GORHAM, ME — The Town of Gorham, through its Medical Loan Closet and its volunteers, loans FREE health aides such as wheelchairs, commodes, beds, walkers, crutches and more to any Gorham resident.

To make a request, please call Medical Loan Closet volunteers Lois MacDonald at 839-2484 or Gerry Day at 839-3859, during office hours of Monday through Thursday, 8am to 4pm.

The Medical Loan Closet is located at the Gorham Municipal Center at 75 South Street, down the hall from Shaw Gym.

For assistance, please call the numbers provided, or visit the Recreation Office or Town Manager’s Office during regular office hours.

GORHAM, ME — On Saturday, November 25th, Gorham Recreation invites everyone to get outside for their annual Burn Off the Turkey 5k Run/Walk around Robie Park starting at 9am.

To register or learn more, visit https://gorhamme.myrec.com/info/activities/program_details.aspx?ProgramID=14960.

Details: Burn off the Turkey 5k race start at 9:00am. $100 Prize for men and women; $250 prize for winners who break a course record! Record times (Ryan Jara: 15:08 – Christine Snowe-Reaser: 17:34). Race results will be published on www.active.com

Online registration closes Nov 20th!

Race day registration 7:00am to 8:00am Saturday morning at Gorham Recreation

Race fee with shirt for first 150 registered – $25; race fee with no shirt $15.00. Free registration for those over age 65 (no shirt). Race fee after Nov 21st – $25.00 for all registrations (no shirt guaranteed)

Kids Fun Run: Distance: .5k around Robie Park, start time: 8:15am. Cost: Free.

GORHAM, ME — Tonight, Thursday, November 9th at 6pm, join Baxter Memorial Library to hear Maine author David Florig speaking about his debut novel, The Stones of Ailsa Craig.

Set in present-day Belfast, Maine and 1880s Scotland, the novel is a dark look into one man’s loss, loneliness, and obsession with vengeance and justice.

The Stones of Ailsa Craig is centered around the ancient Scottish sport of curling and although curling provides the context, the novel is for fans of both historical fiction and mysteries.

GORHAM, ME — The Robie Park Master Plan Steering Committee is seeking input from residents on their preferred option for the Robie Park Master Plan design from three concept plan alternatives, as well as input on a brief survey. 

To view the three concept plan alternatives, please see the flyer attached below and vote using the QR code.

 Department of Athletics, USM Gorham

It’s payback time for Bill Wise. His support for University of Southern Maine Athletics as both a fan and administrator set a tone of success. When the opportunity arose to make him feel just as supported, former athletes and coaches made sure to be there.

They all gathered at the Costello Sports Complex in Gorham on October 14 to celebrate the naming of the William B. Wise Athletics Learning Center. The name was printed in fresh paint across the room’s back wall. Beneath it hung a photo of Wise and a plaque listing his many contributions to the University.

“It means a great deal to me,” Wise said from a seat at the center of the room. “I suppose you always wonder if you deserve the tributes and so forth. I like to think I did a little bit to help.”

Wise joined the University in 1966 as Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs. By the time he retired in 1991, he also served stints as Acting Dean of the College of Education, Acting Vice President for Financial Affairs, Executive Assistant to the President, and more. But it was through his role as Liaison to Athletics that Wise combined his passions for academics and sports.

“Knowing that you had people like Bill that had your back when you had to make some tough decisions was really crucial,” said Gary Fifield, former head coach of the women’s basketball team.

Fifield’s coaching record includes 21 Little East Conference Championships and three appearances in the NCAA Division III National Championship finals between 1987 and 2015. He spoke at the naming ceremony to thank Wise for helping to create the family atmosphere that allowed his program to thrive. Baseball Head Coach Ed Flaherty echoed Fifield’s praise.

Also in attendance was Maureen Burchill Cooper from the Class of 1985. Wise’s encouragement on the basketball court fed her confidence. She would go on to set a program record with 2,357 career points at a rate of 22.1 points per game on average.

“Bill made a difference in my life,” Burchill Cooper said. “He was always welcoming and played basketball during noontime (break) with us like a father figure back then.”

Wise’s familial ties to the University are more than metaphoric. His sons, Bill Jr. and Brad, both graduated from USM. The two of them were at his side for the ceremony to share personal memories and lend a hand when needed.

At 88 years old, Wise has lost much of his vision. Even up close, he has a hard time recognizing old friends until they introduce themselves. Wise eventually took a break from all of the congratulations to see the wall as best he could from a few inches away. Whatever he couldn’t make out, his sons described for him.

