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PRESS RELEASE
The Valley Voice by Tom Eastman
Planting roots ... and honoring Steve and Harry
Tom Eastman
CONWAY It's spring, a time for re-birth and new beginnings.
This Saturday, April 25, marks a very special day for members of the Eastman clan, as we will be marking the first anniversary since the passing of my brother, the late Steve Eastman, 58, of Kearsarge, co-founder of The Mountain Ear in 1976, the World Mud Bowl in 1976, the Spring Shampagne Stampede and of so many other fun charitable events here in the valley of the original Big George W.
In case you did not see the article in this week's Conway Daily Sun, the occasion will be observed in a very special way: a tree planting ceremony will be held at the Whitaker Homesite in North Conway at 11 a.m. on the 25th. We hope to see Steve's and our many friends here in the community there.
Local commnity activist and friend Donna Woodward of Fryeburg obtained two American Liberty Elms from New Hampshire the Beautiful, in recognition of her work over the years coordinating the Valley Pride community clean-up efforts. She felt that the planting of one of the trees at Fryeburg Academy's Wadsworth Arena would be a good way to honor the memory of late headmaster and past Maine state Rep. for the late Harry True, 80, who died last May.
That tree planting is set for 10 a.m. Friday, May 1, the day before the 10th Valley Pride Community Clean-Up May 2 (call her at 207-935-3959 for the scoop).
Planting the other tree for Steve April 25 will be an appropriate tribute to his love of the environment and of how he was never happier than when he was there, photographing his and Sarah's cross country ski racing children, Emily and Grant.
We thank the Conway community and selectmen for their OK of the tree-planting in Steve's honor. I called oldest brother Dave Country Ecology Eastman of Tamworth recently to let him know of the effort, and Dave being ever knowledgeable about nature, he immediately gave me an earful about Dutch Elm Disease, the efforts to combat it with the new American Liberty Elms, and how they really like moisture.
You gotta love it.
We figure we'll have Brother Dave and Selectman Crow Dickinson, who is also a forestry expert, determine just where Steve's Liberty Elm should best be located. Steve would chuckle at the thought of the two white-bearded arch-druids of local forestry debating that topic, I am sure!
After the ceremony, some will head to Horsefeathers Windows on Main Street, courtesy of Dave Peterson and Dave Stone. Father Don Gauthier, meanwhile, showing his characteristic grace, will say a Mass in Steve's name at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church at 4:30 p.m. April 25. (Father Don took care of that without my even having to ask him, exactly a year ago, setting it up well in advance, as the demand for having a Mass of intentions is backed up to June 2010. I found that out when I called somewhat tardily two weeks ago to have a Mass said in Steve's name, and Father Don per usual said he was already on top of it.) It continues a year of tributes to Steve.
At last Saturday's Friends of Tuckerman Ravine Infenro Awards ceremony at Wildcat Base Lodge, the first-ever FOTR Steve Eastman Memorial Volunteer Award was presented to longtime race official Ted Sutton (we'll have more on that in Saturday's Sun, so stay tuned). It followed the presentation last September by the World Mud Bowl community, which honored Steve by naming the field in his honor at Hog Coliseum.
Prior to Steve's death, Plymouth State University named a leadership award in his honor, and his TKE/PMK frat brothers named a scholarship in his honor that he had helped helped start. Steve, a member of the Plymouth State President's Council, and a 1971 graduate, was deeply touched by both honors.
Amazing how great people can be, isn't it? And heartwarming to feel how this community has been to my family not only in the past year, but in the three years of Steve's struggle with brain cancer, and the support they have shown us through all the years.
I commented on that when I was recently interviewed by Jason Stretch of Importech. Jason is part of the Young Professionals, and they are going out into the community as a class project, interviewing local leaders. Jason asked me what it was that drew me to this community in the first palce, nearly 30 years ago after graduating from college in 1979.
Well, obviously, it's the scenery and the four-season activities here that get you when you first look out from the scenic view there near the Elks Lodge in Conway, out over the Saco toward the Moats and Mount Washington. But then. after you've lived here a whwile, you realize in addition to the scenery and the skiing and hiking, it's the people, and the sense of community, that makes this place so unique. Steve and I shared that love for the valley, its history, its sports and its people. I am proud of what he and all of us who were mentored by him did. Personally, I am just so grateful for the opportunity to continue writing about this community, keeping his mantra alive of Love Everyone. Hold No Grudges. And Do Good Deeds - They Do Count. It's a mantra that Steve and Harry in all of his commitment to Fryeburg Academy and Maine showed all their lives. We can all celebrate that when we gather Saturday at 11 a.m. and next Friday May 1 at 10 a.m.
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