BUXTON/SACO

New trail ready for exploring

The Saco Valley Land Trust invites the public to explore a new connector trail at the Moses Woodman Preserve, that is the result of an Eagle Scout project by Nolan Green of Dayton and BSA Troop 371 of Saco.

The Preserve, located on Simpson Road in Buxton, is a 60-acre parcel with a trail system to the Saco River. The new trail creates a loop to extend use of the system for hikers, dog walkers and mountain bikers (conditions permitting, usually May 1 through February). Hikers can traverse 1.7 miles of woodland environments that includes marked trails, benches, foot and bog bridges and an information kiosk.

The Preserve was donated to Saco Valley Land Trust in 2003 by eight descendants of the Woodman family. Since then, the Saco Troop 371’s Eagle Rank candidates have worked to get the area ready for public benefit.

Green’s project involved planning and seeking approval from the local District Advancement Committee of BSA, seeking financial support, materials, and volunteers and then overseeing as well as working on the actual project. To complete the trail, he organized and coordinated 116 volunteer hours.

CARRABASSETT VALLEY

Library will resume summer hours Saturday

Carrabassett Valley Public Library will begin observing summer hours Saturday at 3209 Carrabassett Drive No. 3. The new hours will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Friday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays through Sept. 1. For more details, call the library at 237-3535.

PORTLAND

Water district recognizes local businesses

The Portland Water District recognized local businesses, who achieved full compliance with their industrial discharge permits for the 2020-21 Industrial Pretreatment year, which ended April 30: They are: Cozy Harbor Seafood, ecomaine Landfill, Mercy Hospital, Barber Foods, Concord Coachlines, ecomaine Waste-to-Energy, Geary Brewing, NR, and Sprague Operating Resources.

Certain businesses are required to comply with a series of Clean Water Act requirements because of the nature of the industrial wastewater they discharge to the sewer. All 26 of these industries are helping protect Casco Bay. The nine businesses are worthy of special mention because they met every requirement in the past year. For more details, go to pwd.org/industrial-pretreatment.

New bus shelter artwork installed

Community leaders and elected officials, including Mayor Kate Snyder, gathered June 1 for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the installation of new bus shelter art by Maine artist David Wilson at the Portland Transportation Center.

The artwork, titled “Seaweed Shelter,” features a gothic seaweed fantasy, inspired by Maine’s rockweed-covered coast and the elaborate wrought-iron gate work found in Portland’s West End. The natural sea forms are hand-painted, the rear vinyl panels are printed, and all entwine a simple box. Wilson’s design includes a stylized map charting the course of the bus route in a historic calligraphic style.

The Creative Bus Shelter Initiative, in partnership with Greater Portland METRO and the Greater Portland Council of Governments, is supported in part by a National Endowment for the Arts “Our Town” grant. Sponsors Portland Transportation Center and Designtex helped to make the bus shelter transformation a reality.

Wilson’s shelter is the final installation for Phase I of the initiative. Creative Portland recently was awarded a second grant from the NEA to expand the project with three to four more art installations during a distinct second phase. An open call for Maine artists to propose bus shelter art installations will be released in August by Creative Portland.

Wilson was born in Kirkintilloch, Scotland, and moved to Maine in the 1970s. A painter, printmaker and designer, he earned a B.A. in painting from St. Martin’s School of Art London and an M.F.A. in pinting from Syracuse University in New York.

Mainebiz publishes annual free guide

Mainebiz has just published its annual publication “Work for ME,” a free guide to job and career opportunities in Maine’s essential industries. Work for ME is a workforce development tool to help Maine’s employers specifically target Maine’s emerging workforce.

The publication highlights each industry, its impact on Maine’s economy, the jobs available to entry-level workers, training and education needed to get a career started, as well as a list of apprenticeships and internship opportunities for students. In addition, Work for ME showcases interviews with young people who are working in these industries within Maine today, sharing their advice for building a career.

The goal is to get Work for ME into the hands of high school students, college students, and job seekers. Mainebiz has developed a distribution list that includes teachers, guidance counselors, career counselors, job placement centers, job training organizations and workforce development companies. This annual publication was published on May 31 and distributed to this customized list along with Mainebiz subscribers, for a total distribution of 16,000 copies. For more details, go to www.mainebiz.biz.

Women’s fund giving 16 nonprofits $155,000

The Maine Women’s Fund recently announced grants totaling $155,000 for 16 nonprofits that are working to address the most pressing needs of women and girls across the state. From York to Aroostook counties, these organizations and leaders are helping shape the post-pandemic future in key areas where the pandemic has further exacerbated existing gender inequalities.

Receiving grants of $10,000 each were: Elder Abuse Institute of Maine; Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project; In Her Presence’s Capacity Building Initiative; Mabel Wadsworth Center’s Connecting Women and LGBTQ+ People to Health Care; Maine Commission on Domestic and Sexual Abuse’s statewide racial equity roadmap; Maine Transgender Network; Maine Women’s Lobby Education Fund’s Statewide Education and Engagement for Gender Equity; Mano en Mano’s Rayitos de Sol bilingual child care; New Ventures Maine’s statewide expanding Wabanaki savings; Restorative Justice Institute of Maine; Somali Bantu Community; Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness’ statewide supporting Wabanaki women in recovery; and YWCA Central Maine’s Single Gender Women’s Swim.

