Red Cross needs more blood donors to avoid shortage

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In recent weeks, a decline in donations has caused the American Red Cross blood supply to shrink nearly 20 percent. This drop in donations could lead to a seasonal blood shortage, which can negatively impact patient care at hospitals across the country.

The Red Cross needs donors to make an appointment now to give in August. As a thank-you for helping, all who come to give Aug. 1-31 will be entered to win gas for a year and will also receive a $10 e-gift card to a merchant of choice. Details are available at rcblood.org/fuel.

Just as most cars need to be refueled constantly, so does the nation’s blood supply. The American Red Cross has faced a concerning drop in blood and platelet donations this summer. Donors are needed to make an appointment to give in August to help prevent a blood shortage.

The decline in donations has caused the Red Cross blood supply to shrink nearly 20 percent in recent weeks. The availability of blood products will continue to decline if donations do not increase. People should not wait until they hear there is a blood shortage to give. Type O negative blood donors and platelet donors are especially needed now.

“This is a concerning trend that may soon make it tougher to keep blood products stocked on hospital shelves,” said Paul Sullivan, Red Cross senior vice president of donor services. “By choosing a time to give now, donors can help pump up the blood supply for those in immediate need of lifesaving care and those who rely on transfusions for treatment.”

Donors can schedule an appointment to donate using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

As blood and platelet donations drop, gas prices have reached all-time highs in the U.S. As a thank-you, all who come to give Aug. 1-31 will be automatically entered for a chance to win gas for a year, a $6,000 value. There will be three lucky winners. Everyone who comes to give blood or platelets in August will also receive a $10 e-gift card to a merchant of choice.*

The Red Cross follows a high standard of safety and infection control. The Red Cross will continue to socially distance wherever possible at blood drives, donation centers and facilities. While donors are no longer required to wear a face mask, individuals may choose to continue to wear a mask for any reason. The Red Cross will also adhere to more stringent face mask requirements per state and/or local guidance, or at the request of blood drive sponsors. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at a drive.

How to donate blood

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

EVENTS: Delightful “All Things Blueberry” festival promises loads of family fun

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WINSLOW, ME — One of Maine’s all-time most popular, beloved, and downright yummy summer events—Winslow’s annual Blueberry Festival—is coming this year on Saturday, August 13, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., to Winslow Congregational Church, 12 Lithgow Street, Winslow. Admission to the festival grounds is free.

Nearly 750 mouth-watering blueberry pies and “all things blueberry” baked goods will be available for sale. Blueberry pies ($12 each) may be picked up at the church anytime from 3 to 7 p.m., the previous evening (Friday, August 12) or the day of the festival (Saturday the 13) from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Kicking off the 51st Annual Blueberry Festival on Saturday will be a delicious Blueberry Pancake Breakfast, from 7 to 10 a.m. Cost of the breakfast will be $7 per person and $5 for children age 12 and under, payable at the door.

Other Great “Festival Festivities”

In addition to the “all things blueberry” pies and other culinary delights, festival patrons will enjoy a Lobster Shore-Dinner Raffle; live classical, pop, folk, and blues music; local crafts vendors; a yard sale; a popcorn vendor; a silent auction; basket raffles; an agricultural exhibit featuring goats; and a firetruck and police car.

Night-Before (Friday Evening) Chicken Bar-B-Q Supper To-Go

The night before the Blueberry Festival, there will be a Friday-evening (August 12) Chicken Bar-B-Q Supper To-Go (with “all the fixins’”) at Winslow Congregational Church. The Chicken Bar-B-Q Supper will run from 3 to 7 p.m. Blueberry pies, blueberry baked goods, and a yard sale also will be available during the Friday-evening supper, plus you’ll enjoy live music. Cost of the Chicken Bar-B-Q supper is $12 per person, payable at the event. The supper will be served by Winslow Community Cupboard food pantry volunteers and all proceeds will benefit the food pantry.

