The Center is seeking nominations for its 10th annual Model of Positive Living Award. The award is given to a community member who is 50 or older who makes a difference in the lives of others through kind gestures, volunteerism, and a can-do attitude.

In a May 21 press release, the Center wrote, “we are looking for individuals who live their lives with vitality and compassion for others. If you know someone who has demonstrated these inspiring traits, help us recognize their impact and influence.”

To nominate someone, contact the Center, 207-967-8514, or visit seniorcenterkennebunk.org to download the nomination form.

The deadline to nominate is Aug. 1, 2024. The award will be announced by the Center in September.

Volunteers receive

‘Appreciation Pin’

Five volunteers from York County, Kelley-Ann Morgan and Amanda Downing of Kennebunk, Tara Molloy and Nichole Brunette of Saco, and Paula Renaud of South Berwick, received the Appreciation Pin from the Girl Scouts of Maine recently. According to a news release, the Appreciation Pin is an award bestowed upon a volunteer or staff member who provides exemplary service in support of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience that has had a measurable impact on two or more troops in one or more geographic areas.

According to the news release, “As an ad hoc member of the Saco Bay Service Unit team, Morgan’s exceptional event-planning skills shone through in the volunteer appreciation and camporee events. Her attention to detail and commitment to creating enjoyable experiences for volunteers and girls are commendable. As the fall product and cookie supervisor for Saco Bay Service unit, Downing excelled in planning, training, and coordinating efforts, ensuring a successful Cookie Rally. Her advocacy for inclusive, girl-led programming is evident through her active social media presence, underlining her dedication to Girl Scouts.”

“There are no people more generous with their time, talent, and investment in growth than Girl Scout adults who go just that bit further, share just that bit more, to make the world a better place,” said Dawn Walker-Elders director of adult learning for the Girl Scouts of Maine.

Appreciation Awards were announced alongside other adult recognitions at this year’s annual celebration held on May 11 in Fairfield.

 

Pickleball Classic

set for June 22-23

The Kennebunkport Heritage Housing Trust invites all pickleball players to step up to the net and challenge themselves, have fun, and support a good cause. On June 22-23, the trust will sponsor its second Pickleball Classic at Rotary Park in Kennebunkport.

Saturday, June 22, features men’s and women’s doubles followed by mixed doubles on Sunday, June 23. Each format offers competition at different experience levels. All competitor’s get a T-shirt and chance to receive a medal. Every registration helps raise money so that the trust can keep moving forward with its work to build homes for working families and seniors.

For registration information, visit khht.org/2nd-annual-pickleball-classic. For more information, contact Larissa Crockett, 207-432-2541.

 

Petty covered

in Kennebunkport

Mid-Week Music will present Acoustic Petty on Wednesday, June 12 at 7 p.m. at the Kennebunkport Historical Society’s Town House School at 135 North

Street. Dana Pearson (guitar), Jim O’Neil (guitar, percussion), and Nick Georges (keyboard) will play selections from Tom Petty’s catalogue, including “Free Fallin’,” “Refugee,” and “Wildflowers.” Spoiler: electric guitars may be employed in some places.

For advance tickets visit kporths.com/buy-tickets, email info@kporths.com, or call 207-967-2751.

The next entry in the monthly concert series will be ’50s Rock & Roll Redux on Wednesday, July 17 at 7 p.m. with Pearson joined by pianist Mark Gunter, drummer Ron Breton, and saxophonist Alan Shepard to play hits by the likes of Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Little Richard.

 

Students named to

UConn dean’s list

The following students were named to the spring semester dean’s list at the University of Connecticut:

• Kennebunk, Laura Braddick, Ellen Neale and Liam Westley.
• Kennebunkport, Olivia Airey.

 

Historical society

hosts bean supper

The Arundel Historical Society will host a baked bean and pasta supper on Saturday, June 1. It will be held at the Mildred L. Day School gym from 4:30-6 p.m. The school is located at 600 Limerick Road, Arundel.

The menu will include two types of baked beans, mac and cheese, American chop suey, hot dogs, coleslaw, cornbread/rolls and brown bread, Drinks and coffee and homemade desserts. Takeout is available.

The suggested donations are, adults, $10, children 6-10, $5, children 5 and younger, rree.

There will be historical displays, membership information, a spring raffle and merchandise available. Proceeds benefit the Arundel Historical Society.

 

‘On the Nightstand’

book group meets

Graves Library’s On the  Nightstand book group will meet Saturday, June 1 at 9 a.m. for coffee and conversation. The group will meet in the Dow Room on the first Saturday of every month. Participants are asked to bring a book that is currently on their nightstand and being read. During the hour, the group will share what they are reading and create a list for others to explore.

Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library is located at 18 Maine St., Kennebunkport. For more information, call 207-967-2778 or visit www.graveslibrary.org.

 

Plant and bake

sale at First Church

Members of First Congregational Church of Kennebunkport will host their annual plant sale on Saturday, June 1, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The sale will feature tomato plants and dahlias, as well as a mixture of perennial flowers from the gardens of members and friends.

Fresh baked items will be available. Food items are to include a variety of sweets, breads, and soups.First Congregational Church is located at 141 North St.

For more information, call the church office on Tuesdays at 207-967-3897 or visit www.firstchurchkport.org. On Facebook,  type “First Congregational Church Of Kennebunkport” in the search line.

 

Pride in the Bunks

returns for third year

The Kennebunks have Pride and that will be on display from noon-3 p.m. on June 8 at the third annual Pride in the Bunks event in Kennebunkport.

Held on the River Green next to South Congregational Church at 2 North St., the event will feature singer Ashlyn Bard, free pizza donated by Roma Pizza, Domino’s, Kennebunk House of Pizza, Amato’s and Arundel House of Pizza, drinks supplied by Hannaford and a sundae bar donated by Ben & Jerry’s.

There will be sand art, wand making, face painting, a raffle of gift certificates donated by local businesses and more, plus educational tables by groups such as Equality Maine, the Equality Community Center, the Frannie Peabody Center and more.

Recent Kennebunk High School graduate Erin McNeilly is the student liaison for the event.

Pride is proudly sponsored by the Kennebunkport Resort Collection, Old Vines, Kennebunk Savings, South Congregational Church, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Arundel Chamber, Daytrip Society and numerous other businesses and organizations.

For more information, call 207-967-0857.

 

Death education

series continues

Kennebunk Free Library will host Leona Oceania for the second session in the Die Well Death Education Series on Monday, June 24, from 6-7:30 p.m. The session was postponed from last month. Patrons are welcome to attend one or all of the sessions and no registration is required.

According to a press release, the session will feature a film by Barbara Karnes. “This is How People Die – Part One: Natural Process of Dying from Disease & Old Age” addresses the normal dying process, from months before death through the actual moment of death. The film provides the knowledge and tools for working with the end of life, presented with non-medical terminology. Open discussion will follow.

Die Well Death Education is the passion project of Oceania. Always fascinated with death and baffled by the fact that we don’t talk about the one thing that is going to happen to all of us, she decided to do what she could to encourage that conversation. She has trained to become an end-of-life Doula, a home funeral guide, a life legacy facilitator, and a death educator. She also serves on the board of the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Maine, is the facilitator of a number of Death Cafés in southern Maine, and is a volunteer with a local hospice organization. She has built a bookcase coffin with the prodigious Chuck Lakin, which is currently in use as a bookcase in her living room until it is needed as a coffin.

For more information, call 207-985-2173 or email kfl@kennebunklibrary.org.

 

Softball league

begins practice

Kennebunk’s co-ed 50-plus softball league will conduct its first practice on Friday, May 24. The practice is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at Lloyd Nedeau Memorial Park in West Kennebunk.

The league is set to begin its eighth season. All games and practices are held at Nedeau Park. To register go
to Kennebunk’s Parks and Recreation, Adult Activities. For more information, call Jim Thompson at 207-502-7796.

 

St. David’s hosts

Tobacco Awareness Group

The Tobacco Awareness Group, an in-person support group, is free and confidential. Whether thinking about stopping or ready to stop, according to a press release, the group can provide information, encouragement, and resources to assist in becoming tobacco free.

The only requirement for membership in the Tobacco Awareness Group is the desire to stop using tobacco or vape products and live a nicotine-free life. The group is open to the community and members can join or leave at any time.

Tobacco Awareness Group meets on Mondays, 6-7:30 p.m., at St. David’s Church on Route 1 south in Kennebunk. For more information, email Ed Perka at edward.perka@yahoo.com.

Edward J. Perka, Jr. is an addictions therapist with over 30 years of experience in the field.

 

Astro society schedules

June 7 meeting

The Astronomical Society of Northern New England’s next Meeting will be on Friday, June 7 at 7:30 p.m. at The New School in Kennebunk.  A business meeting, also open to the public, commences at 7 p.m. The New School is located at 38 York St., Kennebunk.

The society will host a presentation by Dr. Fabian Kislat. Kislat is an experimental astrophysicist, who develops new instruments to examine the polarization of X- and gamma rays. Kislat will explain that stellar-mass black holes and neutron stars are objects to observe for astronomers, since the extreme environments in their immediate vicinity are the laboratories for astrophysicists to test the fundamental understanding of how the universe works.

