Take the fast track

Boys and girls ages 5 to 10 are invited to meet Mondays from May 5 through June 2 from 5:45 to 7:15 p.m. at Gray-New Gloucester High School track to learn a variety of track and field events.

Participants will be grouped by ages and compete in five or six events, including softball throw, long jump, 50-meter dash, 100-meter run, low hurdles (using mini hurdles) and possibly the high jump.

All young athletes will learn how to do a proper stretch and warm-up. The primarily focus of this program is to get the kids involved in a great form of exercise, learn the very basics of track and field and have lots of fun.

The cost is $35 and includes a T-shirt and medal for participants. Dean Bennett, Felicia Dyer and athletes from Gray-New Gloucester High School track and field team will be instructing. The program is open to 40 participants.

The official registration form came home through the school totes and are also at Newbegin Gym and Gray Town Hall for pick-up. Deadline to register is April 28. For more information, call Bennett at 657-2323.

Paying for snow days

The April 18 teacher comp day was changed to a full student day at the K-12 level to make up for snow days. June 24 will be the last student day for grades K-11, weather permitting.

Still likes hurricanes

Dr. Kenneth Knapp, a Gray native, was awarded a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Bronze Medal award April 18.

This is the highest honor that can be awarded by the administration, currently headed by retired Vice Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher. The award recognized Knapp for analyzing data from 18 different satellites over more than 20 years to create climate data records on hurricane trends, and to improve the understanding of climate variability and change.

Knapp collaborated with the University of Wisconsin in his research, and the results confirmed increasing activity in the North Atlantic, but suggest that there are no noticeable trends in activity in any of the other hurricane-prone ocean basins.

Knapp attended the Gray-New Gloucester district schools, graduating in 1990. His junior high school science project was a hurricane display that he built for the Science Fair. He attended

Lyndon State College in Vermont, receiving two bachelor degrees, in meteorology and mathematics. He continued his graduate work at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo. At CSU, he received his master’s degree and a doctorate in atmospheric science.

Knapp now resides in Asheville, N.C., with his wife Carrie, and their three children (and a fourth on the way). He is employed by NOAA in downtown Asheville. His parents Warren and Louise Knapp still live in Gray and are very proud of him!

Committees seeking members

The Community Economic Development Committee, a very busy department these days has openings for two members. Experience in real estate, design, public relations, or a genuine passion for the future of Gray are some of the assets sought from new members.

The Recreation Committee currently has three regular openings and positions for two alternates. If you can spare one evening per month, like to have fun and help others have fun and want to contribute your expertise, please consider a position on this committee.

Committee applications are available at Town Hall on Route 26 or at www.graymaine.org.

School construction update

In 2005 voters approved a $10 million renovation and upgrade bond to improve our school buildings. This work is nearing completion. The work at the middle school, Dunn School, Memorial School and Russell School is finished. The high school project is more complex but they are still hoping for a completion date by the start of the 2008-09 school year.

Occupancy permits for the east gym, locker rooms, new gym lobby entrance, new physical education station, public bathrooms, and renovated industrial arts corridor have been issued. School officials hope that the main entrance and administrative space will be ready for occupancy within the next 30 to 45 days. Work has begun to renovate the west gym into the new cafetorium space.

Turn it off

During Turn of the TV Week, take part in other activities instead of watching TV, such as going for a walk, writing a letter to a friend or family member, writing a poem, taking a bike ride or coming to the library to check out books or magazines.

Exercise your body and your mind. The Gray Public Library hosted a game night in March and purchased several board games for all ages. The games were popular and are now available for visitors to use in the library. Just ask at the circulation desk.

Other upcoming events at the library include Young Adult Book Group, Saturday, April 19, at 1 p.m. with Brooke and the Knitting Group meets Tuesdays from 1-2 p.m. with Sheila.

For more information, visit www.gray.lib.me.us.

Kits of care

The First Congregational Church of Gray is looking for donations of money or items to assemble health kits, school kits and Baby Layette kits that are send to distressed people here and around the world.

Please contact the First Congregational Church Parish House at 657-4279 or Jane Miles 846-9669 for a list of items needed or you can donate checks payable to the First Congregational Church of Gray and they can purchase items needed to complete the kits. Drop off is at the Parish House in Gray. The campaign ends May 1.

Looking for water?

Hank Mosher of Gray will be a presenter at the dowsing workshop (the ancient method of using a tree branch to search for underground sources of water) during a holistic fair at the Masonic Hall on River Road in Windham Saturday April 19, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Inside Gray