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Circle of Fun 'goes down in history'
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — Some 50 years ago, Paul Desautels said, one of the best-loved traditions in Putnam began.
“I was nominated to be Publicity Chair at our first Parish meeting in April 1972. My first assigned duty was to come up with a name for our event. At our next meeting two weeks later, I suggested Circle of Fun and a logo using a washer. The name and logo were accepted and the rest is history. William St. Martin, the father of the Circle of Fun, was our first chairman.”
The Circle of Fun’s time has passed and the former fund-raiser for St. Mary’s School and then St. Mary of the Visitation Church recently became part of Putnam’s history, joining the Aspinock Historical Society’s archives. “It was felt that 50 years was a good run,” Desautels said. He added Rev. David Choquette hopes to have future programs for the four churches in the parish.
Desautels, a volunteer with the Aspinock Historical Society, suggested to Father David that the scrapbooks be donated to Aspinock Historical Society. “I felt the books should be available to future generations.”
He said the books contain thousands of pictures, all ads and, the list of all general chairs and booth chairs for each year. "It is my hope to go through each book and identify as many as possible so their names and memories won’t be lost to future generations.”
That first year, he said, many booth chairs were members of the Knights of Columbus and Daughters of Isabella. “Tents from our local National Guard unit served as food tent and white elephant tent for several years. Bill St.Martin built booths for games and, after several years, a stage and the other booths now on the grounds.”
Desautels served as publicity chair/photographer for 50 years. He said he was general co-Chair in 1974 with Roland Tetreault and, Car Raffle co-chair with Gerry Dupre, for several years. Many volunteered for two or three decades, he said. Most notable is George Bordua who volunteered in the food booth for 49 years, missing one year with a back ailment.
Many St. Mary parents and faculty volunteered from 1972 to 2010 and continued after the school closed.
Thousands attended the Circle each year. For 50 years. Desautels said: “The Circle of Fun brought together people from Putnam, surrounding communities and several states. Over the years the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of early attendees and volunteers, attended the Circle of Fun.”
Asked what his best memories of the Circle of Fun are, Desautels said: “Some of my best memories are of the volunteers, from early teens to 80s who volunteered. Many volunteers were needed, especially when the school was in operation. Many more game booths were in operation for decades, downsizing after the closing of the school. Each year, there were volunteers not members of our church who just wanted to help. Thus was a true community event. “
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Circle of Fun in 2014. More photos on page 4. Linda Lemmon photo.
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Aspinock's Bill Pearsall, left, and society volunteer Paul Desautels hold the letter by Rev. David Choquette thanking Desautels for his service to the Circle. Behind them are the volumes of Circle of Fun history donated to Aspinock Historical Society. Courtesy photo.
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