GORHAM, ME (April 29, 2023) — The FREE Clothes Closet at Cressey Road Church (Mission of Hope Clothes Closet) is open to all who need Fellowship, Friendship and Clothes. We are located at 81 Cressey Road, Gorham, and we are open on the FIRST and THIRD Saturday of each month from 9 o’clock AM to 12 Noon.

We focus on clothes and accessories (gloves, scarves, hats, etc.) and welcome your donations during our operating hours. Clean clothes in good shape help the most, as they go right out to help people locally or in nearby communities. An attempt is made to have season appropriate clothes available to you. After we have displayed them for a time, they are donated to serve the people in need in Ukraine.

In addition to helping folks find clothes, we want to spend time with you! There are tables to sit, talk and to share a cup of coffee and usually a goodie with volunteers or others. Come see us! You might make a new friend. All are Welcome!

TOPSHAM, ME (May 18, 2023) —The Midcoast Symphony Orchestra (MSO) will team up with Maine’s own disco/funk tribute group Motor Booty Affair in concert on June 10, 7 p.m., at the Franco Center in Lewiston, and June 11, 2:30 p.m., at the Orion Performing Arts Center in Topsham. 

“Classical Night Fever,” the popular 70s disco symphony pops tribute show, has been touring nationally and receiving rave reviews since its inception in 2013. Much of the original 70s disco music featured full orchestration. This show marries the sounds of an orchestra with disco hits by Donna Summer, the Bee Gees, Barry White, the Village People, Chic, and more. The show even incorporates some orchestra-only pieces, showcasing the MSO with 70s TV and movie theme medleys.

Motor Booty Affair has performed this show alongside some of the Northeast’s top orchestras, including Portland Symphony Orchestra, Bangor Symphony Orchestra, Hartford Symphony and Maine Pro Musica Orchestra, as well as with orchestras in Knoxville, Asheville, Las Cruces, and elsewhere.

The MSO will be led by guest conductor Janna Hymes of Camden. She says, “I am excited to work with Motor Booty Affair and the MSO again. I have had the great pleasure of working with the band on more than one occasion. They are fantastic musicians, great people, and the playlist is sensational. This is a concert everyone will enjoy so bring your friends and family and prepare for an experience like no other!”

Hymes, who returns to the MSO podium just for these special shows, is Artistic Director for the Carmel Symphony Orchestra in Carmel, Indiana, and the Verde Valley Sinfonietta in Sedona, Arizona.

Concert and ticket information is at MidcoastSymphony.org. All tickets are reserved seating: $27 in advance, $35 at the door. There are no special children and college student prices for these shows. Audiences are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance at MidcoastSymphony.org or by calling the box office at (207) 481-0790.

Midcoast Symphony Orchestra teams up with Motor Booty Affair for concerts filled with ‘70s disco and funk favorites.

GORHAM, ME (April 29, 2023) — NOW is the time to start thinking about donating your plants, seeds, and books! North Gorham Public Library is accepting book donations now and will be accepting plant donations at the end of May. We also need plastic pots or yogurt type containers to hold transplants for the sale.

Book donations can be dropped off at the library any time, during open hours OR in our big green return box outside. We will start accepting plant donations the 3rd week in May (a week before the sale)!

ALSO: Bring the kiddos! We will have a station set up for making wildflower seed bombs

GORHAM, ME (May 1, 2023) — Mountain Division Alliance is hosting a trail cleanup day in Gorham on SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 2023 AT 6 AM – 10 AM at Kemp Rd, Gorham, Maine. These are the tasks we’ll be tackling: Branch cleanup – make piles for public works to wood chip; Clear trail of rocks and leaves; Cut vines from fencing. What to bring: Gloves, Water, Tools will be provided but feel free to bring your own.

STANDISH, ME (May 12, 2023) —-“Congratulations! It means ‘well done,’ ‘compliments on your achievement,’ and ‘you’ve done it!’ And you have! You have worked hard and earned the degree which will be awarded. This is a great achievement.”

The words of Bishop Robert Deeley were met with smiles of anticipation and accomplishment by the soon-to-be graduates before him as he celebrated the Baccalaureate Mass on Friday morning, officially kicking off Commencement Weekend at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine in Standish.