More about the 51st Annual Blueberry Festival

A beloved community favorite since 1972, the Blueberry Festival raises funds to empower the local humanitarian/Christian-service work of Winslow Congregational Church. Celebrating its 193rd birthday this year, the historic church is housed in a building dating from 1796, which has been home to a worshipping congregation since 1828.

Everyone seeking a wonderful opportunity to gather and enjoy a treasure trove of “all things blueberry” is cordially invited to attend this year’s Blueberry Festival. Mark your calendar now!

For more information about the 51st annual Blueberry Festival, please visit: https://winslowucc.org/blueberry-festival/.

Waterville Opera House announces 2023 season

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The Waterville Opera House (WOH) is delighted to announce its 2023 theatrical season. Two amazing musicals and two entertaining plays will reignite the stage of the historic 120-year-old theatre in downtown Waterville.

“We’re excited to bring this amazing selection of theatrical productions to life for our community,” says Michelle Sweet, executive director of the Waterville Opera House. “Our season dates have changed, but our quality and passion haven’t.”

Opening the 2023 season is “The Play That Goes Wrong” (March 31-April 9). Part Monty Python, part Sherlock Holmes, this Olivier Award–winning comedy is a laugh riot, featuring accident-prone thespians who battle against all odds to finish their play as it progresses from bad to utterly disastrous with hilarious consequences.

The show of the summer is “Rock of Ages” (June 16-25). Featuring smash-hit songs from the 1980s, this musical sensation follows several dreamers and aspiring stars as they attempt to save their beloved Sunset Strip venue from encroaching strip mall development.

Mystery abounds in “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express” (September 1-10). This whodunnit story follows famed detective Hercule Poirot as he tries to determine who murdered an American tycoon aboard a packed train before the killer strikes again.

Kicking off the holiday season is “Elf the Musical” (November 17-26). Based on the beloved holiday film from New Line Cinema, this hilarious fish-out-of-water comedy follows Buddy, a young orphan, who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and grows up in the North Pole before eventually embarking on a journey to discover his true identity.

“From laugh-a-minute comedy to suspense-filled mystery to full-on musical spectacle, there truly is something for everyone to enjoy!” says Sweet. “I hope to tempt our theatre patrons back to the Waterville Opera House in record numbers by offering a 2023 Season Pass to catch all four of these crowd-pleasing offerings at a discount.”

Tickets for all four shows will go on sale to Waterville Creates members on September 5 and to the general public on September 12. Season Passes, giving a 20 percent discount when purchasing tickets for all four shows, will also be available.

For more information, visit operahouse.org or call 207-873-7000.

Maine Farmland Trust awards grants to local farms

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Ironwood Farm, in Albion, owners Nell Finnigan, left, and Justin Morace. (internet photo)

Maine Farmland Trust (MFT) announced the award of six matching grants totaling $300,000 to Ironwood Farm, in Albion, and five other farms across the state upon their completion of MFT’s Farming for Wholesale program, a two-year program that offers up to 100 hours of individualized business planning and technical assistance to farmers who are seeking to grow their operations. The six farms will implement business plans focused on scaling up for wholesale by investing in equipment and infrastructure to streamline their production, improve their ability to sell to wholesale markets, and make their businesses more profitable.

The 2022 grantees are Apple Creek Farm in Bowdoinham; Bahner Farm in Belmont; Bumbleroot Organic Farm in Windham; Farmer Kev’s Organics in West Gardiner; Ironwood Farm in Albion; and Pumpkin Vine Family Farm in Somerville.

Each farm was awarded $50,000, and will match the grants with $50,000 of their own investments, introducing a total of $100,000 of new funding to grow their businesses. All six farms participated in MFT’s Farming for Wholesale program and worked with business advisors to research and define robust business plans that focused on scaling up for wholesale markets. These grants are competitive and applications undergo an extensive review process by a committee of MFT staff and industry consultants.

