Celebrate Shannon

Help celebrate the life of Shannon Ronan and the generous donation of his family. Stop by for the grand opening of the newly renovated Newbegin Recreation Room on Sunday, Dec. 10, from 6-7 p.m. at Newbegin Gym on Main Street in Gray. Light refreshments will be served.

Shannon Ronan, a Gray resident, (who was involved in a fatal accident in Naples in 2009, grew up in Rumford, where he was very active in the town’s recreation programs. His children, in Gray, have been active in the Gray Recreation programs and the family realizes the benefit of children in a small town having a place to go. Through their donation, the Newbegin Center has new carpeting, some new equipment and has been “spruced up” with new paint and decor.

Parking ban in effect

Please note: From midnight to 6 a.m., vehicles that are parked in a public street, public way or town-owned parking lot will be towed at the owner’s expense.

Mittens anyone?

Gray Recreation Department’s newest program, Kid’s Club (Community Service Club), is collecting donations of new mittens. These mittens will be donated to local schools and those in need from the surrounding communities. Drop-off boxes are in the Gray Town Office, Parks and Recreation Office and at Newbegin Gymnasium.

This club was designed to assist and empower the children of Kid’s Club to give to the community and beyond. Already this year, they have decorated the town office inside and cleaned up around the outside, made posters for the G-NG Food Pantry, sent a care package to troops from Maine who are overseas and much more.

Free tree disposal

Come January, when it’s time to retire the Christmas tree, the Transfer Station is making that job easy and charitable.

There will be no charge to dispose of Christmas trees for the months of December, January, and February. However, monetary donations will be accepted in lieu of the disposal fee with all monies benefiting the Gray Food Pantry.

Holiday closures

Please note that the Gray Public Library will close at 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, and will remain closed until Tuesday, Dec. 27, for the Christmas holiday. The library will be open for regularly scheduled hours on Tuesday, Dec. 27.

Other Gray town facilities will be closed Saturday, Dec. 24, through and including Monday, Dec. 26.

Let it Snow

The Maine Winter Sports Center at Pineland and Gray Recreation Department will be offering the after-school Nordic Skiing Program. This program is designed to promote a healthy winter lifestyle to children in Gray-New Gloucester, grades three through six.

Mandatory registration and equipment fitting will be at the Pennell Municipal Complex (second floor) Dec. 9 and 12, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. You can go online to www.graymaine.org, click on Recreation Department or call 657-2323 for more information on this program and other programs available and their fees.

Christmas assistance

Although the Dec. 1 deadline has passed for applications, residents of Gray with questions about Christmas food basket assistance and gifts and/or clothing for children, can call Christina at 428-3003 or 233-0828.

If you or someone else you know would like to make a donation to the Caring Community of Gray-New Gloucester or sponsor a family, please contact Donna Rand at drand5@roadrunner.com or call 671-4458. Money will be used to help purchase food baskets for families and gifts and/or clothing for children of the families who don’t have a sponsor. There are always more recipient families than there are sponsors. Checks can be sent to CCGNG, PO Box 1244, Gray, ME 04039.

For the good of Gray

The Gray Community Endowment is building a permanent fund for Gray. The funds are invested and professionally managed by the Maine Community Foundation www.mainecf.org. Each year, the Endowment invests some of the interest they earn in projects that benefit Gray, and put the rest back into the endowment so it can grow to support more local projects in the future. The GCE board decides how to distribute the funds, which can support the arts, education, open space and recreation, and economic and community development.

It is time to get your application in to GCE. They are looking for proposals that will better life in Gray. The application date is Dec. 15. Check our their website for more details and an application at www.gcemaine.org.

Become a ‘tax hero’

The Gray Public Library would like to be able to offer free tax income tax preparation to local residents. Are you looking for a meaningful volunteer activity that only involves a time commitment during the winter months? Do you like meeting and helping folks in Gray and the surrounding area? Do you use a computer? If so, this might be the perfect volunteer activity for you. Volunteers of all ages are welcome. You do not need to be a “tax expert” as training in both tax law and tax software is provided in January. To learn more about volunteering, contact Darcel Devou at the Gray Public Library or Joan Jagolinzer, coordinator for the AARP Tax-Aide program at jagolinzer@gwi.net or 883-8415.

Ashley McBreairty, of North Gorham, presents Donna Rand at the
Gray Community Food Pantry with $50 that she raised selling
bracelets. The bracelets are made by her grandmother, who is a Food
Bank recipient, and is her grandmother’s way of giving back. The
bracelets are made in memory of a deceased relative. (Photo by
Marilyn Keating-Porcaro)