Plants and paperbacks

It’s that time of year again; the Raymond Village Library’s annual plant sale will be held this Saturday, June 11, from 7 a.m. until noon. There will be a wide assortment of plants at inexpensive prices including perennials, groundcovers, herbs, flowering shrubs, bedding plants, annuals, and houseplants. In addition, this year there will be vegetable and herb seedlings to help you grow your own organic food. And don’t forget, the library has an abundant supply of gardening books for you to borrow. The infamous paperback book sale will also start on this day so stop by and pick up some great summer reads. This is always a popular event so be sure to go early for the best selection.

Strawberry Festival

The sun is finally shining, gardens are starting to sprout and soon we’ll be feasting on fresh produce. I wanted to remind you of the Hawthorne Community Association’s Annual Strawberry Festival which will be held on Saturday, June 25, at the Hawthorne House on the Cape Road. The event will kick off at 6:30 p.m. with a historical talk followed by dessert and social from 7-9 p.m. Steven Rogers, Ph.D. will speak about Hawthorne’s early visits to Maine, his time at Bowdoin College, and other related topics. His presentation will be followed by the serving of delicious homemade strawberry shortcake. Please make your reservations before June 18 by e-mailing jmanoush@fairpoint.net or calling 655-7660. There is a suggested donation of $5 per adult or $3 per child 8 and under and includes beverages.

Farewell party

After 35 years of teaching in the Raymond schools, Ann Marie Malnati will be retiring at the end of this school year. Mrs. Malnati has taught many children and has been in Raymond long enough that she has also taught the children of her former students. Her dedication and commitment to the children of Raymond has spanned three decades, two different schools, and countless school initiatives. Throughout all of the changes, she has remained the utmost professional, never afraid to try new things, and always dedicated to her students. There is no doubt that she will be missed by many. Please attend a reception in her honor on Wednesday, June 22 from 9 a.m. until noon at the Raymond Elementary School.

Babysitters wanted

Do you have a pre-teen or teenager interested in becoming an American Red Cross-certified babysitter? Dianne La Pierre of Creative Kids Family Child Care and Developmental Preschool is coordinating a series of training sessions and needs a head count for the first session which will take place later this month. All those interested are asked to contact Diane at 655-3632 or creativekids@maine.rr.com. This course is being co-coordinated by Parents Helping Kids Make Good Choices.

Chamber Singers

Having a son in the Windham Chamber Singers, I have had the opportunity throughout the past year to attend many wonderful concerts. Sadly, the Chamber, which consists of 40 of the best singers from Raymond and Windham who attend Windham High School, will lose 13 graduating seniors, 8 of whom are furthering their education in music. Auditions were held last week to fill those spots, and I am so excited to announce that Emily Algeo and Noah Estey, current eighth-grade students at Jordan-Small Middle School, were chosen to join this elite choir. There’s no doubt in my mind that they will both enjoy many positive life-changing experiences provided under the direction of Dr. Rick Nickerson. Please join me in offering congratulations to both of them.

All around Maine

Reading and summer definitely go hand and hand and each summer, the Raymond Village Library offers a summer reading program to children in kindergarten through fourth grade. This is an excellent opportunity to help keep reading fun and get kids to go to the library. This summer’s theme is All Around Maine and will be held for five weeks beginning the last week of June. Each week, a bag filled with theme-based crafts, games, puzzles and lots of fun reading ideas are given to the young readers. There are also weekly prizes. The program will kick off on Wednesday, June 29, at 6:30 p.m. at the library with storytelling at its finest by Maine storyteller, Jody Fein. This program is limited to 50 participants so be sure to sign up at the library immediately. For more information, call the library at 655-4283.

Summer moves

Summertime seems to bring more fun food that can end up on your waste line. Beth Gaudet, owner of CenterStage Performing Arts has teamed up with a variety of fun and talented teachers and is generously providing her studio space for a variety of classes that will keep you fit and active all summer long. While dancers take a break from traditional dance classes, you can still find the deep stretching and meditation benefits provided by yoga or perhaps dance your stress away with Zumba. The popular “Getting Down with DeeDee” class returns this week as well as a new Chorus Line Calisthenics class set to Broadway music. Two new kettle bell classes which promise to get you in shape have also been added to the summer schedule. For a complete schedule and more information on each of these classes, visit centerstagepa.com or call 807-7405.

School budget vote

Do you remember that the state’s school consolidation law requires a two-step process for approving a school budget? The RSU 14 School Board held its annual budget meeting last week which gave both Raymond and Windham residents a chance to vote on the upcoming budget. The budget passed unanimously and now a validation ballot will take place on June 14 so the public can vote on the 2011-2012 budget. Polls are open in Raymond from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. at the Jordan-Small Middle School. Please take the time to vote.

Learn to swim

Did you miss last week’s registration night for Raymond Recreation’s “Every Child a Swimmer” swim program? If so, please contact Pat Smith immediately at 655-4657to secure a spot for your child. This is an excellent program for swimmers 5 years old and older. Half-hour lessons are held Monday through Friday from July 5-29 at Crescent Beach and the cost for the program is $25 per child. There will also be a Red Cross Emergency Water Safety course for anyone in seventh grade or older and offers good orientation for those interested in training to become a lifeguard. Red Cross-certified water safety instructor Sarah Knights is returning for her third summer to help make your children better swimmers. Sarah will be assisted by Tucker Olsen, a Red Cross-certified lifeguard.