Additionally, $7,500 was awarded for ArtVan’s Art Therapy; and $7,050 was awarded for Four Directions Development Corp.’s Strengthening Wabanaki Community Assets.

ORONO

New blog will share food and nutrition content

University of Maine Cooperative Extension is offering a new blog that shares timely, research-based food and nutrition content in an easy-to-digest format.

“Spoonful: Bite-Sized Food & Nutrition Information” is updated once to twice a week, with posts about new recipes, food preservation and food safety, grocery shopping on a budget, health tips and more.

UMaine extension also offers online nutrition education for adults, food preservation webinars, pressure canner dial gauge testing, and food safety training for volunteer cooks. Information about these programs and more can be found on the Extension Food & Health website.

Subscribe to the blog to receive monthly email updates. For more details, call Kate McCarty at 781-6099 or email kate.mccarty@maine.edu.

KENNEBUNK

Seven seniors volunteer to benefit Habitat

A group of seven Kennebunk High School seniors recently closed out their senior year, working with Habitat for Humanity York County on a project intended to give back to their community. The work also afforded the students and opportunity to gain some valuable on-the-job experience in a career they may want to pursue after high school or college.

The seniors put in some sweat equity, volunteering their time at the Kennebunk ReStore, a thrift store that sells used furniture, appliances, hardware and the like, at a reduced rate in the community. All the proceeds from sales at the store support Habitat’s affordable housing mission in York County.

The students helped to upcycle donated items to be sold at the ReStore, sorted hardware, created a catalog of artwork and completed other projects throughout the store.
Volunteer opportunities for students and adults are available at the ReStore from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays. For more details, email program@habitatyorkcounty.org.

CAMDEN

Library taking sign-ups for kids’ reading program

The Camden Public Library is accepting sign-ups for its six-week children’s Summer Reading Program “Tails and Tales,” set to kick-off June 24 on the library grounds at 55 Main St.

Participants will meet with youth librarian Miss Amy each Thursday to enjoy books and log their reading hours; and participate in related crafts and special activities, such as Chewonki’s Maine Mammals program. Meeting times are at 10 a.m. for ages 4 to 7 and 11 a.m. for ages 8 to 12.

All of the activities will take place outdoors in the amphitheater and on the library’s grounds. Visit librarycamden.org for more program details or call 236-3440.

NORTH BERWICK

Genevieve Roy receives high school MPA

Noble High School senior Genevieve Roy was selected to receive the 2021 Maine Principal’s Award, sponsored by the Maine Principals’ Association and recognizing her academic achievement and outstanding school citizenship.

Counselor Ryan Kelsey said that Roy is a stellar student, who challenges herself academically. She is known for taking on challenging curricula, AP courses, honors courses and early college experiences with dual enrollment opportunities afforded by York County Community College.

Roy’s French teacher, Sofie Larsen, also noted Roy’s excellent work ethic, saying that she is fun, loving and kind.

Roy is the daughter of Suzanne and Daniel Roy of North Berwick. She plans to attend Boston University.
The award is presented in more than 100 Maine public and private high schools by members of the MPA, the professional association that represents Maine’s school administrators.

SCARBOROUGH

Kiwanis Clubs donate 110 gift boxes to veterans

Portland and Scarborough Kiwanis Clubs recently held a joint project to benefit the Veteran’s Home in Scarborough. The clubs met to assemble 110 gift boxes for the residents in advance of Memorial Day.

Each resident received a box containing many red, white and blue items in appreciation of their military service. In addition, playing cards and assorted games and puzzles were donated. All the items were delivered in time for the holiday weekend.
Both Kiwanis clubs would like to thank all the volunteers who helped complete the project.

BATH

Fourth-graders study Wabanaki without field trip

Every year, fourth-graders at Fisher-Mitchell School study Maine’s Indigenous people, the Wabanaki. In a typical year, those students take a field trip to Coastal Rivers Conservation Center in Damariscotta to explore the Indigenous people’s 12,000 year history.

This year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the center offered an education kit that came with several picture books, and pieces of birch bark that we soaked in water and then etched with a traditional double curved symbol. Students researched and wrote an informational piece, with topics ranging from transportation to food preparation, uses of birch bark, and hunting and fishing practices.

Teacher Alicia LaFosse wanted her students to experience a hands-on activity like those at CRCC, so the school purchased its own atlatl and spears. Students practiced their throwing technique using a cardboard javelin on a rope tied between two trees and honed their overarm throwing during recess.

LISBON

Eight students inducted into honor society

Eight new members were inducted into Lisbon High School’s Worumbo Chapter of the National Honor Society recently.

They are: seniors Owen Fish, Cameron Gilman and Justin Le and juniors Hunter Brissette, Abby Cunningham,  Amelia Mooney,  Sydney Poulin and Katie Tibbetts.

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