Sands celebrates 100th birthday

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Flora Sands of Dover-Foxcroft celebrated her 100th birthday on the afternoon of Sunday, March 8 at the Hibbard Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center with dozens of family members and friends.

Flora and her late husband Albert — they were married for 67 years — had six children, Donna, Roger, Thomas, Diane, Joe and James. Today the family includes 14 grandchildren and 25 great-grand children.

Sands is the holder of Dover-Foxcroft’s Boston Post Cane, recognizing her as the town’s most senior citizen. Born on March 8, 1926, she was given the honor on her 99th birthday in 2025.

The Boston Post Cane was forwarded to 700 New England towns (no cities) by Edwin Grozier, publisher of the Boston Post, in 1909. It was to be presented to the oldest male resident and then returned to the town when the gentleman passed. Women were included in 1930. Originally both Dover and Foxcroft had canes, the Foxcroft cane has disappeared over the years and the hope is it may reside in someone’s attic and be returned to the town at some point. 

The cane presented to Sands in 2025 is Dover’s. The presentation on March 8 of that year was made by representatives of the select board and Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society.