Community
News
Maine
Med Doctor to Describe Local Response to "Dirty
Bomb" Scenario
TIME Magazine reported on November 22nd of Al-Qaeda's
interest in smuggling nuclear materials to the US
from Mexico. There has been much discussion in the
media about attacks using so-called "dirty bombs".
What is this all about? How will our local emergency
medical professionals respond?
A free seminar on this particular aspect of terrorism
is being offered by the Gray Region Citizen Corps
on Friday, January 14th. This provocative and timely
lecture and discussion will be held in Stimson Hall
in Gray Village beginning at 6:30 PM. The speaker
will be Maine Medical Center emergency physician Dr.
John R. Saucier. The general public is welcome and
local emergency medical personnel are especially invited
to this lecture for which they will receive continuing
education credit. This lecture follows up on a December
seminar describing the impact of such a hypothetical
attack in the northeast.
The non-profit Gray Region Citizen Corps (GRCC) volunteers
provide monthly safety and emergency preparedness
seminars on the second Friday of the month to residents
from Yarmouth to Casco. Past monthly seminar topics
have included chainsaw safety, home fire extinguisher
practice, pet first aid, and cooking without electricity.
Future seminars are scheduled on how citizens can
help in a disaster shelter and on family preparedness.
More information about the federal Citizen Corps program
may be found at www.citizencorps.gov. Their motto
is "Uniting Communities -- Preparing the Nation".
The local group publishes a monthly electronic newsletter.
Messages for the GRCC may be left with Gray Public
Safety at 657-3931.
Raymond Village Library News
Schedule
The library will be closed Monday, January 17 in celebration
of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We would like to remind
all patrons that if school is delayed or cancelled,
there is no storytime, however the library may be
open. Be sure to call ahead, especially during the
winter months.
Book
Group
January is Reader's Choice month - so we look forward
to hearing about favorite books, read during the past
year. Everyone is invited to come and share and hear
about the new books others have enjoyed. There will
also be a discussion concerning the books chosen for
the next 5 or 6 months. Be sure to attend and have
some input into this decision. January's meeting is
Wednesday, January 26, at 7 p.m. at the library.
Addition
to the Library Collection
We thank the Hawthorne Association which has donated
the Nathaniel Hawthorne audio collection to the library.
These five unabridged compact discs feature "Twenty
Days with Julian and Little Bunny", plus other
selected stories.
Donations
Now that the holidays are behind us, and we need to
make room for the new books and other media received
as gifts, please remember that your library can use
your gently used books, audio books, videos and DVD's.
You don't have to wait until Spring - whenever you
have some used media to give away - please remember
your library.
Library hours are Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, 10
a.m. to 7 p.m.
Thank
you
The Annual Bake Sale was a wonderful success. Many
thanks to those who participated, either by donating
the fabulous food which was so festively packaged
and displayed, or by all the wonderful people who
purchased and enjoyed the yummy food. We especially
wish to thank those dedicated persons who helped by
spending part of the Sunday work at the Bake Sale.
New
Lungs for George
Post Holiday Update
New
Gloucester-The New Lungs for George organization is
pleased to announce that they have raised $9,500 toward
the fundraising goal is $300,000 to help offset costs
for the Carman family. George Carman is a firefighter
in New Gloucester, who suffers from cystic fibrosis,
a defective gene that causes the body to produce abnormally
thick mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening
lung infections. George is in need of a double lung
transplant to defeat this disease.
George has been an active volunteer firefighter in
New Gloucester for the past ten years and served the
town of Yarmouth before that. This year will be filled
with a variety events and raffles to help reach the
$300,000 goal, many of which will come from the efforts
of other
organizations.
Mark
your calendar for the following dates-
January 11th Fundraising committee meeting to be held
at the New Gloucester Fire Station behind the Town
Hall at 7pm. Anyone with ideas or willing to lend
a hand to the committee, stop by or call 926-4142
for more information.
