Lebanon, Bruins both score impressive wins

Rodney Sanborn said the big trash items always seem to find the deepest hill, but he got them out just the same. (Harrison Thorp photos)

LEBANON - Rodney Sanborn wouldn’t settle for food wrappers, beer cans and cigarettes packs on this day.

He was out for the big game.

Sanborn, who lives on School House Lane, went above and beyond the call with some deep cleaning of his mile-long street, dragging recliners, an air conditioner, computer monitor and construction debris some 30 feet out of the woods to help beautify Lebanon during its annual Cleanup Day on Saturday.

Sanborn, who also donated the use of his one-ton truck to help pick up bags of trash throughout West Lebanon, said he put in about three hours on his effort and was assisted by Nick Atwood.

Like so many residents seen helping to beautify their town, Sanborn said he wasn’t going to make it to the free barbecue since the Bruins were playing the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Playoffs beginning at 1 p.m.

But that didn’t stop them from helping during the morning.

Meanwhile, some 60 cleanup volunteers who did show up for the cookout at Town Offices were treated to some free flame-broiled hamburgers, cheeseburgers and hot dogs, as well as potato chips and soda.

From left, Jessica Kelley leads a CPR Compression class to Susan Abbiati, Larry Bbiati, Hunter Brown and Jaiden Urban.

The barbecue wasn’t supposed to start until 12:30, but when hungry volunteers who’d been working since 8:30 showed up around noon, the cooking crew fired up two grills supplied by Lebanon Rescue Chief Ray Parent and fell to work turning out burgers and dogs at a frantic pace.

Groups helping in the town cleanup included Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

Lebanon Rescue volunteers were on hand teaching CPR Compression and giving free blood pressure screenings.

Most miraculous of all was the weather, which stayed dry except for a couple of sprinkles, before raining buckets 10 minutes after the cookout ended.

A host of area businesses helped to defray the cost of the cleanup and cookout, including Salmon Falls Café, Batchelder Sales, Papa Gino’s of Rochester, Triple J Feeds, Stokewood’s Diner, Welch’s Hardware, M&M Auto Sales and Repair, Hannaford’s of North Main Street, Rochester; and Market Basket of Rochester.

Gilpatrick Property Services provided manpower and Road Commissioner Larry Torno, his road crews and the Lebanon Transfer Station crew also donated time.

Lebanon’s Cleanup Day was sponsored by the Town of Lebanon and The Lebanon Voice.

And for his services, it was only fitting for Sanborn that the Bruins had a thrilling comeback victory over the hated Habs, scoring four goals in eight minutes in the third period to even their playoff series at a game apiece.

Truly a win-win day.