YORK COUNTY
Audubon hosting Maine seabird presentation
York County Audubon will present the online talk “The Amazing Restoration of Maine’s Seabirds – and What They Can Tell Us” at 7 p.m. Tuesday, headed by Dr. Donald Lyons.
Dr. Lyons is a director of Conservation Science for the National Audubon Society, and has spent his career in work directly aligned with Audubon’s Seabird Restoration Program, including the last 20 years at Oregon State University. He will share the latest information on the health of Maine’s seabird populations in the Gulf of Maine, the looming effects of climate change, and how to manage fisheries for ecosystem health and sustainable economies.
The session is free, but advance registration is required at yorkcountyaudubon.org and clicking on the link there. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the program.
PORTLAND
Church to honor first responders with special Mass
Bishop Robert Deeley will celebrate the annual Blue Mass honoring law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and all in public safety at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland.
Due to the coronavirus, in-person attendance is being limited to 50 and will be coordinated with public service agencies. However, all are encouraged to participate in the Mass via livestream at portlanddiocese.org/online-Mass or portlandcatholic.org/online-Mass.
Though some of the traditional elements of the Blue Mass will be modified, a multi-jurisdictional honor guard will be assembled to post the colors; Portland Police Chief Frank Clark and Portland Fire Chief Keith Gautreau will serve as readers; and representatives from many different public safety agencies at the local, state, and federal level will be in attendance at the Mass.
Deacons for the Mass will be Deacon Kevin Jacques, chaplain for the Biddeford Fire and Police Departments and the Saco Fire Department, and Deacon Jeffrey Lewis, chaplain for the Gardiner Fire Department and was an EMS provider for over 38 years and a firefighter.
The Blue Mass dates back to 1934 and is a venerable tradition in many dioceses. The events of September 11, 2001, served as the impetus for the Diocese of Portland to institute the Blue Mass locally.
For more details, go to portlanddiocese.org/BlueMass.
B’Nai Portland hosting Jewish holiday events
Celebrate the Jewish High Holidays of Rosh Ha’Shanah, Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur this fall with B’Nai Portland, this year on Zoom.
Rosh Ha’Shanah morning service will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
Then, a Kol Nidre service will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 27 and a Yom Kippur service, including Yizkor service, will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 28.
The cost is $18 per person, per service or $44 for all three services. To register, go to eventbrite.com/e/high-holidays-services-with-bnai-portland-tickets-117717982655?utm-medium=discovery&utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-source=strongmail&utm-term=listing.
BIDDEFORD
Congregation Etz Chaim is offering a full schedule of High Holidays services, that begin with Erev Rosh Hashanah on Friday. To keep everyone safe and healthy, the virtual services will be streamed on ZOOM and Facebook Live with Cantor Beth Strassler and Dr. David Strassler leading services from the sanctuary.
Rosh Hashanah services begin at 6:45 p.m. Friday and from 9:15 to about 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Due to Shabbat, there will not be a shofar service. On Sunday, the second day of Rosh Hashanah will be celebrated at 9:15 a.m., with a Shofar Service at 10:15 a.m. and services until about noon.
The following week, Yom Kippur services will begin with Kol Nidre at 6:15 p.m. Sept. 27 and 9:15 a.m. service on Sept. 28, featuring a Yizkor service from 10:45 a.m. to about noon. Afternoon services resume at 5 p.m. Sept. 28 with Neilah scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and a virtual Break Fast at 6:30 p.m.
To receive the ZOOM links for services, please provide Congregation Etz Chaim with your name, e-mail address, and a contact phone number. Find them on Facebook at @etzchaimmaine.
For more details, go to etzchaimme.org, email Cantor Beth Strassler at mail@etzchaimme.org or call 207-967-5833.
DENMARK
Bruce Marshall and the Shuffle to headline drive-in concert
Bruce Marshall and the Shuffle will perform at 1 p.m. Sunday as part of the Denmark Arts Center at the Drive-In LIVE Music Series at Bridgton Twin Drive-In, located at 383 Portland Road, Bridgton.
The four-piece band perform swing blues, R&B, Americana and southern boogie music.
Marshall is an award-winning singer songwriter with eight CDs to his credit, including his latest “Borrowed Time.” His national experience includes a stint with Toy Caldwell of the Marshall Tucker Band and tours with Charlie Daniels and The Outlaws. He’s also currently in a duo with blues man James Montgomery.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch or order online with Standard GastroPub for a box lunch to go and a special discount for event-goers. Attendees are asked to observe COVID restrictions.
Gate opens at noon. Cost is $50 per vehicle (maximum five persons), rain or shine. To purchase tickets or for more details, go to denmarkarts.org/event.
CAMDEN
Public invited to Zoom presentation on birds and climate change
Mid-Coast Audubon will offer a presentation by Dr. Jeff Wells at p.m. Thursday entitled “Climate Change and the Decline of Birds: What Can be Done?” on an online format via Zoom and hosted in partnership with the Camden Public Library.
Wells is with the National Audubon and is one of the nation’s leading bird experts, a conservation biologist focusing on protection of Canada’s Boreal Forest region and author of “Birder’s Conservation Handbook.” He was part of the author team of the forthcoming book, “Birds of Maine” that was a project of well-known Maine ornithologist, the late Peter Vickery. Wells and wife Allison Childs Wells, author the weekly column “A Bird’s Tale” in the Boothbay Register and Wiscasset Newspaper and are co-authors of the books “Maine’s Favorite Birds” and “Birds of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.”
Email Julia at the Camden Public Library at jpierce@librarycamden.org to register and request the Zoom login information.
WELLS
Library offering programs for all ages
Wells Public Library will sponsor a number of online programs this week for all ages. Children and youth programs will include:
• Goodnight Stories Podcast at 3 p.m. Listen to a quiet bedtime story read by one of our Wells Public Library staff members. Listen at: anchor.fm/wells-public-library.
• Fall Storytime will be offered at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday to engage children in stories, songs, games, and dancing with their favorite librarians on Facebook. Each storytime will be followed by a craft relating to the week’s theme. Take and make kits will be available at the back door of the library, unless otherwise noted. This free event is sponsored by the Friends of the Wells Public Library.
• Lego Challenge for all ages will be offered at 10:30 a.m. Friday. Check our website or Facebook every Friday to find out the week’s challenge. Participants are invited to build master creations with Legos over the weekend. Please contact the library if Legos are needed. Baggies with a fair amount of Legos to borrow are available. Send a picture of your final product to Jade at wellslibraryya@gmail.com by Monday morning, and all photos will be posted on Facebook.
Adult programs will include:
• A meeting of the Conversational French Language Group at 6:30 p.m. Thursday for an informal approach to practicing or re-learning French via Zoom.
• The Fiber Arts groups also will meet at 10:30 a.m. Friday to work on individual or group needlework projects, share techniques and meet with friends. Email Cindy Appleby at cappleby@wellstown.org to get your Zoom link invitation. All ages and levels of ability are welcomed. For more details, call the library at 646-8181.
AUGUSTA
Blind organization holding convention virtually
The National Federation of the Blind of Maine will hold its 2020 convention online Saturday via Zoom. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. and with the event opening at 9 a.m.
There will be no registration fee this year.
For more details, contact Faith E. Armstrong at faiarmstro4@aol.com or call 330-4780 for the Zoom address.
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