Vassalboro: Light up the Season 2020
Here is a map of local sites participating in Vassalboro’s Light up the Season 2020 event.
Solstice project reaches out to Waterville students & families
Kacie Gerow, left, with daughter Roslyn Gerow. (contributed photo by Tony Gerow)
The Winter Solstice Luminary Project will expand and amplify the Art Kits for All program across Waterville – literally lighting up the city by providing luminary kits to approximately 1,600 students enrolled in the Waterville public schools. Waterville Creates, in collaboration with community partners, including the Colby College Museum of Art, Kennebec Montessori School, Waterville School District, Family Violence Project, Waterville Parent Teacher Association, Northern Stars Planetarium, and the Children’s Discovery Museum will distribute kits to area schools on Thursday, December 17. The free kits will include materials for two luminaries per kit along with battery operated candles. Students and their families are encouraged to place the crafted luminaries at their homes and businesses throughout the city on December 21 between 4 and 6:30 p.m. to collectively celebrate the winter solstice.
“This project is designed to create a shared joyful experience while we practice social distancing and continue to navigate the challenges of the pandemic. It’s also a creative and collaborative way to illuminate our city during the solstice,” says Serena Sanborn, Education + Outreach Coordinator for Waterville Creates.
Naomi Shirley makes a luminary. (contributed photo by Shannon Haines)
The Winter Solstice Luminary Project is part of the very successful Art Kits for All program which was launched in May 2020 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This program is an innovative, collaborative program designed to keep families engaged and connected to the arts. By providing free art supplies and instructions, this program offers high-quality, accessible art experiences in a completely reimagined way. To date, over 1,600 art kits have been distributed to hundreds of area families since mid-April. This is the largest single distribution the Art Kit team has undertaken.
The Winter Solstice is the shortest day and longest night of the year and occurs each December in the Northern Hemisphere. The solstice event occurs as a direct result of the Earth’s tilt and relative position to the sun. In many cultures throughout the world, people have holidays and festivities that involve lights to celebrate the Solstice. Creating luminaries around the solstice is a tradition that dates back thousands of years.
Join Waterville Creates and its partners as they bring light to the longest night of the year! For more instructions on creating your luminary, please visit the Waterville Creates YouTube channel on or after December 4.
Critical support for this program has been provided by Kennebec Savings Bank, MaineGeneral Health, Colby Center for the Arts + Humanities, United Way of Mid-Maine with additional support from Bangor Savings Bank and dozens of individual donors.
$2 a bag book sale in Vassalboro
photo: vassalboro.net
The Vassalboro Public Library will hold a $2 Holiday Book Sale for the entire month of December.
There will be a great selection of books, media, and puzzles: fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books.
Social distancing, hand sanitizer, and facial coverings are required. Space is limited to one family or individual at a time in the book sale room. the library is located at 930 Bog Road, East Vassalboro, 04989.
Fill a bag for $2!
Bookgiving drive held at China library
Albert Church Brown Memorial Library in China Village.
The Albert Church Brown Library, in China Village, is asking residents to participate in Bookgiving! They are collecting new books to be given at Christmas to needy families in town, through the China Food Pantry in cooperation with Toys for Tots. Or, you can make a monetary book-sized donation ($5 – $15) and the library staff will select the books.
Books may be dropped off at the library until December 5. You may bring them inside or place them in the book drop (inside a plastic grocery bag with a note specifying Booksgiving).
Legion collects for animal shelter
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
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
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
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
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
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.