In their business plan, Nell Finnigan and Justin Morace of Ironwood Farm, an organic diversified vegetable farm in Albion, planned to scale up their best crops to help them grow sales to a level where they can support full-time, year round employees who are paid equitably, as well support a living wage for the farm owners. Finnigan and Morace plan to do this by using grant funds to construct new vegetable-handling facilities and cold storage.

Pumpkin Vine Family Farm, in Somerville. Anil Roopchand, center, with children Kieran, left, and Sarita. (The Town Line file photo)

Another award recipient was Anil Roopchand and Kelly Payson-Roopchand’s Pumpkin Vine Family Farm, a goat dairy and farmstead creamery, in Somerville. Their business plan identified a need to increase the size of their goat herd, as well as the capacity of their on-farm infrastructure, so their farm can sell products to diverse markets, including expanding their ability to provide wholesale goat milk to other local creameries. As a result, Roopchand and Payson-Roopchand plan to use grant funds to buy new equipment, as well as investing in an expansion of their barn and a manure pit.

Learn more about MFT’s Farming for Wholesale program here: https://www.mainefarmlandtrust.org/farm-viability/workshops/.

Winslow Garden Club holds annual meeting

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Winslow Garden Club’s July meeting at Fort Halifax Park, in Winslow, had a special guest, Town Manager Erica Lacroix, left. (Photo by Howard Mette)

The July meeting also had in attendance an active Winslow Garden Club member from the other side of the river, in Waterville, Scott McAdoo, the board president of the Kennebec Messalonskee Trails. The meeting had two new volunteers who recently moved to China from Florida, Mary and Don Kealey, who met garden club’s 80-year-old volunteer Dick Williams and club co-chairmen Sue and Rick Dutil, in Hawaii, in 2014. This photo includes Dan Spafford, the first Winslow resident to join the club, and Mira Mette, whose husband, Howard, is taking the photo. Winslow High School biology teacher Joan Pierce was in attendance, but not in photo.

Winslow Garden Club Co-Chairman Sue Dutil. (Photo by Rick Dutil)

Winslow Garden Club Co-Chairman Sue Dutil is celebrating Christmas in July. This is a photo of Winslow’s 2021 Christmas kissing balls. The Winslow Garden Club is accepting donations for the 2022 Christmas winter kissing balls. If you’re interested in donating a kissing ball to the town of Winslow please email Sue at susandutil@yahoo.com or call Sunset Flowerland and Greenhouse (207) 453-2357 to apply a credit toward a kissing ball as your Christmas gift to the town of Winslow.

Wynn Pooler earns All-American honors

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Wynn Pooler

Wynn Pooler, recently completed his freshman year at Erskine Academy, in South China. He has been named an Academic All-American by the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) for his accomplishments this past year. He was the only freshman and the only wrestler from Maine to earn Academic All-American honors. He is also one of only 15 freshmen nationally, across all sports, to earn either first or second team honors.

He maintained a 4.0 GPA while competing in three sports and was the first freshman in Erskine Academy history to win a state title in wrestling. He went on to wrestle at the Interscholastic New England Championships, where he made it to the quarterfinals. He then competed at the NHSCA High School National Championships, where he finished with a 2-2 record. Finally, he wrestled as a free-agent for a Pennsylvania-based club at the NHSCA National Duals, where he finished with a 4-2 record.

Over 200 captivated by Mr. Drew’s animals

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Mr. Drew and His Animals, Too, drew the largest crowd ever to the Albert Church Brown Memorial Library. Over 200 children, parents and grandparents were in attendance. (photo courtesy of Carla Gade)

by Carla Gade

Mr. Drew and His Animals Too visited the Albert Church Brown Memorial Library, in China Village, earlier this month, captivating an audience of over 200 children and their parents, grandparents, and others of all ages, being the largest turn out ever for the library.

