Legion collects for animal shelter

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Members of the American Legion of Tardiff-Belanger Post #39, Madison, are collecting for the Furry Friends at the Somerset Humane Society Animal Shelter, in Skowhegan, during this holiday season. Items can be dropped off at the hall, on 20 S. Maple Street, Madison after 3 p.m., on Wednesdays through Saturdays.

Here are a few items that are in need: cat litter, cat and dog toys, cat food containing no dye, dog food, cleaning supplies, used bedding such as comforters, blankets, sheets, etc., just to mention a few. For a complete list go the legion’s website at http://www.mainelegionpost39.org.

If you can’t drop off items, but you still would like to help, monetary donations are accepted. Mail to American Legion Post #39, PO Box 144, Madison, ME 04950, please earmark it Skowhegan Animal Shelter. The donations will be delivered to the Animal Shelter prior to Christmas. Thank you in advance for your help. FMI: call 431-5533.

Vassalboro JMG selling wreaths

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The Vassalboro Community School Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG) program will be doing their annual Christmas wreath sale, starting right now until the week after Thanksgiving. They will still be taking orders when they get back from Thanksgiving break.

These are locally-grown and assembled wreaths out of Skowhegan, and a company they have worked with for the past six years. They are fresh and very reasonable. The money goes to the JMG program which in turn the students decide on different nonprofits that could use help during the year.

Students research and vote on where they will spend the money

The prices are as follows: Classic- $25; Blue Royal- $28; and Plaid Bow- $28.

Story time at South China library

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photo courtesy of South China Library

Come join Courtney Roy for South China Public Library story time (online) for some reading fun, songs and finger plays on Wednesday, December 9, at 6 p.m., right on the library Facebook page. This is geared towards ages 0-5.

The library is located on Main St., in South China Village.

For more information please visit the library’s website at southchinalibrary.org, or email them at southchinalibrary@gmail.com.

Winslow church to hold drive-thru turkey pie sale

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It’s one of Winslow’s most beloved holiday traditions! On Saturday, December 5, from noon to 2 p.m., Winslow Congregational Church (12 Lithgow Street) will be offering over 400 incredibly yummy, ready-to-be-baked turkey pies for curbside/drive-through pick-up. Cost is just $10 per pie, with all proceeds going to empower the Christian/humanitarian work of the church, and for building improvements and repairs.

Freshly-prepared for baking and featuring a mouth-watering blend of turkey, peas, celery, carrots, onions, broth, and a pinch of sage, each turkey pie will be perfect for supper or for freezing for later winter comfort-food enjoyment.

Also available will be fun-filled Holiday Pasta Packages for $5 each. Among the numerous offerings will be reindeer-shaped pasta, snowflake-shaped, snowman-shaped, and toy-shaped pasta. And for dessert-lovers with a holiday-season sweet tooth, homemade fruit pies made by members of Benton Falls Congregational Church will also be available for $10 each.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the pandemic, health experts advise that you wear a mask when going through a drive-through.

For more information, please call Winslow Congregational Church at 872-2544.

Popular St. Michael School Christmas Fair goes virtual in 2020

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Through December 21, all are encouraged to check gifts off their Christmas shopping list by visiting the St. Michael School Christmas Fair, being presented virtually due to the pandemic, at https://sites.google.com/smsmaine.org/smschristmasfair.

“People can shop from the convenience of their own homes anytime through the week of Christmas and have items shipped directly to their homes,” said Kevin Cullen, principal at St. Michael.

The fair, hosted by the St. Michael School Parent Association, is a fundraiser for the school and features many local vendors and items of interest, including a variety of décor, soy-based candles, health and wellness products, photographs and artwork, lavender products, doll clothes and accessories, nature mandalas from Maine, kitchen tools, pottery, oils, custom made gifts, wooden ornaments, clothing, and much more.

The fair has become one of the most popular in the area at Christmas. Traditionally, it draws a gym full of vendors, pictures with Santa, wreath auctions, food, gift wrapping, raffle baskets, and more.

For more information about this year’s virtual fair, call the school at (207) 623-3491.

The written word in business to be presented at chamber breakfast

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Ted Helberg

Ted Helberg, retired business executive and former English instructor will deliver a presentation sharing the importance of good writing in business communications. This is a facilitated discussion on using effective and accurate word choice, grammar, and organization in business writing.
Ted will interject a little humor, discuss common errors, and offer methods to correct them.

This informative presentation will be the focus at Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce’s December Business Breakfast. December’s breakfast will be held on Thursday, December 3, from 7:15 to 9:00 a.m. at the Best Western Plus, 375 Main Street, Waterville.

Ted Helberg is a recently retired business executive. He worked in Human Resources for almost forty years in several industries. He also served as an adjunct instructor of English at several colleges.

During graduate school, Ted was a teaching assistant in English, tutor for law students, and helped create a national grammar hotline.

Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce holds monthly informative presentations on a variety of educational business topics. Cost of the Business Breakfast is $20 for members, $27 at the door and for non-members. Breakfast is included with the reservation.
To register, e-mail Cindy@midmainechamber.com or call 207-873-3315.

The major sponsors for the Business Breakfasts are: AT&T; Cross Employee Benefits; New Dimensions Federal Credit Union; Nicholson, Michaud & Company; O’Donnell, Lee, McCowan & Phillips, LLC; Sheridan Corporation. The print media sponsor is Morning Sentinel, a division of Masthead Maine; radio sponsor is MIX107.9; video sponsor is Kennebec Savings Bank.