Beyond Wise’s dedicated corner, the majority of the room is taken up by cubicles where students can read or plug in their electronic devices, along with additional resources. The space is used primarily by first-year athletes to log the mandatory number of study hours in order to qualify for practice and competition.

The Athletic Department’s use of Wise’s name predates its connection to the learning center. The William B. Wise Scholar Athlete Awards Program launched in the 1987-88 academic year. The award goes to athletes who maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA through the fall and spring semesters.

About 20 students made the cut for Wise Award in its first year. The total rose to 256 in the most recent cohort. The award and the learning center both serve the same mission of academic achievement within athletics, further linked by the Wise name.

“It’s a nice legacy,” said Athletic Director Al Bean at the naming ceremony. “Students will come in here and see this. It’s nice to have tributes to people who have done a lot.”

The idea for the tribute to Wise started with Bean. His proposal won quick approval from President Jacqueline Edmondson. Two days before attending Wise’s ceremony, Edmondson was feted at her own ceremony where she was formally inaugurated as USM’s 14th president. Out of all those presidents, Wise worked directly with half of them.

The presenters had one more surprise for Wise. The photo of him that hung on the learning center’s wall was only a placeholder. A painting by Matt Donahue has been commissioned to replace it. Donahue played basketball at USM in the early 1970s, his athletic background making for a fitting match between artist and subject.

Bill Wise greets his many admirers. Photo by Department of Athletics, USM Gorham

 Department of Athletics, USM Gorham Campus

GORHAM, ME — Hockey masks aren’t the kind of gear you would usually expect athletes on the University of Southern Maine track and cross country teams to wear. They weren’t dressed that way for a meet. They were competing, however, to see who could get the most screams.

The undead descended upon Shaw Cherry Hill Farm in Gorham for the fourth annual Zombie Run on Friday, October 13. The event is organized and staffed by the track and cross country teams. Participants sign up to run along the farm’s walking paths while student-athlete jump out of the bushes to scare them.

The zombie theme was modified slightly this year to reflect the date. “Friday the 13th” is also the title of a horror movie franchise. The villain, Jason Voorhees, hides his disfigured face behind a hockey mask. A large number of students copied his look.

Wearing the mask and growling was easy for Albert Matrille, a junior majoring in Criminology. But as a sprinter, toning down his natural speed to mimic Jason’s lumbering gait may have been the tougher assignment.

“For the little kids, I’m not scaring them too much, just cheering them on, as well,” said Matrille.

Back in his own trick-or-treating days, Matrille preferred to dress up as superheroes or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Those characters remained popular costume choices with the kids who came to the Zombie Run. The crowd also included assorted princesses and monsters, among many others.

Help was available for kids who arrived feeling that their costume was still missing something. Volunteers from the USM Student Theatre Artist Group brought their make-up kits to paint faces at a booth next to the registration tent. Their designs ran the gamut of snakes, scars, and simple streaks of color.

The pre-race entertainment also included a constant stream of spooky music and a row of food trucks. The focus turned to running as the sun fell below the horizon. The first heat was reserved for the youngest kids. They ran a half-mile route where the scares were kept to a minimum. Every runner received a bag of treats at the finish line.

The gloves came off for the older kids and adults who ran the second heat. Screams echoed through the woods along their two-mile route. At 10 years old, Landon decided he was old enough to handle the full experience. He wasn’t worried about the flowing black robes of his costume interfering with his running. And he had a warning for any potential “attackers.”

“My plan was to scare the zombies so they don’t scare me,” Landon said.

Landon was in good shape for the race through his involvement with the Gorham Grinders youth running group. It’s overseen by the Town of Gorham Parks and Recreation Department, which also lent its support to the Zombie Run.

Even with outside help, student organizers had no shortage of tasks and responsibilities. Success depends on the same kind of teamwork and perseverance that they developed through sports. They had to squeeze their event planning into schedules that were already jam packed with classwork and athletics. In spite of that, more than 60 students stepped up to donate their time.

“It’s fun to see them out and engaging in the community and interacting and seeing how creative they can be in getting dressed up,” said Rob Whitten, head coach of the cross country and track and field teams for both men and women.

The community shared the students’ excitement. Forty-nine participants pre-registered for the two-mile race and same-day registration added another 63 runners to the total. While the half-mile race didn’t require registration, an informal scan at the starting line counted about 80 kids. Add to that a cheering section of parents and the crowd swelled to more than 200 people.