Hundreds gathered for the celebration, which was held outdoors and under a large tent constructed at the campus for the weekend’s festivities. Students and faculty wore robes and marched in a procession at the start of the Mass, which was a beautiful gathering that offered thanks for the blessings God has bestowed upon the graduates and their families and friends, many of whom were in attendance.

 Bishop Deeley told the Class of 2023 that this joyful weekend is also a celebration of what Saint Joseph’s College of Maine is all about: academic achievement at the service of the common good grounded in appreciation of God’s goodness to us.

 “Mindful of that spiritual environment within which you have received your education rooted, as it is, in the teachings of Jesus in the Gospel, we come this morning to pause ahead of the celebration of the academic achievements of tomorrow and we take this opportunity to be grateful for the gifts received,” the bishop said during his homily. “In this celebration of the Mass, we give thanks to God for the good that has been accomplished in the many classes, papers, projects, and activities you have undertaken which happily now result in the degrees that will be awarded. And, as we look back in gratitude, we look forward in our prayer this morning in hope. We ask God to continue to guide and assist you as you move forward in life.”

 The bishop told the students that as they prepare to move forward, they should be mindful of the words of Jesus in the Gospel.

 “The (words) remind us of God’s care for us. ‘Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?’ As you move forward, always remember, God is with you.”

 Bishop Deeley also told the graduates to remember that we thrive, not as individuals, but in community.

 “Friendship, community, the kind of activity we are doing together this morning, the kind of gathering we find in Church, is good for us,” he said. “So, part of what you have learned here at Saint Joseph’s is the fact that we do better when we do things together in community. We make the biggest difference in our world when we work to make life better for those around us. We are called to build a community which becomes a light to the world, showing a way to live in accord with the Gospel message preached by Jesus. His invitation to ‘Follow me’ is not just a charge to apostles and disciples. It is a call to all of us who find the meaning of life in the message of Jesus and in his commandment to love God and love one another.”

 Friday’s Mass was concelebrated by Monsignor Marc Caron, vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Diocese of Portland, and Fr. Louis Phillips, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Windham.

 On Saturday, close to 500 students will receive master’s, bachelor’s, and associate’s degrees from the college during its 110th Commencement.

 As part of the Mass, the bishop sprinkled the graduates with holy water as a reminder of baptism and an expression of goodness for all present.

 “May the Lord guide us to build communities which care for each other wherever we find ourselves. We do this for our own health and the health of those with whom we share the world,” the bishop told those gathered on Friday. “Do good with what you have earned.”

 Saint Joseph’s College of Maine was founded in 1912, originally based on the grounds of the Sisters of Mercy Motherhouse in Portland and moved to the shore of Sebago Lake in Standish in 1956. The college’s undergraduate, graduate, and lifelong learning programs transform people of all faiths and ages into 21st Century leaders with the purpose and skills to sustain their communities. Rooted in the teachings of Jesus and the doctrines of the Catholic Church and the Sisters of Mercy, the values of Saint Joseph’s College are the foundation of its educational mission: faith, excellence, integrity, respect, compassion, justice, and community.

ROME, ME (May 9, 2023) – Pine Tree Camp’s traditional summer overnight week-long camp sessions and summer day programming return to full capacity this June, bringing Maine kids and adults with disabilities back to camp for a much-needed time of friendship, fun and freedom to explore.   

Parents, caregivers and families are invited to an open house on Saturday, May 20 to meet the team and experience Pine Tree Camp first hand. Tours will be offered throughout the day and families will have the chance to check out cabins, see the dining hall, explore campus and experience fully accessible activities, including: biking, archery, hiking and a special scavenger hunt.  

Tucked along the shore of picturesque North Pond in Rome, Pine Tree Camp’s barrier-free setting and professional staff ensure that outdoor activities like swimming, fishing, kayaking, boating, hiking, biking, archery, and even camping in a tent under the stars are completely accessible to all. Full tuition assistance is available.

