Diane Cyr – THE BIDDEFORD GAZETTE

Contributed Report

The Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center (BCHC) is pleased to announce the Eighth Annual Biddeford Hall of Fame Award Winners for 2025, bringing attention to those who have made significant contributions to the city and/or to the world at large.

A ceremony will be held at noon on Saturday, October 4, in the Biddeford High School Little Theater on Maplewood Avenue. The induction ceremony for the six winners is open to the public and will be followed by a light luncheon for all current inductees and members of the Hall of Fame along with their guests.

Banners of current Hall of Fame members are presently visible on the light poles in downtown Biddeford and after the presentation ceremony, banners honoring the six recipients will also be placed alongside them. Plaques honoring the inductees will be added to the display of past recipients found in Council Chambers.

“This is our eighth year, and as always, we are so fortunate to have such a great selection of people representing our community,” said Diane Cyr, BCHC president. “Some individuals have directly affected our lives in Biddeford, while others have had a broader impact on the county and the world. We are pleased to be able to recognize them in a way that brings awareness of their accomplishments and generate community pride

The Six Hall of Fame Award recipients of 2025:

James Beaudry:
An athletic coach as well as a coach of life, he was a role model, mentor, and teacher to many. He gave of himself, and through his demeanor, tone, and actions, he conveyed the importance of charity, empathy, and compassion, and in doing so, motivated and nurtured others.

Qani Hilmi Bilishti :

Representative of the Albanians and Muslims who toiled in the Biddeford Textile Mills, his association with the formation of a mosque reminds us that America has always been a melting pot of ethnicity, religion, and culture, for the betterment and enrichment of all. As one of the founders and the first leader of the National Muhammadan Religious Society of America, Bilishti played an important role in establishing a formal, organized Muslim presence in the U.S. in the early 20th century.

Lucien “Babe” Dutremble:

Strongly influenced by the death of his father and the strength of his mother, he spent his life working for the benefit of others. A man loved by his community and never losing an election, he made the city a better place in which to live.

Harold Osher:

Learning from his parents the importance of giving to others, he, like his siblings, absorbed that lesson and left the people of Maine a legacy of medical care and historical philanthropy. His generosity not only inspires but also lives prominently at the University of Southern Maine.

Delilah Poupore:

As director of the Heart of Biddeford, she has meshed her giving personality with the renaissance of the downtown area. Energetic and visionary, she has enhanced the lives of volunteers and residents and transformed the vitality of the community.

Sam Zaitlin:

A man of extraordinary talents and a thinker who was always concerned about the quality of life for others, his energy and vision altered the ideas and perceptions of those who knew him, while his actions and decisions helped to propel Biddeford and Maine into the 21st Century.

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In just a few days, General Marquis de LaFayette – a hero of the American Revolutionary War — will be making his triumphant return to Biddeford.

Well, sort of.

Members of the Biddeford Cultural & Heritage Center and the Biddeford Historical Society are now busy preparing for some festivities that will celebrate LaFayette’s last visit to Biddeford, 200 years ago this week.

LaFayette was a French military officer and politician who volunteered his services to join the Continental Army, which was then being led by Gen. George Washington.

*Gen. Marquis de LaFayette became an American hero when he was just 17 years old* *and a volunteer in the Continental Army (Wikipedia image)*

LaFayette was a teenager at the time, according to Rose Dionne, an archivist at the McArthur Library in Biddeford.

“Actually, there is a lot of evidence that showed that he and George Washington had a close relationship,” said Dionne. “We do know that LaFayette named his first son George, in honor of Washington.”

According to Dionne, LaFayette returned to the United States in 1825, almost 50 years after the end of the Revolutionary War.

Diane Cyr is the president of the Biddeford Cultural & Heritage Center, and she is quite excited about some of the plans to commemorate the anniversary of LaFayette’s return to the United States.

Cyr said that she and others will have a booth set up during this year’s La Kermesse Festival at St. Louis Field.

*Diane Cyr and Rose Dionne are planning a celebration to honor the legacy of Gen. Marquis de LaFayette’s return to Biddeford in 1825*

But some other things are also planned to celebrate LaFayette and his commitment to the United States.

The library, the heritage center and the historical society are collaborating to host a historical event in front of the Main Street library on June 24. Some folks will be dressed in historical costumes, there will also be a historical presentation and snacks from that time period offered, including switchel (a vinegar-based beverage) and other foods sweetened with caraway spices.

When visiting Biddeford in 1825, LaFayette slept at Spring’s Tavern, which was owned by his friend Capt. Seth Spring. Today, that site is home of the Deering Lumber Company. Spring Island is now known as Saco Island.

LaFayette’s previous tour included all of the states that were part of the Union at that time. Today, the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is helping with the celebration.

Dionne pointed out that LaFayette was seriously injured during the Battle of Brandywine, which was fought on Sept. 11, 1777, giving the British control of Philadelphia.

“He really hated the British,” Cyr laughed. “And he became a legend throughout America. People were so excited about his return to the states.”

Lafayette was also a key figure in the French Revolution of 1789 and he continues to be celebrated as a hero in France.

The June 24 ceremony will include a performance by the Alumni Band. The festivities are scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. on the grounds of the McArthur Library.

Randy Seaver is the editor and founder of the Biddeford Gazette. He may be contacted by email: randy@randyseaver.com

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Tag: Diane Cyr

Biddeford ‘Hall of Fame” award winners announced

Gen. LaFayette will return to Biddeford on June 24