Chorus to sing Sondheim

The Greater Freeport Community Chorus will perform works by American composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim for its spring concerts. The first concert is set for Saturday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m., at Merriconeag Waldorf School, 57 Desert Road, Freeport. The second concert is set for 2:30 p.m., Sunday, May 3, at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 1 Middle St., Brunswick. Director Virgil Bozeman leads the chorus of nearly 70 singers from 18 area towns. Pianist Kellie Moody is the accompanist.

Sondheim, part of American musical theater since the 1950s, has won numerous Tony and Grammy awards, an Academy Award and a Pulitzer.

A concert highlight will be a medley from the Broadway show, “Into the Woods,” for which Sondheim wrote both the lyrics and music. A mash-up of several fairy tales and recently adapted to the screen by Disney, the story deals with such themes as wish fulfillment and the relationship between parents and children. Another medley is from “West Side Story,” with songs including “Tonight,” “Maria” and “Somewhere.”

In addition to the full chorus, the audience will enjoy several solos and duets by chorus members, including songs from “Sweeney Todd,” “Company” and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.”

Admission is $10 for adults, under 18 free, with a per-family maximum of $25. Visit the chorus on Facebook or at www.gfccsings.org.

Spring Bazaar coming up

The Freeport Woman’s Club will hold its Spring Bazaar on Saturday, May 2,

From 9 a.m.-1 p.m., in front of St. Jude Church, 134 Main St., Freeport. The group will be selling plants, including annuals, perennials and house plants. Baked goods will also be on sale. In the event of rain, the bazaar will be held downstairs in the church hall.

Spring Carnival at L’Ecole Francaise

Spring Carnival kicks off at L’Ecole Francaise du Maine on Saturday, May 2, from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m., at the school campus, 99 South Freeport Road. There will be food, professional face painting, crazy hair salon, carnival games and a pie-eating contest. A large rummage sale will also take place from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., and an open house for prospective students is scheduled for 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

L’Ecole Francaise du Maine is a French Immersion School serving early childhood to Grade 6. For more information, see www.efdm.org

Cinco de Mayo barbecue

The South Freeport Congregational Church will hold a barbecue on Saturday, May 2, at 5 p.m. at 98 South Freeport Road, South Freeport. There will be barbecued foods, beverages and bingo. The cost is $25 per person, which includes two beverages. There is a 20 percent discount for tables of 10. Call 865-4012 for reservations. There will be free food and child care for kids under 12.

Library talk for college-bound students

Wendy Thompson, of Westport Educational Consulting, will give a presentation, “How Colleges Choose Students,” at the Freeport Community Library on Tuesday, May 5, at 6:30 p.m.

The presentation is for high school sophomores and juniors and their families. Thompson presented a similar seminar last fall at the Freeport library, and since such positive feedback was received, a second program was planned. Thompson has more than years of experience in college and independent school admissions, including 12 years on the Bowdoin College admissions staff from 2000-2012. Also joining her will be Mike Dutton of “The Will to Play.” Dutton helps high school athletes play the sports they love in college.

Spay-Neuter Clinic asking for help

The Community Spay-Neuter Clinic and Center for Wildlife Health Research of Freeport are collaborating to survey the population of unowned cats in Maine and estimate the effectiveness to date of a spay-neuter initiative of this population. This survey is funded by the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation.

Community or unowned cats (barn, feral, stray) present an animal welfare problem in Maine, contributing to homelessness and ongoing shelter intakes beyond the number of homes that can be provided. Maine funders, shelters and rescues are increasingly working toward reducing this population of cats, and spay-neuter is a popular method of doing this.

Those who feed unowned cats, or know of others that do, are being asked to contribute to a survey, at http://communityspayneuterclinic.com/ and clicking on the picture of the mother cat with kittens. The survey is anonymous, and identifying locations of cats is not requested.

“Citizens’ input from throughout the state is critical to us as we try to develop the most accurate information possible,” said Dr. Elizabeth Stone, director and veterinarian of Community Spay-Neuter Clinic. For more information, email vetdocstone@gmail.com.

Input sought for Hedgehog Mountain trails

The town of Freeport is asking the public to join guided walking meetings on the trails in the Hedgehog Mountain area on Saturday, May 2 at 9 and 10 a.m. Those interested should meet at the Hunter Road Field House, 96 Hunter Road. A trail planning committee has been established to create a management plan for the Hedgehog Mountain trail system. This event will introduce the Hedgehog Mountain area trails to people who are unfamiliar with them and will seek feedback from everyone, including experienced trail visitors.

The guides will provide several questions to help the walkers evaluate the trail system. At the end of the walk, participants will be invited to offer feedback by drawing on maps or writing comments. This feedback will provide important guidance to the planning committee, which has been assembled to create a management plan for the trail system.

This event will take place rain or shine. One route will include a section of off-trail walking and trail surfaces that are natural and rough in some locations. Participants should have appropriate footwear, clothing, water and snacks.

The trail planning committee includes representatives of the managers of all town-owned properties in the Hedgehog Mountain area. Committee members include the Freeport Conservation Commission, Hunter Road Fields Committee, RSU 5, and the Freeport Public Works and Planning departments. Volunteers will provide support for the walk. The National Park Service is assisting with the planning.