Kislat is an assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and a member of the Space Science Center at the University of New Hampshire. He has more than 12 years of experience in X-ray polarimetry and the development of instrumentation for high-energy astrophysics. He joined UNH in 2018 after six years at Washington University in St. Louis, first as postdoctoral researcher and since 2015 as research assistant professor. He received his Ph.D. from Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, in 2011.

For more information, visit www.ASNNE.org.

 

Registration open

for KFL 5K

Registration for the Kennebunk Free Library 27th Edition 5K is open. The USATF-certified course begins and ends in the library parking lot, winding through local neighborhoods and the Hope Cemetery and Woods trails.

Following the race, patrons and the community are invited to a party on the library lawn, with live music, food, and a beer tent.

Preregistration closes at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, July 10. Same-day registration begins at 4 p.m. on race day, Friday, July 12. Prizes will go to the top male and female finisher in each of nine age categories.

Those unable to participate in person are encouraged to run their own course and send the library photos. One winner, determined by KFL staff vote, will receive a prize.

For more information, email email kfl@kennebunklibrary.org or call 207-985-2173. For race fees or more information, visit www.kennebunklibrary.org.

 

School Around Us

fundraiser announced

School Around Us, a co-learning community based in Arundel, announced that is hosting a fundraiser for specific needs and that an anonymous donor will match donations. The matching donation campaign is happening through the end of May.

The campaign is focused on raising funds for scholarships, permanent outdoor learning spaces and upgrading its building to utilize more green energy.

Donations will be matched at any level. For example, a $5,000 donation will be matched at $5,000 providing a student in need with a year of tuition.

For more information, contact Cedar at 207-967-3143 or visit www.schoolaroundus.org/donate.

 

Fishermen’s group

offers youth memberships

At the April 2024 New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association  board meeting, the group voted to offer free NEFSA youth memberships to all interested persons under the age of 18. The initiative was unanimously approved.

According to a press release, “New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association works to protect “sustainable American commercial fisheries for the future generations of harvesters to come is a top priority. As mentors to the next generation, we are enthusiastic about working with our youth on the water and off and serving as a resource, while building relationships across generations. One-hundred percent of the NEFSA staff and board members have years of experience in the commercial fishing industry, and we are excited to share our collective knowledge and work together for the next generation of U.S. wild harvesters.”

For more information, visit www.nefishermen.org/membership.

 

Church on the Cape

offers camp scholarships

Church on the Cape in Cape Porpoise is offering five paid Camp Mechuwana scholarships for interested students in grades 4-12. Scholarships for family camp programs and special needs campers are also available. Applicants do not need to be church members to apply and there are no income requirements.

Camp Mechuwana, according to a press release, is a United Methodist Church camp in Winthrop, Maine, that has hosted campers of all socio-economic and religious backgrounds for the past 75 years. Located on more than 200 acres of forest land bordering Lower Narrows Pond and Lake Annabessacook, the camp consists of nature trails, a boat dock, swimming area, cabins, a theatre, chapel, dining commons, basketball court, and a sports field.

For more information on the camp, visit www.mechuwana.org. For camp scholarship application information, email Diane Hutchins at dianeanderik@yahoo.com.

 

Amateur Radio Society
meets at The New School

The New England Radio Discussion Society meets biweekly on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. throughout the year at The New School in Kennebunk. The club informally gathers to support and promote amateur (ham) radio. Wide-ranging discussion topics include: early and contemporary equipment, digital technology, internet integration, and striving for international contacts. Most meetings include a “tech talk” by a society member.

Upcoming meetings will be held June 11 and June 25. Those interested in amateur radio are invited to join.

The New School is located at 38 York St. in Kennebunk. For more information, contact Alex at 207-967-8812.

 

Friends group

plans nature walks

Friends of Hope Cemetery and Woods announced the schedule for walks with a Maine naturalist in Hope Woods. Those interested are asked to meet at the trailhead Sunday, June 16, at 1 p.m. for a an informative walk on the accessible trail.

For more information or to register, email friendsofhcw@gmail.com or call 207-387-9100. More walks will be scheduled through November.

 

Wildlife refuge
photo contest

The Friends of Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is accepting photo submissions through June 15 for the Fourth annual Sense of Wonder Photo Contest.

The contest is an event popular for those who visit the refuge trails and roadside marsh views, encounter wildlife, and show recreational activities of their families and friends. Jurors will look for imagery that represents all seasons so photos taken in previous years are welcome. This contest is open to all ages. Only images taken on refuge property are eligible for entry.

