GORHAM, ME – Enjoy live music, great food, fun community, libations in beautiful Orchard Ridge Farm! Family-friendly vibe. Suggested donation $7/adults and kids are free!

WESTBROOK, ME – Channel your inner explorer and experience the ‘river of many falls’ the oldest way–by paddling and listening!

Our journey begins just a few blocks from downtown Westbrook, where the Presumpscot River invites you to slow down. You will hear the story of how a cherished river was dammed, and how that same river is undergoing rewilding today.

Paddle upriver to escape into the wilderness, surrounded by a canopy of trees and the quiet hum of nature, as our expert guide shares stories about the plants, wildlife, and rich history of the Presumpscot.

This is one of our favorite summer events outside, and we are so glad to bring it back again this year to the Westbrook community.

Book your 2026 Paddle the Presumpscot Experience!

Discover Downtown Westbrook has four dates on the calendar this year to paddle the Presumpscot at dusk! Purchase tickets on our website today – only 12 slots for each paddle! (Tickets must be purchased in advance at https://www.downtownwestbrook.com/downtown-events/paddle-the-presumpscot/)

AUG 14 (FRI) 7:30 to 10:00 PM

AUG 28 (FRI) 7:30 to 10:00 PM

All trips are 2.5 hours with 1.5 on the river. Trips start and end at 58 Lincoln St, Westbrook, ME. Rain date is the following day.

Fee includes all equipment and a light snack. All levels from beginner to advanced paddlers welcome ages 12+.

Don’t forget to check out the trip details, requirements, and what to bring, all listed below. See you at the river!

Trip Overview:

Maximum capacity 12, minimum capacity 4

No paddling experience necessary. Basic canoeing and safety instructions will be given

Welcome to everyone 12 and up

All guides are registered Master Maine Guides with proper emergency training

The experience is 2.5 hours in total length, with 1.5 hours spent on the river

Paddle the Presumpscot is a substance and alcohol-free experience

Physical Requirements:

This is an active experience – paddlers must be able to swim and tread water, be able to paddle a canoe for 1 hour or more, and feel comfortable walking on uneven or unsteady terrain.

What to Bring:

Waterproof layers / Rain jacket

Shoes that you don’t mind getting wet (water shoes or waterproof shoes)

Water

Dry bag if you have one. Phone size bags available for your use.

All other equipment is provided. If you have a lifejacket or paddle that you prefer, feel free to bring them!

Guides will have dry bags in case you need to stash items to keep dry, however it is recommended that you do not bring valuables. This experience is rain or shine but in case of extreme weather (thunder, lightning, wind), the tour will take place the following day.

Trips have a minimum capacity and will be canceled if the minimum is not met. In this case, participants will be notified of cancellation at 12:00 PM the day of the event. Participants may reschedule at another time, or choose to receive a refund.

Where possible, events canceled due to inclement weather shall be rescheduled for the following day. Cancellation decisions will be communicated by 12:00 PM the day of the event. If rescheduling the following day is not possible, participants will be asked whether they would like to reschedule at another time. If not, a partial (50%) refund will be granted.

PORTLAND, ME – For only the second time in history, the American Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis — and patients may already be feeling the impact. Donors are asked to act immediately to help save lives.

Blood donations have fallen to a four-year summer low, worsening this season’s emergency blood shortage. All blood types are needed, but the situation is especially dire for type O blood as the Red Cross is now limiting distributions of these blood products to hospitals. The supply of type O positive blood has now dropped below a one-day supply.

Help end this crisis and stabilize the blood supply. Book an appointment to give blood now by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). As a thank-you, all who come to give by July 31 will receive a Fandango Movie Ticket by email (up to $15 ticket price and fees). See RedCrossBlood.org/July.

Additionally, those who come to give?Aug. 1-31, 2026, will receive a?$20 Amazon Gift Card by email.?For details, visit?RedCrossBlood.org/August.

Patients can’t wait

Despite thousands of people who have stepped up to help end the emergency blood shortage since it was declared earlier this month, donations are still not keeping pace with hospital demand, and the situation has escalated. Extreme heat, poor air quality and widespread foodborne illnesses continue to contribute to lower donor turnout this summer.

