RUMFORD — I figured out what I want to do when I reach my 70s: join a group like the Red Hat Mommas of Western Maine, who invited me and Sun Journal photographer Amber Waterman to their Ugly Christmas Sweater party Wednesday in Rumford.

These women, including Clarice Hodges in her “redneck” sweater, Dee Holman who wore a “bling” sweater and Co-Queen Rita Cunningham (you get to be queen if you start a chapter), know how to have a good time.

They cracked jokes as funny as my wise-guy son’s, read a play with emotion, intelligence and humor (lots of humor), and admired each other’s talent in judging the best-decorated Christmas cookies.

They jokingly gave me a hard time when I asked a standard reporter question: “How old are you?” One gave me a stern look and quipped it was none of my business, then answered, “One day older than yesterday.”

What a fun group. Read more about their ugly Christmas sweaters on Monday.

— Bonnie Washuk

PARIS — A request to close the Town Office on Christmas Eve was met with hostility Tuesday at a meeting of the Paris Board of Selectmen.

Near the end of the meeting, Town Manager Amy Bernard recommended to selectmen that they close the Town Office on Christmas Eve, which is on a Monday this year, either for the day or at noon because business was expected to be slow and it would allow employees to spend the day with their families. The day would be a paid vacation day.

Several residents opposed the idea. “The people who pay the bills have to work the day before Christmas,” Janet Jamison said. “It doesn’t matter what the weather is, and it doesn’t matter that I have to drive 100 miles round trip. I have to work to get paid.”

Selectman Bob Kirchherr said Jamison’s point was understandable. “The more I think about this, the more I have reservations about it,” he said.

Police will still work on Christmas Eve, and Public Works employees will have to clean the streets if it snows.

After the discussion, Bernard recommended closing at noon. “We’re not busy on Christmas Eve,” she said. Selectmen voted unanimously to close at noon on Dec. 24.

— Tony Reaves

Story helped grandmother avoid scam

Betty Lugner, 76, of Auburn on Tuesday shared with readers how she was scammed by a caller claiming her grandson was headed for a Mexican jail cell unless she wired $985. Fearing for her grandson, Lugner wired the money. That night, she found out she was scammed when her grandson walked through her door.

Nancy Weiner of Avon read the story. On Wednesday, she got a call from someone claiming he was her grandson, that he was in trouble in the country of Peru, and she had to send money.

Because of the story, she was suspicious, Weiner said. “I asked, ‘What’s your mother’s name?’ There was a big pause. He hung up.”

Lugner achieved her goal of spreading awareness to help others.

— Bonnie Washuk

Wedding by the numbers

Congratulations to Darlene Thompson, a food service worker in the Oxford Hills School District, and Oxford police officer Alan Coffin on their wedding at 12:12 p.m. 12/12/12.

The couple eloped, according to a fellow Oxford Hills School District staff member.

“They wanted it to be a very memorable moment for them both,” a friend said. “We’re exceedingly happy for them.”

— Leslie H. Dixon

The Best Me is Drug Free

Marc and LuAnn Frennette talk to their kids about drugs. What’s more, they talk about talking to their kids about drugs. As a result, the Frennettes are one of the winning families of this year’s Red Ribbon Week contest, in which they were asked to decorate their Lewiston home with this year’s theme: “The Best Me is Drug Free.”

It wasn’t just a way for them to win loot for themselves and money for their local school, the Frennettes said. It was also a helpful way to broach the matter of drug use without sounding like an out-and-out bummer.

“The contest was an easy way for me to help support parents talking to kids about drugs without sounding pushy,” LuAnn said. “Please talk to your kids about drugs. It’s been a nice way to get the message out there without doing it in a depressing way.”

Ten families across America won an iPad for their home and a $1,000 drug-prevention grant for their local school by decorating their homes with this year’s theme, then submitting their photos to www.redribbon.org and encouraging their friends to vote online.

Entries with the most online votes won. The contest prizes are from The National Family Partnership and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

“Drug prevention is so important,” Martel Elementary School Principal Stephen Whitefield said, “because if the students don’t have the information, they are more easily swayed by negative outside influences.”

The winning photos can be seen at redribbon.org/contest/winners.