Some items regarding CDC guidelines for attendance: out of concern for the safety of attendees, registrations at this indoor event will be limited to a maximum of 50 persons. Tables and seating will be spaced out, and a plated breakfast will be provided, as opposed to the buffet offered in the past. Masks are requested to be worn for registration, and until seated. Separate entrance and exits are offered to minimize passage of attendees, upon arrival and departure, and hand sanitizer will be provided.

About Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce: Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting and advocating for business prosperity and regional economic improvement.  Its region includes the towns of Albion, Belgrade, Benton, Branch Mills, Burnham, China, Clinton, Fairfield, Hinckley, Oakland, Rome, Shawmut, Sidney, South China, Thorndike, Unity, Vassalboro, Waterville, Weeks Mills and Winslow.  For more information on the Chamber, including how to become a member, call (207) 873-3315 or visit www.midmainechamber.com.

All Things Irish virtual show planned

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The Best of All Things Irish in Maine 2020, a live virtual show featuring a delightful mix of all things Irish in Maine, will be held on Sunday, November 22, from 4 – 6 p.m. on YouTube.

Enjoy some of the best Irish talent from across the state of Maine. Music, dance, theater and more. Go to maineirish.com/best to register for the event. Help celebrate Maine’s bicentennial by honoring the Irish culture and history of the state.

VBA sponsors Light Up the Season light contest in Vassalboro

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The Vassalboro Business Association is sponsoring a Light Up The Season in Vassalboro outdoor holiday display contest, for and in Vassalboro.

To enter simply call or text your name and the address of the display site to 631-3303 or email the information to lindatitus@hotmail.com, before December 15. It is free.

Prizes will be awarded in two categories, Best in Town, and Most Creative. The prizes will range from $50 – $150 and the winners will be announced on December 19.

The sites will be judged between December 16 and 18. It is asked to have your lights on from 5:30 – 9 p.m. Only addresses – no names – of the participants will be published online so the community may drive by to appreciate all your hard work.

Pie sale planned in conjunction with awards ceremony

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Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District is holding a pie sale and fundraising raffle in conjunction with their first virtual awards celebration on November 10. All are invited to pre-order a pie or purchase raffle tickets for great prizes, whether attending the awards celebration or not.

Raffle tickets are $1.50 each or $6 for five and must be purchased by Sunday, November 8. Local businesses and organizations have donated the following prizes:

ReVision Energy Gift Basket: Gift Basket includes $500 gift certificate toward a solar array from a local, employee-owned full-service solar company with in-house engineers, highly-qualified and experienced solar installers, and a dedicated support team with 24/7 emergency service. Retail value: $550

Hidden Valley Nature Center Overnight: Spring, summer, fall or winter – spend the night at one of HVNC’s wilderness yurts or lakeside cabins complete with woodstove, wood and outhouse. Bring sleeping bags, food and water to enjoy “getting away from it all” so close to home. Retail value: $60 – $80

Mystic Woodworks Cutting Boards: Beautiful and functional, these boards have been locally-made in Warren for 30 years. Mystic Woodworks has closed, so this is your last chance for one of these beauties. Each board is 7″ x 16″, not including the handle. Take your pick of maple/walnut or oak/walnut. Retail value: $62 each

Knox-Lincoln SWCD 2021 Plant Sale Gift Certificate: Choose from more than 200 varieties of fruit trees, berries, native trees & shrubs, and organically grown native perennials. Our 2021 sale will be pre-order only with scheduled curbside pick-up at Union Fairgrounds on May 8, 2021. Catalog and certificate will be mailed in January. Retail value: $50

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens Family Membership: Membership for two adults & children/grandchildren in the same household includes one year admission to CMBG and other botanical gardens, member discounts to events, programs and the Garden Shop, and lots more: Retail value: $100
Sasanoa Brewing Gift Basket: Sasanoa is a rustic, coastal brewery and one of the few certified organic breweries in the US. The beers & ales are made with certified OG fruit, herbs, nuts, NE sourced grains & hops, as well as wild foraged ingredients.

Nine varieties of freshly baked, homemade pie will be available from D-Zerts by Daphne, of Westport Island. Your choice of Apple, Apple-Cran-Raisin, Blueberry, Four-Berry, Peach-Blackberry, Peach-Blueberry, Peach-Raspberry, Pecan and Tollhouse. Pies are $17 each and must be pre-ordered by Tuesday, November 3, for pickup on Monday, November 9, in either Rockport or Edgecomb.

All prices for tickets and pies include tax and processing fees. For more information and to purchase raffle tickets and place pie orders, visit our website at www.knox-lincoln.org/pie-raffle-tickets, call 596-2040 or email julie@knox-lincoln.org.

Free Thanksgiving dinners offered

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The Alfond Youth and Community Center, North St., Waterville, will host a Drive Thru Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday, November 21, from 1 – 3 p.m. in the AYCC parking lot.

The dinner is open to everyone in the community. Simply drive up and tell one of the happy volunteers how many meals you want – then enjoy!

There will be 800 individually-packaged meals handed out.

Feast Fixings to Go will be held on Thursday and Friday, November 19-20. These will be available at the Alfond Youth and Community Center’s after school program youth in Waterville, at the Fairfield Community Center and RSU #18 Williams and Atkins.

Thanks to the generous support of Central Maine Motors, youth will be taking home the ingredients for their respective families to cook a full Thanksgiving dinner, including the frozen turkey!