“This summer has brought a number of unique challenges that have placed additional strain on our blood supply, creating growing concerns for hospitals and the patients who rely on lifesaving transfusions,” said Paul Sullivan, senior vice president of donor services for the Red Cross. “If just three more donors gave at each blood drive this summer, we could help the blood supply rebound and ensure hospitals have the blood products they need throughout the remainder of the season.”

Upcoming blood donation opportunities through Aug. 15: 

Cumberland

Brunswick

8/13/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 27 Pleasant Street

Freeport

8/13/2026: 12 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Wolfe’s Neck Center, 184 Burnett Rd

Portland

8/14/2026: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Partners for World Health, 40 Walch Dr

Westbrook

8/14/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Westbrook Community Center, 426 Bridge Street

MAINE – New to Medicare or reviewing your coverage? Join the Southern Maine Agency on Aging (SMAA) for a free Welcome to Medicare seminar or Preparing for Open Enrollment session.

These educational seminars are designed to help you understand your Medicare options and make informed, confident decisions about your healthcare coverage. You’ll learn the basics of Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D, important enrollment timelines, common mistakes to avoid, and how to choose coverage that best meets your needs.

Our Preparing for Open Enrollment sessions will also cover upcoming Medicare changes and help you better understand your current coverage, compare plan options, and decide whether to stay with your current plan, switch plans, or move between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

All sessions are led by certified volunteer State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselors. SHIP is federally funded program by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), ensuring you receive free, unbiased, and confidential Medicare counseling.

Seminars are offered both in person and virtually, are easy to follow, and include time for questions. Whether you’re approaching Medicare eligibility, recently enrolled, reviewing your current coverage, or helping a family member navigate Medicare, these sessions provide trusted information to help you make informed choices.

To register, please call (207) 396-6524 or visit smaaa.org/events.

Wednesday, August 19 5:00pm-6:30pm SMAA – Portland Welcome to Medicare

Thursday, August 20 10:00am-11:30am SMAA – Virtual Welcome to Medicare

Tuesday, August 25 1:00pm-2:30pm SMAA – Biddeford Welcome to Medicare

Tuesday, September 1 5:00pm-6:30pm SMAA – Virtual Welcome to Medicare

Thursday, September 17 10:00am-11:30am SMAA – Virtual Welcome to Medicare

Wednesday, September 23 5:00pm-6:30pm SMAA – Virtual Preparing for OEP

Tuesday, September 29 10:00am-11:30am SMAA – Biddeford Preparing for OEP

Tuesday, October 6 5:00pm-6:30pm SMAA – Virtual Welcome to Medicare

Wednesday, October 14 5:00-6:30pm SMAA – Virtual Preparing for OEP

Thursday, October 22 10:00am-11:30am SMAA – Virtual Welcome to Medicare

Tuesday, November 3 5:00pm-6:30pm SMAA – Virtual Welcome to Medicare

Thursday, November 19 10:00am-11:30am SMAA – Virtual Welcome to Medicare

Tuesday, December 1 5:00pm-6:30pm SMAA – Virtual Welcome to Medicare

Thursday, December 17 10:00am-11:30am SMAA – Virtual Welcome to Medicare

GORHAM, ME – Gorham Arts Alliance has opened Beetlejuice Jr. registration! We look forward to a stage full of talented actors and enthusiastic performers! Due to the vast casting potential, we are limiting the number of registrations for each grade. Please be sure to select the grade in which you actor will be in on SEPTEMBER 1st 2026. Register at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/beetlejuice-reg–2627

Performance Information:

Auditions:

Monday & Tuesday, August 17th & 18th

6pm – 8pm

Rehearsals:

T, W, Th 6pm – 8pm

Starting August 25th

Show Dates:

Thur Oct 29th – 7pm

Fri Oct 30th  – 7pm

Sat Oct 31st – 10am & 2pm

Sun Nov 1st – 1pm & 5pm

This show will be DOUBLE CAST! Stay tuned for specific show details.

We do not want the cost of tuition to be a barrier for ANY actor – please reach out to our team if you require tuition assistance or want to inquire about deferred payment options.

MAINE – Summer requests are still flooding in and so are back to school needs. As you can see, we at Maine Needs have a lot of long sleeved shirts but we need short sleeved t-shirts, shorts, sneakers and adult hoodies. Please hold off on Winter gear until September / October. Thank you!!

