How can it be that another Thanksgiving is here, when I just came down from my Halloween sugar high? Hopefully you have had a happy, prosperous year and have much to be thankful for. I will be making my annual pilgrimage to Nashville, where my family gathers every year for a Southern banquet and some downhome mountaintop revelry. There is always lots of pie and bourbon, a big bonfire, and my Uncle Trey inevitably starts talking about our heroic ancestors in the Civil War and how they ran Joshua Chamberlain out of town. Revisionist history, another Southern tradition! Happy Thanksgiving everyone, regardless of whether you spend it in Maine or Dixie…we’re all Americans and for that we should be most thankful.

Bar Crawl

Here’s something to be thankful for: For the first time in years there are actually enough bars and restaurants in Bridgton to mount a legitimate pub crawl! What’s even better is when the local business owners work together to host a fun, responsible event with all proceeds going to charity.

The first annual Bridgton Bar Crawl will be held on Friday, Nov. 22, with food and drink specials at each locale, a commemorative T-shirt, live music and a chauffeured ride home. All of the money raised will go to the Bridgton Fuel Collaborative, which gives emergency fuel and heating assistance to low-income residents. This is an exciting event, and gauging by the response (75 tickets sold out in a matter of days) it should become a seasonal tradition. For more information, check out Bridgton Bar Crawl on facebook, or ask your local barkeep for upcoming events.

Loons and Moons

The light fades quickly this time of year, but the full moon shines bright. Join the Loon Echo Land Trust for a sunset/moonrise hike on Sunday, Nov. 17 to the summit of Bald Pate Mountain.

Hikers should meet at 3 p.m. in the parking lot on Route 107 to begin the ascent, which should take two hours. The sun will set behind the Boston Hills at 4:15 and moments later the full moon will rise in the east. The hike is sponsored by Loon Echo and is of moderate difficulty. Bring your camera since the view will be stunning. For more information, contact Jon Evans at jon@lelt.org.

Tree of Love

If you are looking for a way to honor loved ones this season while helping a great cause, join the Bridgton Hospital Guild on Monday, Dec. 2, at 4 p.m. as they light their “Tree of Love.”

A yearly tradition, the lighting of the tree is followed by complimentary hot chocolate and homemade goodies served at the Bridgton Hospital Guild’s Twitchell Cafe?, located on the hospital campus. Gathering around the 30-foot-tall spruce, Choirmaster Carolyn Stanhope will lead the attendees in festive songs for the holiday. If you can’t make the lighting itself, you can always stop by and purchase a light on the tree in memory or in honor of loved ones for a gift of just $5, which will light a Christmas bulb for the holiday season. Honorees or their families are notified by mail by the Tree of Love project directors. For more information, go to www.bridgtonhospital.org or call 647-6055.

Guild Gift

The Hospital Guild doesn’t just lead carols around the Christmas tree, they spearhead major fundraising projects year-round. The Hospital Guild Thrift Store on Main Street gives all of its proceeds to the hospital, and this year they made one of their biggest donations yet.

Guild President Sandra Weygandt presented the Guild gift check for $45,000 to Bridgton Hospital CEO David Frum, and the funds will be used to purchase a patient monitoring system for the emergency department. This gift represents the largest donation from the group since 2000.

The Bridgton Hospital Guild is a not-for-profit volunteer-driven organization that raises funds to benefit Bridgton Hospital. Their special fundraising efforts include the Tree of Love, during the holiday season, the Twitchell Cafe? located on the hospital campus, and Guild Thrift Shop located in downtown Bridgton. New volunteers are always welcome. Membership applications are available at the Coffee Shop or at the Thrift Shop. Information is also available on the hospital’s website, www.bridgtonhospital.org.

Light the Night

Winter comes quickly here, and the first snowflakes will be flying soon. Downtown Bridgton is beautiful in the snow, with the storefronts twinkling with decorations and the sidewalks bustling with shoppers. And what goes better with holidays than parades? Bridgton Community Center board President Ken Murphy has put out the call for volunteers and participants for the annual Festival of Lights.

This candlelight walk and parade kicks off the Christmas season in Bridgton, with floats rolling through town, a beautiful processional down Main Street and a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Claus. This year’s festival will be at sunset on Saturday, Dec. 7, and everyone is invited to participate. Call the BCC at 647-3116 if you would like to volunteer, or if you have questions.

Week of Thanks

Why celebrate Thanksgiving on just one day when you can celebrate it for a week? The Bridgton Community Center is holding its annual Senior Dinner on Wednesday, Nov. 20. The free banquet includes all the traditional homemade fixings and is open to all seniors. Please call and reserve your space at the table by calling 647-3116. Volunteers are always welcomed too, so please help the chefs if you have the time. They give so much of themselves throughout the year, it would be nice to see them get the appreciation (and help) they deserve.

The Bridgton Hospital Guild, pictured above, recently donated $45,000 to the hospital. Seated, from left, are incoming Guild President Phyllis Ginzler and current President Sandra Weygandt. Standing, from left, are Third Vice President Ann Ineson, Corresponding Secretary Pamela King, Second Vice President Marjorie Blaney, Treasurer Diana Fallon and Recording Secretary Patricia Casey.

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