9032-R1_ML&P_BuxtonAnnualReport_2023-2024_Web

With eminence honor the Board of Selectmen dedicate this year’s Town Report to: Richard “Sandy” Atkinson and Beverly Atkinson Seventy years ago, Richard “Sandy” Atkinson, a young man from Bar Mills, married and brought his bride, Beverly, here to Buxton to begin their lifelong journey together. Sandy and Beverly have dedicated their lives to family ... children Pamela and Daniel, grandchildren Meghann, Aaron and Molly, and great grandchildren Liberty and Thomas. While embracing family life and growing the family business, Silvex Inc., Sandy and Beverly have contributed to their hometown of Buxton. Their talents, generosity and diligence have brought Buxton residents together to celebrate and preserve a sense of community for over 50 years. In 1972, Sandy became “King Lion” of the Buxton Hollis Lions Club, and this is when the spark for event planning and merriment first took hold for the Atkinsons. To commemorate Buxton’s Bicentennial, Sandy, along with his fellow Lions Club members, founded the first annual Buxton Old Home Days. This two-day event included road races, a parade, a bean hole bean supper, carnival rides, arcade games, food vendors, live music, and fireworks. This event was a tremendous success and continued for years; the parade and 5K road race still occur at the Dorcas Festival in August. In the 1990s, Beverly and Sandy started offering their newly purchased home, the Royal Brewster Mansion, as the site for the annual Dorcas Fair. The larger grounds gave way to grander possibilities and the size of the Dorcas Fair began to grow. These fairs featured Civil War reenactors and encampments. There were house tours, fashion shows, artists and vendors on the lawns and traditional live music. People visiting the barn shopped for collectable dolls, unique artifacts, handmade hats, and silver trays. Visitors enjoyed viewing Beverly and Sandy’s collection of framed black and white prints of historical Buxton scenes. The Dorcas members presented a traditional summer luncheon on the lawn of the historic Tory Hill Meeting House, much in keeping with the custom of the original Dorcas Lawn Parties held in the late 1800’s. This Dorcas Fair has evolved into the Dorcas Festival. The current Dorcas Festival activities held every August continue to bring friends and families from Buxton and surrounding communities together for an action-packed day. Beverly and Sandy, along with Dorcas Society members, host a Cars and Coffee Show in the morning and a Mallett Brothers rock concert in the evening on the grounds of the Brewster Mansion. Throughout the day visitors may explore Beverly and Sandy’s gardens. While doing so, one may hear the unique sounds of a calliope, the boom of Sandy’s cannon or the engine roar of his restored race car. Upon entering the barn, folks discover a bountiful display of stuffed animals, such as dragons or snow leopards and often, a bicycle or two. Beverly invites children and their parents to enter their names into a free raffle to win these toys while enjoying an ice cream treat. Fond memories are made when happy children return to Beverly and Sandy’s home to claim these toys in the following days. All proceeds from these events fund scholarships at Bonny Eagle High School, maintain the historic parish house and contribute to other worthy causes in the Buxton community.

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