Not Too Shaap perform for First Friday event

Freeport’s First Friday Just Desserts, on May 1 at the Freeport Community Center, 53 Depot St., will feature the popular acoustic group, “Not Too Shaap.” The group will present a repertoire of “some things old, some things new, some things borrowed and a little blues,” plus classic and contemporary covers and original songs.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The concert begins at 6:45 pm. Entrance fee is $5 at the door. No reservations are required, but seating is limited. Donations will be accepted for the band during the program.

Freeport First Fridays is a joint project of MASISTA (Maryellen and Sam In Support of the Arts) and the Freeport Community Services. For more information, contact Kim Hudak, 865-3985, ext. 202, or email khudak@fcsmaine.org.

Fundraiser for young Tai Kwon Do student

A fundraiser will be held on Friday, April 24, from 7 p.m.-midnight, at Buck’s Naked BBQ in Freeport for Freeport eighth-grader Benjamin Morang, who has been selected to join Team U.S.A. New England in Wales to compete in the Worlds Martial Arts Games XV. He received his black belt in Tae Kwon Do at the age of 12 and has been the New England champion for the last four years. There will be a live band featuring rock and blues music, a food buffet and 50/50 raffle. Tickets are $5 or $13 to include the buffet. Donations are also welcome. For more information, call 865-9032.

2015 dog licenses

Dogs six months and older are required to be licensed by law. Dog licenses for 2015 are available now by registering at the Freeport Town Hall or online at www.doglicensing.com. Bring proof of the rabies vaccination and spay/neutering. The cost at town hall is $6 and $11, respectively.

All dog licenses expire Dec. 31 of each year. Dog licenses may be renewed anytime between Oct. 15 and Jan. 31. After Jan. 31, there is a late fee of $25 per dog. The town clerk is not authorized to waive the late fee.

Ditching material available from town

During summer maintenance and construction projects, the town offers residents free ditching material to be delivered to their property. Residents must first sign a release form, which expires on Dec. 31 each year and must be renewed on a yearly basis. The ditching material may contain some roadside debris and some rocks, brush and roots. Town crews will deliver the material, but it is the property owner’s responsibility to smooth it out and to obtain proper legal placement of the material and final stabilization/maintenance of the material.

Those with questions can contact the Public Works Department at 865-4461.

Tax bills due

Property tax bills for the spring 2015 billing cycle have been mailed out. Residents who have not received a property tax bill by May 1 should call the Finance Department at 865-4743, ext.111, for a reprint of the bill. Taxes are due on May 18 for this billing cycle.

Renewing shellfish licenses

Commercial shellfish license renewal applications must be submitted to the Freeport Town Clerk during the month of April. The application must be accompanied by payment of 50 percent of the required license fee. The remainder of the fee must be paid no later than the last business day in May. To be eligible to purchase a renewal license, a person must have been licensed for the previous year, and must have completed conservation work as determined by the Shellfish Conservation Commission.

Recreational shellfish licenses will be available beginning on June 1. The cost for residents is $16. and $27 for non-residents. Only 20 non-resident recreational licenses are available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, see www.freeportmaine.com or call Town Clerk Tracey Stevens at 865-4743, ext.123, or tstevens@freeportmaine.com. Shellfish licenses are not needed to dig clams at Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park (one peck limit). Contact Wolfe’s Neck State Park for details at 865-4465.

Memorial Day Parade

Memorial Day is Monday, May 25, and events begin that day at 9:30 a.m. starting with the parade. Individuals, organizations and civic groups that wish to participate in the parade and events should contact Gloria DeGrandpre at GloriaD556@aol.com or call 232-6648.

Public input asked for arts-cultural center

The Freeport Players and the Freeport Economic Development Corp. will host a facilitated, town-wide gathering Tuesday, April 28, to explore the possibility of developing an arts and cultural center for Freeport. The meeting will take place from 6-8 p.m. at the Freeport Community Center, 53 Depot St. All are invited.

The idea of an arts center in town is one that has been discussed for many years by local artists and arts organizations. A small group of volunteers has recently been conducting interviews of community members and visiting arts and cultural centers elsewhere in the state to assess whether this idea makes sense for Freeport. The April 28 meeting is being held to obtain input from the community about the concept to determine whether effort should move forward.

For additional information, contact Keith McBride, Freeport Economic Development Corp executive director, at 865-4743, ext. 117, by email at kmcbride@freeportmaine.com; or contact Elizabeth Guffey, Freeport Players managing/artistic director, at info@fcponline.org.

Volunteer opportunity with Freeport Players

Freeport Players is seeking a coordinator of its “front of house” volunteers (ushers, concessions, etc.) for its 26th performance season. The ideal candidate will be a skilled with both email and telephone communication and able to articulate clear expectations and responsibilities to volunteers.

Freeport Players has numerous volunteers and the coordinator is responsible to schedule them so that all performances have appropriate and adequate staffing. Anyone interested should email Elizabeth Guffey at info@fcponline.org.

Katelyn O’Neil, an 18-year-old graduate of Freeport High School, recently completed a wilderness expedition traveling in the Baja with the National Outdoor Leadership School. O’Neil’s Semester in Baja took place through 77 days alongside 13 students and 10 instructors. The sea kayaking section was the first of her semester, followed by sailing and hiking sections. Overall, the students succeeded in all of the course expectations and will apply their leadership and outdoors knowledge to future expeditions. Courtesy photo

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