You’re invited

The Southern Maine Volkssport Association is inviting the public to attend its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 10, at Walker Memorial Library, 800 Main St.

Everyone is also welcome to attend their American Folk

Festival walks in Bangor on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 27 and 28.

Chopin Club plans upcoming season

The program committee of the Chopin Club of Westbrook met recently at the home of Chairman Jan Usher.

Plans were made for the Club’s upcoming 87th season, which include an opening potluck supper and a March musicale to benefit the scholarship fund. This year’s theme will be a review of significant composers and their works.

For information on becoming an active (performing) or associate member of the club, please call 797-8448 or 854-2770.

Massacre commemoration planned

Rev. Mutima Peter of Westbrook, pastor of International Christian Fellowship Church in Portland, said the church would observe the first anniversary of a massacre at a refugee camp in Burundi, Central Africa, with two commemorations on Saturday, Aug. 13.

On Aug. 13 last year, 160 were killed and 200 wounded in an attack at the Gatumba refugee Camp in Burundi.

Herbert Weiss, professor emeritus of political science at City University in New York, will speak along with local author John Robinson at 1 p.m. at the Allen Avenue Unitarian Church, 524 Allen Ave., Portland. Weiss’s topic is “The Unspoken Banyamulenge Massacre” and Robinson will speak on “How Can We Stop the Genocide in the Great Lakes Region” of Africa.

Peter’s church is sponsoring a prayer and music service at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 13, at the church, 35 Lafayette St., Portland. Peter, a native of the Congo, has recently returned from a peace and relief mission to troubled Central Africa.

O’Hara family tours the nation

Westbrook City Councilor John O’Hara, his wife, Judy, and their three children, Kathryn, 13; Molly, 12, and John, 10, recently returned from a 11,700 mile journey across the United States.

Their trip included stops in Washington, D.C.; Florida; the French Quarter in New Orleans, La., and Texas where they visited the Alamo along with the President John F. Kennedy Museum in Dallas.

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In New Mexico, they toured the Carlsbad Caverns, Sandia Peak and Four Corners. They also saw the Painted Desert/Petrified Forest, White Sands National Monument, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon and Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona.

They visited Las Vegas and Hoover Dam in Nevada; Death Valley and Yosemite National Park in California; Salt Lake City, Provo, fossil digging in Fillmore and Arches National Park in Utah; Butte, Mont.; Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming; Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Keystone in South Dakota; Pikes Peak in Colorado; Kansas City Royals Stadium; Gateway to the West Arch and the Cardinals’ stadium in St. Louis, Mo.; the Cleveland Indians stadium in Ohio; Anchor Bar, declared home of the original Buffalo Wings, in Buffalo, N.Y.; and three days at Niagara Falls wrapped up their trip.

“One has no idea of the true vastness of our infinitely diverse country. Much of the scenery and unspoiled beauty is breath taking,” said Judy O’Hara.

She said it was their dream trip for several years. As she and John are employed by the city of Portland, she was thankful that the city allowed them to coordinate the time off for the trip.

“If at all possible, everyone should try to do this at some point in their life. It truly gives you a different perspective of what is out there, and makes it all real,” she said.

“No longer is it about what you see on TV or read in books. It has been so rewarding to hear our children remark, ‘Hey we were there,'” she said. We are exhilarated to have been able to give them, as well as ourselves, this everlasting, memorable trip of a lifetime.”

Gospel breakfast at legion hall

The local chapter of the Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International will meet for breakfast at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13, at the Stephen W. Manchester Post 62, 17 Dunn St.

Rev. Vinal Thomas, 74, is the guest speaker.

Cost is $8; seniors, $5.50. For reservations, call 774-6416. 772-5744, or 727-3252.

Concert in the park

Common Ground will play in a free concert from 6 to 8 p.m. today, Aug. 10, at Riverbank Park on Main Street.