Kids t shirts & shorts sizes 5-XL

Adult hoodies M-5X

Sneakers all sizes

Diapers 5, 6 & 7

Backpacks & school supplies welcome!

Drop off tomorrow (Thursday if possible). Share this!

WEEKLY DONATION HOURS

Tuesday 10am-1pm, 6pm-8pm

Thursday 10am-1pm

And you can always order online & ship essentials directly to us!

2385 Congress Street

Portland, ME 04102

Contributed by Maine Needs

MAINE – Our neighbors at Unum Careers really get it. There are few weeks that go by when we at Maine Needs don’t have a UNUM crew of employees filling requests or sorting. They are pros at this point and they see the needs within the requests they fill and today they really delivered! They’ve donated130 little kid back to school backpack kits and 120 for the big kids. We are told that more are on their way too!

If any local business wants to match this, we welcome the friendly competition that gets more school supplies to more kiddos! The best deadline is August 13th to fill the requests and relieve parental stressors before school starts: MaineNeeds.org/kits

Also, for anyone seeing this, please know that one kit makes a difference too! We’ve also seen people make magic happen by crowdfunding with their friends and family.

GORHAM, ME – Who’s ready for a stick-handling good time? Join us at Baxter Memorial Library on Thursday, August 6th at 12pm for an afternoon of games, trivia, crafts, and socializing with Blades, the Boston Bruins mascot! And don’t forget to fuel up at our ice cream food truck – you’ll need the energy for all the fun! For more info, call Youth Services at 207-222-1190.

RAYMOND, ME – Enjoy Maine-Made Cuban Music as presented by the popular Maine-based group, Primo Cubano. The musical event will happen at Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Boyhood Home, 40 Hawthorne Rd., Raymond, Maine, Saturday, August 1st at 7:00 pm.

Primo Cubano plays traditional Cuban dance music dating back to the turn of the 20th Century. ‘Son’ is the most popular style to come out of Cuba and is the primary contributor to the blend of Latin styles today known as Salsa. It was first a music of the country people and eventually migrated to Havana, where it was urbanized and began to draw a wider audience.

Admission is $25. Reservation and payment are required prior to the event. Space is limited. Tickets are non-refundable.

To order your tickets, please go to www.hawthorneassoc.com events page, scroll down and follow the links to Primo Cubano Concert.

You may also send a check to Hawthorne Community Association, PO Box 185, South Casco, ME 04077.

RAYMOND, ME – A very special showcase of local artists and artisans is coming to one of southern Maine’s most beloved and cherished venues—the newly-refurbished boyhood home of Nathaniel Hawthorne, located at 40 Hawthorne Road in Raymond. The show will begin with an Opening Reception on Friday evening, August 7, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., which will offer a chance to meet the artists. Thereafter, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Boyhood Home will be open Saturday and Sunday, August 8, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m and August 9, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., with all art available for viewing and sale.

The three-day event is FREE, with donations for the continuing maintenance of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Boyhood Home gratefully accepted.

“We’re excited to have the opportunity to open up the newly restored Hawthorne House and give local artists an opportunity to show and sell their work there,” said Sylvia Sullivan, a longtime member of the Hawthorne Community Association who is coordinating the event. “We’re especially pleased to be showcasing such a wide range of local artistic talent, including painters, photographers, sculptors, and more.”

Among the artists showing their work at the event will be Kathleen Gerdes (nature watercolors); Monica White (watercolors and acrylics); Kalee Charette (landscape and creatures in pen and ink); Cole Phillips (wet-plate photography); Trish Kohler (bird and wildlife watercolors); Marylyn Clegg (oil and acrylics framed); Bruce Small (photographer, landscapes and wildlife); Traci Loftus (Watercolors); Laura Kouba (colorful art using complex, ultrasaturated Birmingham inks); Don Willard (“Found Objects” assemblage metal sculpture, influenced by Steampunk artistic aesthetics); Steven Brook (fish and other playful wooden art using recycled materials); Holly Russell (animal drawings in graphite, colored pencil, pastels and watercolors); Sue Snell (free-standing embroidered lace); and Kitty Delano (Watercolors and acrylics).

Images courtesy of the Hawthorne Community Association.