Mr. Drew tours around the state with his educational show of rehabilitated reptiles from his educational outreach and rescue center in Lewiston. This event was a kick-off for the library’s Summer Reading Program, Tales & Tales, which runs until August 27, and can be joined at any time throughout the summer.

Mr. Drew shows off his python. (photo courtesy of Carla Gade)

Beneath a large tent and overflowing onto the lawn, gathered dozens of eager children and many adults, all eagerly awaiting Mr. Drew to reveal his first creature. They gasped when Mr. Drew held up a giant Tarantula. As Mr. Drew showed the intimidating spider, he shared how delicate they are and that they, too, are easily scared. Mr. Drew entertained with giant cockroaches climbing over his face, and showed off a small lizard, a turtle and large tortoise. With the split tongue of his black and white Tegu lizard slipping in and out of its mouth, Mr. Drew told how the lizard uses its tongue for breathing.

He delighted with interesting facts and stories about how his animals came to his facility. One by one, Mr. Drew retrieved more creatures from a large woven basket. You guessed it. Snakes! An albino snake and what appeared to be a snake but was really a long legless lizard fascinated the crowd. At last, all were awed when Mr. Drew pulled up a huge Python, which proceeded to slither over and around his shoulders. After the presentation the children were able to look at the reptiles up close and pet some of them. The tortoise and iguana were of particular interest as well as the Python, whom my own grandson was able to hold.

Coming up next, children’s author, Tamra Wight, will visit the library during Storytime on Saturday, August 13, at 11 a.m.. Wight is the author of the suspenseful eco-mystery series Cooper & Pack Rat (Ilandport Press), inspired by her time owning and operating Poland Spring Campground for near three decades. The guest author will share about her books and experiences and show her wildlife photography. She will also have books on hand to sell and autograph. For children of all ages.

On Sunday, September 18, at 2 p.m., the Albert Church Brown Memorial Library will host another Maine author in an event for all ages. Stephen Constanza, of Belfast, is an author, illustrator, and musician who will feature his book King of Ragtime: The Story of Scott Joplin. Constanza has appeared at the Camden Opera House and other large venues, so the library is delighted to have him visit China Village. He will also offer his books for sale and to be autographed.

Please RSVP for events on Facebook @chinalibrary, email, or in person, although all are welcome to come even as walk-ins.

The Albert Church Brown Memorial Library is located at 37 Main Street, in China Village, and is open on Tuesday and Thursday, from 2 – 6 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. More information is available at chinalibrary.org.

Tina’s Daylilies to donate 20 percent of sales on July 23 to MS research

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Once again Tina White, owner of Tina’s Daylilies, will be hosting an annual garden party fundraiser. This is the eighth year that Tina’s Daylilies has held this event. They will have door prizes, refreshments and Tina says “we will have lots of blooms!” Each year 20 percent of the proceeds that day is donated to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for MS research, along with donations others give that day or on line. “Research for a cure is what we really need”, White says.

Multiple Sclerosis is an incurable, progressive disease that attacks the central nervous system. It is now estimated that one million people in the United States have been diagnosed with MS. This disease most often appears in people between ages 20 to 50, with two to three times more women than men receiving the diagnosis.

“This has become my way of helping find a cure for MS so that we can stop MS completely. It’s a lot of fun to talk with people about daylilies or MS and hear what the connection is for people who come,” she says.

The event will be Saturday July 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Tina’s Daylilies, located at 310 East Pond Road, in Jefferson. If you are unable to come to the event but would like to donate to the fundraiser you may go to the event page at www.tinasdaylilies.com and click on the “Donate to NMSS” button. Tina’s Daylilies is open June, July and August each year and always has a donation can there or the online page accepts donation until the end of the calendar year.

Planning well underway for China Community Days festivities

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by Eric W. Austin

Local residents of China are hard at work organizing the activities and festivities for the China Community Days celebration planned for the weekend of August 5-7.

