Hundreds greet Santa, Mrs. Claus
A tree-lighting ceremony and Santa’s arrival in Gorham attracted several hundred on Sunday in Gorham.
Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived aboard a Gorham Fire Department ladder truck, one of many in a procession of vehicles decorated with holiday lights.
A large throng with many parents holding infants waited for the magic moment of Santa’s coming. From atop the fire truck, Santa directed lighting of the tree in Robie Park near the high school.
Later inside the nearby Gorham Recreation Department, a line of children visited Santa and Mrs. Claus for nearly two hours.
Vehicles in the light parade included those from Gorham Public Works and civic groups besides the Fire Department.
“The floats were amazing,” Gail Platts, administrative assistant at Gorham Recreation Department, said on Monday.
Happy holidays at White Rock
In a long tradition, the White Rock community lighted its tree on Sunday.
“We would like to thank all of our neighbors for coming out to help us with this milestone tree lighting,” Vicki Doughty said in a statement. “This year’s turnout was amazing and we are so lucky to have such a close community.
Christmas carols were sung with the help of local Girl Scouts and a band led by community member Jon Stevens. The Rev. Jonathan Marshall, pastor of White Rock Baptist Church, read the Christmas story and, once the tree was lit, Santa arrived with the help of the Gorham Fire Department.
Everyone then made their way into the community building and enjoyed sandwiches, desserts, hot cocoa and coffee compliments of the White Rock Friendship Club.
The White Rock tree lighting was started by the late Roger and Edna Gagnon as a way to bring the White Rock community together. Over the years many generations have enjoyed this special evening as a way to start their holiday season.
Ecumenical Christmas service
Jude Garland, who chairs the Gorham Ecumenical Council, said it is sponsoring the fourth annual Christmas Season Service of Comfort and Rest on Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 6:30 p.m., in the Cressey Road United Methodist Church, 81 Cressey Road in Gorham.
This service is especially for those in need of a quiet, reflective service with traditional beliefs and values supported during grieving, loss and loneliness. All are welcome. Light refreshments will be served after the service.
Input sought on revitalization
On Thursday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m. residents and business owners in South Gorham and North Scarborough are invited to attend a public session designed to provide ideas on how the area could best grow
The meeting will be held at the North Scarborough Grange Hall and will be hosted by the town planners in both Gorham and Scarborough. Remnants of the once rural community abound in this area of the two towns, including open fields and historic buildings. There are also new commercial ventures ranging from a bagel shop to a new outpatient clinic to a new gas station/convenience store.
“This area, where routes 22 and 114 overlap, has long been a congestion point for the region, and while this meeting is not about new roads, it is about planning a model for growth that can manage traffic congestion and could support public transportation in the future,” a press release announcing the meeting states.
Dan Bacon, Scarborough planner, and Tom Poirier, Gorham planner, say this is a fairly common development conundrum in Maine.
“Often where there was once a residential community, an increase in commuter traffic supports a shift to commercial strips. But we have an opportunity here to think about how we can support growth in a way that will provide not just commercial opportunities, but a range of housing as well – as long as it’s not located directly on the main road,” Poirier said.
The revitalization discussion is part of a Portland Area Comprehensive Traffic Study
U.S. taxpayer debt
The Bureau of the Fiscal Service reported on Nov. 28 that the U.S. public debt was $18,005,549,328,561.45.
While families waited for Santa’s arrival and lighting of the town’s holiday tree, Barney and Jim, weighing a ton each, provide horsepower for carriage rides on Sunday in Gorham. The team is from Stillbrook Acres in Gray. 
The White Rock community lighted its tree on Sunday.
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