Register at this link: https://pinetreesociety.wufoo.com/forms/z6vrgr4135fymi/

Open House is Saturday, May 20 from 10:00am to 4:00pm at Pine Tree Camp, 114 Pine Tree Camp Road in Rome, Maine 04963

More About Pine Tree Camp: Established in 1945, Pine Tree Camp is Maine’s only American Camp Association-accredited camp for people with disabilities. Every year, hundreds of Maine children and adults with disabilities arrive at Pine Tree Camp in Rome and their lives are transformed. Year-round, campers experience freedom and independence by actively participating in outdoor activities like kayaking, boating, swimming, fishing, hiking, biking, archery, snowshoeing and even ice-fishing thanks to Pine Tree Camp’s 285-acre, fully-accessible campus on North Pond. Full tuition assistance is available. No camper has ever been turned away due to their ability to pay. https://pinetreesociety.org/camp-home/

Courtesy of Pine Tree Camp

GORHAM, ME (May 10, 2023) – Gorham Recreation Department is calling all Gorham churches, community organizations, clubs, neighborhood groups, businesses, school groups, sports clubs and anyone else wishing to be part of the Memorial Day Parade! 

Parade steps off at 11am and ends at Eastern Cemetery on Johnson Rd.

There is no charge to be in the parade. All we ask is that you register your float or unit so we can plan accordingly for the ”line up” on the morning of the parade.

Register online: https://gorhamme.myrec.com

Line up begins at 10am – parade leaves Village School at 11am. For those who would like to view the parade, it starts at 11 am from Village! We hope to see you out there!

GORHAM, ME (May 10, 2023) — Gorham Football is looking for help from our Community for raffle items for the upcoming Father & Daughter dance on Saturday, May 20th! Gift Certificates to your business, assortment baskets, products you sell or from a local business & experience gifts are all options when choosing what you would like to offer! Traditionally, this has been their biggest fundraiser so a great opportunity to spot light your business and support Gorham Youth! Please contact Jennie Hezlep Corkum on Facebook to donate!

Also don’t forget to purchase your tickets too: https://facebook.com/events/s/fatherdaughter-dance/743117860829285/

PORTLAND, ME (May 1, 2023) — Portland Downtown in conjunction with Monument Square property and business owners is proud to announce the return of the Monument(al) Market in the Square, a Friday spring and summer market returning to Monument Square now on Fridays. The first Monument(al) Market will be Friday, June 2.

In a continued effort to program Monument Square and bring vibrancy to one of our city’s most compelling plazas, Portland Downtown is teaming up with Monument Square business and property owners to recruit makers, artists, and other vendors to offer their wares Fridays throughout the spring and summer. 

“This Monument(al) Market in the Square will continue to bring vibrancy to one of our premier locations in the city. It will help local entrepreneurs while at the same time being an active space that will entice tourists and others. We hope folks will also buy lunch or a snack at nearby restaurants and eat outside. We’re excited to continue to bring activity to our downtown,” said Cary Tyson, executive director of Portland Downtown. Interested vendors can complete an application available at portlandmaine.com/MonumentalMarket

WINDHAM, ME (May 1, 2023) — Students at Windham Middle School in Windham, Maine, recently embarked on an exciting and impactful Project Based Learning endeavor that aimed to turn back the high tide of Maine’s opioid epidemic.   

The “Back to the Future” themed project’s name is “Taking Back Maine’s Future”.  2023 marks the fourth such annual community event. 

Students carefully studied the impact of Maine’s current opioid epidemic using extensive research and input from a panel of experts including local law enforcement,  UNE pharmacy students and staff, and persons in the recovery community.  

Students then sought to predict what Maine’s future may look like in two vastly differing futures; A future where their generation is able to find solutions for the state’s horrifying opioid epidemic, ending the crisis before it gets worse; and a future in which the current trends of opioid addiction and overdose continue to rise. 

Students then created newspapers from both possible futures:  The year 2055 to be exact.  Some papers reported from the bright future, free from opioid abuse; and some from the dark future where opioid addiction continued to grow at alarming rates.   

These newspapers, along with a REAL DELOREAN TIME MACHINE, were on display for the public at the fourth annual “Taking Back Maine’s Future” event on Thursday May 4th 2023 at Windham Middle School.    For more information, see https://sites.google.com/grsu14.org/takingbackmainesfuture/home