By Liz Pimentel
The Maine Forestry Museum in Rangeley was the site of foot-stompin’ fun on July 28, as the 33rd annual Little Miss and Little Mr. Wood Chip Contest got off the ground.
The reigning Miss Wood Chip, Nora Close, was present to hand over her crown and title to the new Little Miss Wood Chip, Lyla Crump, age 8. Jackson Medoff, Little Mr. Wood Chip 2015, was on hand to present the title to Tristram Woodman, age 7. Lyla recited and performed the poem “The Goops” by Gillette Burgess, and Tristram sang a song he wrote the lyrics to, “Minerva and Ash,” to the tune of “On Top of Old Smokey.” First Runner-Up, Kevin Sweeney, who’d just turned 7 a few days earlier, sang “Grand Old Flag.”
The foot stomping and hand clapping got started with Blue Grass and folk tunes provided by the Pulled Together Band made up of Katie Tressler, Mike Frisch, Mike Schrader and his daughter Sarah. After the contest the crowd was delighted with the electrifying performance by Triple C Dance Team, a clogging group from Skowhegan. They were invited to perform their fancy foot work in order to keep clogging as part of the event, a tradition started by Rodney Richard, founder of the original Logging Museum. As Mr. Richard also used to arrange for Blue Grass music for entertainment, everyone was thrilled to have the Pulled Together Band return to provide the music, while the audience joined in the singing.
Everyone celebrated the continuation of the traditional Wood Chip Contest, begun by Lucille Richard in 1985, by partaking of cake, lemonade and iced tea, which rounded off an evening of good down-home fun.
The following day during the Logging Parade, a variety of floats showcased the cloggers and both the past and current winners of the Wood Chip contest. The cloggers and band then performed at the Logging Festival, where the Wood Chips made an appearance as well.
Thanks to Keep’s Corner Café, Sandy River Greens, Doug Burlingame, Paul Reynolds, Debbie Crosson (and her sister!), and many others for helping to make the events of the weekend such a success.