January 15th Skating at the New Gloucester Fairgrounds
sponsored by the New Gloucester Fire Rescue. From
3pm to 8pm (under the lights)! Cost: Donation. Enjoy
a BBQ with Party Time USA and Wing's Variety. Also
sit by the bonfire, go on a hayride and enjoy other
fun family activities- weather permitting. Proceeds
will go to New Lungs for George and also to benefit
New Gloucester firefighter Jeff Hamilton Jr., who
was diagnosed with a brain tumor in late summer.
January 25th Help support the American Red Cross blood
drive at Spring Meadows in Gray. New Lungs for George
and Jeff Hamilton Jr. supporters will be on hand to
assist the Red Cross and sell raffles & bracelets.
Please help support the Red Cross & give blood.
Hours of the blood drive are 2pm to 7pm. Volunteers
are needed for this event. For More Info call 926-4142.
On Going! Party Time USA of New Gloucester has helped
organize a 50 Person Lobster Bake Raffle. Tickets
will be available at all fundraising events and local
businesses soon. Ticket Cost: 1 for $5 or 3 for $10.
Spread the good word to support New Lungs for George!
Thanks for your support.
Gilsland
Farm Public Programs
Unless noted otherwise, all programs are held at Gilsland
Farm Audubon Center, 20 Gilsland Farm Road, Falmouth.
For reservations and details call (207) 781-2330,
ext. 215.
Nature
Book Discussion Group
"The Path: A One-mile Walk Through the Universe"
by Chet Raymo For almost forty years, Chet Raymo has
walked a one-mile path from his house in North Easton,
Massachusetts to Stonehill College where he teaches
physics and astronomy. Monday, January 10 from 7 p.m.
Free.
Yoga: Restoring and Maintaining Balance
Relax and enjoy the serenity of Gilsland Farm with
gentle Kripalu yoga. Suitable for all levels of continuing
students, this class balances a mix of yoga postures,
breathing and meditation with a focus on reducing
stress, increasing focus and connecting with the peaceful
surroundings.
Beginner students are welcome but should check with
the instructor first at deb.cook@verizon.net. Mondays,
January 10, 17, 24 and 31; February7, 14 and 28; and
March 7
5:30-6:45 p.m. $64/member, $80/nonmember, $12/individual
class. Reservations necessary
Family Program: Good Night Nature
Bring your children ages 3-6 to Gilsland Farm for
the evening to listen to the bedtime story "Full
Moon." Snacks and activities will accompany the
program. Don't forget to wear your PJs! Adults must
accompany children. Thursday, January 13 from 6:30-7:30
pm. $8/member child, $10/nonmember child. Reservations
necessary
Family Program: Wildlife Tracking
Learning how to identify and read animal tracks can
give you insight into and a better understanding of
the lives of wild animals. In this program you will
learn how to identify tracks and signs of animals
you are likely to see in your yard. Each child will
make a plaster-of-Paris track of a deer, moose, raccoon
or other animal, and then we'll finish up with a nature
walk, using what we've learned to find and identify
tracks and other signs of wildlife on the sanctuary.
Bring your observation skills and detective's hat
as we try to figure out what the critters have been
up to on the sanctuary! Saturday, January 15 from
10-11:30 a.m. Members: $6/adult, $3/child, Nonmembers:
$8/adult, $4/child, Reservations necessary.
Workshop: Photographing Nature in Winter
Winter in Maine presents particular challenges for
the intrepid photographer, but nothing that can't
be overcome. In an evening with the photographer and
author of "Maine, the Home Place," Murad
Sayen, you will receive guidance on and ideas about
successfully photographing the winter landscape. Thursday,
January 20 from 6:30-9 p.m. $16/member, $20/nonmember.
Reservations necessary.
Family
Program: Really Cool Reptiles
Are snakes slimy? Can turtles leave their shells?