The events kick off on Friday evening with a free barbecue dinner, lawn games and a movie hosted at Central Church, on Route 3, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Those looking to work off the pounds instead of putting them on can participate in (or watch) a softball game on Friday evening, organized by Martha Wentworth and the China Rec Committee, starting at 8 p.m., at the China Ballfields, between the Middle and Primary schools. Potential players should call the Town Office (445-2014, extension 3) to reserve their spot on the team.

Saturday will feature a host of events and sights to see starting at 10 a.m. at the China Ballfields, including booths from local organizations and vendors, fun kids’ activities and games for all ages. (Vendors looking to participate should contact Neil Farrington at peachclassof68@gmail.com, 462-4321, or Ashli Hussey at 692-3210.)

Proceeds raised from the Dunk Tank on Saturday (three balls for $1) will go to help Steve Arsenault and his family, who has recently received a heart transplant.

Mr. Drew and His Animals Too! will be on hand with a menagerie of exotic pets to wow the kids and adults alike.

The Cornhole Tournament, under the supervision of Tom Michaud, kicks off at 1 p.m. Participants can sign up ahead of time at the Town Office or on the day of the event. For more information contact Tom Michaud at 242-0318 or Alyssa Michaud at 692-8813.

Bob Hall is putting together a “Cruize-In Car Show” for Saturday at the China Primary School. There’s no entry fee and anyone entering their vehicle will receive 11 tickets for a chance at some fantastic prizes.

All weekend there will be town-wide yard sales. Anyone wanting to get in on the action by having their sale included on the “Yard Sale Trail” map being put together by the Town Office should contact them at 445-2014 or email info@chinamaine.org with their location and time information. A map of the yard sale locations will be published on the Facebook pages for China Community Days and the Town of China and available at the Town Office.

Saturday afternoon, the festivities continue with a Cardboard Boat Regatta hosted by the China Lake Association. Contestants should gather at the China Baptist Church Park on Causeway Road at the north end of the lake. Races begin at 4:45 p.m. and registration opens at 4 p.m. For more information and to find a copy of the registration form, go to the Town of China website, china.govoffice.com, or the China Community Days Facebook page. For any questions, contact Elaine Philbrook at 968-1037 or Bill Powell at 441-3514.

There’s also a Boat Parade for decorated boats (those not built of cardboard) starting at 5 p.m. in front of the China Lake Conference Center. The parade will travel down the lake to the Causeway at 5:30 p.m. for judging, with prizes going to the best decorated boats. Register your boat by sending an email to boatparade22@gmail.com.

Get your boogie on Saturday evening at the Street Dance in the China Baptist parking lot from 6 – 9:30 p.m., featuring the live band, The Veggies!. Food will be available for sale from the China Baptist hamburger booth. The China 4 Seasons Club will also be selling glow sticks for all the neon-lovers out there.

The celebrations on Saturday will end with a bang — literally! — with a fireworks show, beginning at 9 p.m. ,from Judi Gilman’s property at the north end of the lake.

On Sunday, a Youth Fishing Derby is being held from 9 – 11 a.m. for ages 15 and under on the Causeway. For more information or to register your child, contact Kelly Grotten at 445-2014, extension 6, or 462-0301.

The final event of the weekend is also one of the most popular: the China Community Days Scavenger Hunt. After registering (promptly!) at noon in the China Baptist Church parking lot, teams will have two hours to find 100 items.

All of the events, except for fireworks, will be held rain or shine. The rain date for fireworks is Sunday.

The China Community Days Committee is still looking for volunteers to help with the planned activities, so please contact the Town Office if you are available.

PHOTO: Sidney Bracelet sale

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Hunter Moser, 12, left, of Sidney, and Ava Couture-Lynch, 11, from Boston, Massachusetts, right, selling lemonade and bracelets that they made on July 1. Hunter was spending time with her grandparents, in Winslow. Hunter and Ava’s #1 customer of the day was Winslow Police Officer Marc Rousseau, center. (photo by Mark Huard)