The Friends will accept up to three images from any camera type including cell phones and any photographic style including black and white, high dynamic range alterations, and any artistic changes by the artist. Since the 12 winning images will be reproduced in a calendar format, submit only horizontal or landscape-oriented images. Only high resolutions at 300-600 dpi and 2550 x 3300 pixels minimum are accepted.

Twelve winning images will be selected for the 2025 Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge calendar available for sale by the Friends late summer.

Visit friendsofrachelcarsonnwr.org/photo-contest to submit up to three items until June 15.

The Friends support the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge in its mission to preserve land for migratory birds and local wildlife . The refuge is located in York and Cumberland counties and consists of 11 divisions totaling more than 5,600 acres scattered throughout the towns of Kittery, York, Ogunquit, Wells, Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Scarborough, and Cape Elizabeth.

 

Astro Society
hosts star parties

The Astronomical Society of Northern New England has set its schedule for public Star Parties through August and invites the public to attend. The society operates its own observatory, the Talmage Observatory at Starfield, on Route 35, in West Kennebunk.

At the Star Parties, the public, as well as society members, are most invited to observe the heavens through club telescopes, as well as member telescopes. Stars, visible planets, and deep-sky objects can all be viewed. Experienced society members are on hand to guide the observing, explain what is being seen, and answer questions. There is no fee.

The Talmage Observatory at Starfield opens at 7:30 p.m. for the events. For directions, visit http://asnne.org/where-to-find-us.php.

Dates for upcoming Star Parties: June 8; July 5 (rain date, July 6); and Aug. 9 (rain date, Aug. 10).

The Astronomical Society of Northern New England is a local association of amateur astronomers that meets monthly at the New School in Kennebunk. Meetings are on the first Friday of each month. For more information, visit ASNNE.org.

 

Legion Post 74
schedules meetings

American Legion Webber Lefebvre Post 74 in Kennebunk holds meetings on the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. Legion Post 74 is located at 15 Water St.

Legion Post 74 is looking for new members. The Post participates in the May Day and Memorial Day parades, flag
retirement ceremonies with the Boy Scouts, furnishes a scholarship to the high school and participates in many other local activities and charities.

 

Concerts in West K!

spring finale

The long-running Concerts in West K! series of acoustic music returns for spring 2024 with a lineup of traditional musicians from Canada, Ireland, and the U.S.

Finishing out the spring season will be a concert by Maine fiddler Frank Ferrel and Nova Scotia pianist Kimberley Holmes. The Farrel and Holmes concert is set for Wednesday, June 12, from 7:30-9:30 p.m.

Ferrel has contributed to more than two dozen albums, toured Scotland as a featured performer with the Celtic group, The Boys of the Lough, and appeared as a regular featured guest on the NPR radio program “A Prairie Home Companion.” His repertoire includes the full range of fiddle music from the Anglo, Celtic, and French traditions of New England and the Maritimes. He is a member of the North American Fiddlers’ Hall of Fame.

All shows take place at the West Kennebunk United Methodist Church, 160 Alfred Road, West Kennebunk. There is open seating for all concerts on a first-come, first-served basis. Admission is by $20 per person donation at the door. For more information, call Paul Wells at 207-985-2831.

 

Land trust announces
nature walk schedule

Kennebunk Land Trust released the dates for its Nature Walk series. The first Saturday of each month, the land trust hosts a nature walk on a different preserve following a different theme. Participants are invited to explore a new local preserve and enjoy nature in all seasons.

The walks are led by local Maine Guides and master naturalists, who take participants through the nature preserve and share knowledge and ask questions about the flora, fauna, and nature.

The walks are free of charge for all ages and held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Donations are accepted and well-behaved dogs are welcome. The schedule:

• July 6 – For All Forever Preserve

• Aug. 3 – Hope Woods

• Sept. 7 – Wonderbrook Park

• Oct. 5 – Mousam River Wildlife Sanctuary

• Nov. 2 – Butler Preserve

• Dec. 7 – For All Forever Preserve

The 2024 walk schedule subject to change with notice. For more information and to register, visit kennebunklandtrust.org.

Kennebunk Savings and Southern Maine Health Care are sponsors of the events.

 

Legion Post 159
meeting schedule

The monthly meeting of American Legion Post 159 in Kennebunkport is held on the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. All veterans and Sons of the American Legion are welcome to attend. Legion Post 159 is located at 102 Main St. (across from the police station) in Kennebunkport.

Future meeting dates are June 6, July 11, Aug. 1, Sept. 5, Oct. 3, Nov. 7 and Dec. 5.

For more information, call 967-2400.

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