Are there poisonous snakes in Maine? Join the Center
for Wildlife and Maine Audubon for this program dedicated
to reptiles. We'll talk about the reptiles of Maine
and their life history, answering all your questions
about these cold-blooded critters. Several live snakes
and turtles will be on hand to display their unique
adaptations, so you'll get to see the difference between
scales and scutes. Saturday, January 22 from 1-2 p.m.
Members: $6/adult, $3/child, Nonmembers: $8/adult,
$4/child. Reservations necessary
Workshop: Basket-making Basics
Create a Shaker "cats-head" basket, a traditional
square-to-round basket with a woven square or oblong
base and sides that are woven up to a round or oval
top. This workshop will introduce students to shaping
"upset"-style baskets. Some prior basket-making
experience is useful.
Saturday, January 29 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $25/member,
$30/nonmember, Reservations necessary
Limited to 8 participants.
Naturalists' Forum: Global Warming
Mark Hays, outreach coordinator for the Natural Resources
Council of Maine, will give a presentation on global
warming and related trends in Maine. Monday, January
31, 7 p.m.
Free
MAINE AUDUBON TRIPS
Reservations necessary, unless noted. Please call
(207) 781-2330,
ext. 215, for itineraries, prices and other details.
Christmas Bird Counts
More than 50,000 observers participate each year in
the Audubon
Christmas Bird Count, a census of early winter bird
populations
conducted in more than 1,500 locations across the
Americas. For more
than a century the results of these counts have been
compiled to
create the longest running database in ornithology.
Birders of all abilities
are welcome to participate. Please contact the local
coordinator for
details. A complete list of CBC dates and compilers
will be available
at www.maineaudubon.org as dates are confirmed.
Freeport/Brunswick: Saturday, January 1
Contact Don Hudson at dhudson@chewonki.org
Biddeford/Kennebunkport: Sunday, January 2
Contact Marie Jordan at (207) 799-1408
Nature and Bird Walk
We'll walk the beautiful River Trail that follows
the north side of
the Presumpscot River from Westbrook to Riverton Trolley
Park in Portland
to enjoy and appreciate nature in the heart of winter.
Meet at Riverton
Trolley Park off Route 302 in Westbrook.
Westbrook
Saturday, January 8
10 a.m.-noon
Led by a Maine Audubon volunteer
Free
Wings of Winter: Greater Portland
This popular annual morning-long outing covers many
of Greater Portland's birding hot spots. Starting
at Back Cove, we'll follow the waterfront trail past
the treatment plant and the fish pier looking for
snowy owl, Iceland and glaucous gulls and waterfowl.
We'll then move on to Willard Beach, Portland Head
Light, Two Lights State Park and Kettle Cove. We are
likely to see at least eight species of duck, with
the possibility for Barrow's goldeneye, harlequin
duck and king eider adding to that total. Loons, grebes,
great cormorant and an assortment of seabirds will
surely fill out our list. Price includes travel in
the Maine Audubon van.
>From Portland
Saturday, January 22 (weather date January 23)
9 a.m.-noon
Led by Turk Duddy, Linda Woodard
$15/member, $20/nonmember
Limited to 10 participants
Winter Ecology in the Western Mountains
This popular winter getaway provides a wonderful opportunity
to get out
and experience the Maine woods in the Upper Carrabassett
Valley. By snowshoe and cross-country ski, we will
explore the spruce-fir forest, looking for signs of
wildlife. We'll travel through deer wintering areas;
scout for fox, fisher, coyote, moose and pine marten
tracks; look for boreal chickadee and spruce grouse;
and call for owls. Our lodgings are at the cozy Claybrook
Mountain Lodge, known for its scrumptious meals and
splendid location. Near Flagstaff Lake and Bigelow
Mountain, the lodge is just two hours northwest of
Lewiston. Price includes lodging, five full meals
and light supper upon arrival Friday.
Highland Plantation
Friday, January 28 at 7 p.m. to Sunday, January 30
at 1 p.m.
Led by Ron Joseph, Greg Drummond, Debbie Eddison
$235/member, $250/nonmember (no single accommodations)
Limited to 12 participants
