Proud of Washington County, ME (Machias, Woodland: insurance, house, neighborhood)

[MaineMathTCHER]

Last night I watched from my porch as an old home became engulfed in flame and then our fire department showed up and then all the other nearby town's local volunteer firemen showed up. Together they put out the flames. Then today, I sat at a Veteran's day assembly at school that was very well done and I was proud to be part of the community who had come out to support those who had served. Then on the way home, I went to the local store and found out our little corner of the world had raised the money to give 850 local needy families a real Thanksgiving dinner. I looked out at the misty evening and thought, we may be a poor county here in Washington-but there is a lot of heart here and people who care and will help out. Isn't that the way its supposed to be-

[msina]

I hope everyone was okay MMT. We had our share of fires locally. It's great there were enough people to work together and put it out quickly.

[tankratt]

Originally Posted by MaineMathTCHER

Last night I watched from my porch as an old home became engulfed in flame and then our fire department showed up and then all the other nearby town's local volunteer firemen showed up. Together they put out the flames. Then today, I sat at a Veteran's day assembly at school that was very well done and I was proud to be part of the community who had come out to support those who had served. Then on the way home, I went to the local store and found out our little corner of the world had raised the money to give 850 local needy families a real Thanksgiving dinner. I looked out at the misty evening and thought, we may be a poor county here in Washington-but there is a lot of heart here and people who care and will help out. Isn't that the way its supposed to be-

That is not the first story I have heard like that and is why I can't wait to call Maine Home, and jump right in and become part of the community help where I can and give thanks where it is due.

[Maine Writer]

I scheduled T's ortho apt on the day of the assembly last year. I rescheduled and made sure this year I didn't hit it this year. Veteran's Day Assembly is important to the kids.

We live rich lives here. It's nice.

[peachie_in_maine]

That's something I always loved about our area.

Years ago when I was 17, Our home burned down to the ground. We lost everything and I didn't even have shoes to wear.

The town came together and helped us while we had nothing until the Insurance did their paper work.

I remember going into Johnsons Store
(when it was on Main Street)
...... wearing a pair of my neighbors rubber boots and the owner said,

"Pick what ever you want my dear. I looked at my mom and wanted adidas
(my house burned in Feb so all my christmas clothes I asked for were gone.) So I felt funny asking for a good pair of shoes.
But the owner said, "You like those, they are YOURS.

He touched my moms shoulder and said, it's only shoes and soon it will be okay.

She smiled and since she knew him and his family growing up it was even sweetier of them to do such a kind hearted thing.

It was hard having nothing all at once.
I have a better understanding of what fire and loss can mean to a person.

People become a custom to their surroundings, and when what is safe and content is taken it mental hurts your mind.

I loved this post!
Even thou it stirs up tears.
Thanks for sharing and reminding us of how rich we are for such a poor area.

[Elcarim]

THIS is the sense of community we're so deprived of here.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

The local saw mill burned in town several years ago. The following morning there were two lines of people lined up at the office. One line was trying to buy up the last of the v-match cedar to finish projects. The other line was carpenters and builders lined up to pay their bills. Everybody knew that a saw mill can't buy insurance. Nearly everybody paid off their bills that day and the next day the saw mill started to rebuild. It's like that in Northern Maine.

[mollysmiles]

MMT nice thread YOU fit here because you "get it"! You see the value in a particular type of life that is connected to people and a community. That type of spirit doesn't exist everywhere, and we're certainly proud that we have it here! It's wonderful, and comforting, but it's also a necessity

[tcrackly]

It's funny, I grew up in the roxbury section of boston, which most people perceive to be a minority slum. But my old neighborhood had a small town feel . Everyone was mostly blue collar workers with the exception of the old governor's mansion at the top of the hill.
We had a corner store, a local barbershop and movies theater. We went to Catholic school but there was a brick public school, 6 grades, just down the street.
The city took and demolished many homes by eminent domain for a highway that was never built. Realtors told the Italian, Irish, and Jewish homeowners that "the blacks" would be moving in and encouraged people to sell. The new black homeowners faced higher property prices,higher taxes than the previous residents even though the consensus was that property values were down.
I was introduced to Washington Couunty when my brother married a Woodland girl who had been living in Boston. I used to small town life when I married a former East Machias native and over the years we've watched southern Maine go through a similar evolution. The community feeling is nearly lost. Kids rarely play outside and no one trusts their neighbor.
We're looking forward to when we can settle(probably a retirement dream) in a small town again and have the security of living around human beings that are connected to each other not because of color, income, or party afiliation, but just as nature intended a village to be.