate our 100-year-old Library! Everyone is welcome!

Ongoing West Paris Meetings/Events:

Recovery Ripples Meeting Every Tuesday at Ripple Retreat from 5pm to 6pm. This is a meeting for those in longterm recovery to discuss the good in our lives now, thanks to sobriety, rather than focusing on the bad. It’s an hour of Gratitude, sharing what we are grateful for as a direct result of our sobriety. We don’t share war stories or look in the past, we focus on today and the future. The meeting is held in person at Ripple Retreat, 186R Main Street, West Paris, ME 04289 and online at https://ripple-retreat.com/recovery-resources/.

The First Universalist Church of West Paris Worship Services Sundays, 9 AM. October’s services will feature music by guitarist Davy Sturtevant and a variety of guest speakers. Refreshments served following the service. All are welcome!
October 4, “All Inclusive Grace” led by guest speaker, Darrell Dyke.
October 11, “There Is No ‘Them” led by guest speaker, Linda Smith.
October 18, “Stuff Beyond Hope,” a reflection from guest speaker, Maryli Tiemann.
October 25, “Repairers of the Breach” led by The Rev. Scott Campbell.

If your West Paris organization has an event or meeting you would like to have listed in this newsletter, please email Stephanie at semery73@yahoo.com.