The registration fees came to more than $600. Any proceeds go into the budget for the track and cross country teams for equipment and team-building activities. This year, most of the revenue went to expenses like portable toilet rentals and costume prizes. The bigger benefit to for students may have been the goodwill they engendered in the community.

“It just shows that not everything is about the competitive side of it,” Matrille said. “It’s also about being together, having a great time, bringing everyone together.”

With the event falling on Friday the 13th, costumes inspired by the namesake movie franchise were especially popular. Photo by Department of Athletics, USM Gorham Campus

STANDISH, ME – On Saturday November 11 from 5:30-7:00pm, please come out to Standish Municipal Hall and join It Takes a Village for a Spaghetti dinner fundraiser to raise funds for our weekly outreach for Maines unhoused veterans.

We will have our popular text to go too! Text us your order (24 hrs in advance) and choose an allotted time below and we will bring your meal to the car !!!

Meal: Becky’s spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, drinks, patriotic themed deserts.

We will also have flag crafts for kids and raffles! Bring an item of need and get 3 free raffle tickets (for prizes). 50/50 is separate.

Items needed: backpacks, socks (men and women), sleeping bags, bug spray, tarps, hand warmers, new shoes and/or boots.

Prices: Adults $14, Children 3+ $8

To go options

5 pm

530 pm

6pm

630 pm

FMI: 207-322-7065

GORHAM, ME — GHS Theater Presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare on the following dates:

Friday, November 10th at 7:30

Saturday, November 11th at 2:00 and 7:30

Sunday, November 12th at 2:00

Tickets sold at the door. $5 for students, $10 for adults.

AUGUSTA, ME–The Maine Department of Education (DOE) opened applications for the 2023/2024 Student Cabinet, a group of students that meet regularly with the Maine DOE and each other to use their voices to strengthen education in Maine.

Facilitated by student representatives from the?Maine State Board of Education, the purpose of the Student Cabinet is to provide a forum for Maine students’ voices to be heard. This is the fourth year the Maine DOE has appointed students to a Student Cabinet with the goal of integrating student voices into decision-making on education issues that impact their journey through Maine’s education system.

“Involving student voices in policymaking is more important than ever,” said Ryan Hafener, Co-Chair and Facilitator of the Maine DOE Student Cabinet. Hafener is a student member of the Maine State Board of Education and a senior at Hampden Academy. “The Student Cabinet is a space where young people from across the state can have their voices heard on issues they care about.”

In past years, students have helped in identifying mental health needs at school, raised issues of racial equity, and helped brainstorm ways to individualize learning. Last year,?the Student Cabinet presented their mental health concerns and ideas to Maine’s Legislative Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs.

The Maine DOE encourages students with diverse experiences, interests, cultures, and backgrounds to apply to be represented on the Student Cabinet. 

There are 12-24 seats that are open for students in?grades 4 – 12 and the first year of college.?The newly appointed members will serve for a term of?two years?starting this November.?All 16 counties in Maine will be represented on the Student Cabinet.

Selected Cabinet members will be expected to attend scheduled meetings, prepare for each meeting as needed, work in a collaborative manner with?one another?and with Maine DOE  staff as needed, and express views and opinions openly, constructively, and respectfully.

Scheduled meetings:

There will be two in-person, all-day meetings scheduled in Augusta in December 2023 and Spring 2024, accompanied by monthly virtual meetings held on the fourth Thursday of the month from December 2023 through the spring of 2024 from 3:00 – 4:00 pm via Zoom. For in-person meetings, travel reimbursement will be provided and travel arrangements can also be made for students if needed.

Instructions for applying:

Students interested in serving on the Maine DOE Student Cabinet will need to submit the electronic application by November 15, 2023.?Applications can be submitted electronically at the DOE website.

For more information contact?Rachel Paling, Communications & Outreach Manager, Maine Department of Education at?rachel.paling@maine.gov.

GORHAM, ME — Congratulations to Jon Smith, founder and president of Great Falls Construction on being selected as the 2023 A Light on the Point Alumnus of the Year Award recipient.

Jon’s commitment to family and community is a truly inspirational story. After graduating from SMCC in 1988, he co-founded Great Falls Builders with his future wife, Cindy. Over the years, the company has grown to become a leading construction firm in Maine, managing commercial and residential projects and employing 65 team members. Jon has served the community on school, church and business boards.

Join us on November 2 at 5:30 to celebrate Jon and all the other award winners at our A Light on the Point event. Visit www.smccME.edu/lotp for ticket information.

All proceeds of LOTP go to SMCC Foundation’s Annual fund, which helps to remove barriers and provide wrap-around services for students to assist them in reaching their educational goals.