Compost bin giveaway

The town of Freeport is offering a free compost bin to 10 Freeport residents on a first-come first-served basis who have never successfully composted. In exchange for the free compost bin, residents must agree to attend a Recycling Committee meeting on Oct. 23 to share their stories of success and/or challenges with committee members. It will be an informal meeting with refreshments provided.

Instruction on composting is available by contacting Suzanne Duplissis, recycling center manager and master gardener. Sign-up forms are available at town hall or at the recycling center. Submit the completed form in person at the recycling center on Hedgehog Mountain Road or mail it to Recycling Center, Town of Freeport, 30 Main St., Freeport, ME 04032.

Presentation Sunday on Maine’s first mapmaker

The Freeport Historical Society is hosting an illustrated presentation,“Moses Greenleaf, Maine’s First Mapmaker,” by Osher Map Library educator Holly Hurd, on Sunday, April 14, at 1 p.m., at Harrington House, 45 Main St. The one-hour program will include images of his early maps, including the roads around Freeport, and information about how he contributed to settlement of Maine’s interior. Light refreshments will be served. Hurd’s book, “The Moses Greenleaf Primer,” as well as “Settling the Maine Wilderness,” by Walter MacDougall, will be for sale.

Tickets are $5 per person. Freeport Historical Society members can attend for free. Call 865-3170 for more information.

Freeport Family Performing Arts presents “Cinderella”

The Freeport Family Performing Arts will present “Cinderella, The Story You Never Knew,” directed by Tim Ryan and Jake Junkins, at the Freeport Performing Arts Center on Holbrook Street.

There will be 10 performances with two casts made up of professional and novice actors. The Glass Slipper Cast will perform April 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m., April 13 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and April 14 at 2 p.m. The Pumpkin Cast will perform April 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m., April 20 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and April 21 at 2 p.m.

The April 11 and 18 shows are “pay as you go” nights. Tickets are $5 for 12 and under, $10 for adults or $25 per family. Visit freeportfpa.com for more information.

Cooking class focuses on Haitian food

Lindsay Sterling will teach how to make Haitian tonstones, pork, rice and beans on Friday, April 12 from 6 -9 p.m. at the Freeport Community Center. The fee is $15-$35 as you can. The class is a fundraiser for the food pantry.

For more information, visit www.immigrantkitchens.com. To reserve a spot in the class, send an email to lindsay@lindsaysterling.com.

Women’s Club

meeting April 19

The Freeport Women’s Club will meet on Friday, April 19 at 1 p.m. at the Freeport Community Library. Dr. Ed Corbitt, horticulture professor at Senior College, University of Maine, will speak on “Plant Explorations in India and South Korea”. Refreshments will follow the program and visitors are welcome.

Community Night scheduled

The Freeport Community Center will host Community Night on Thursday, April 25, at 6:30 p.m. for a community discussion and opportunity to share thoughts and ideas. Community Night is a tradition begun in the 1970s to create a forum for residents to express concerns and bring change. There will be snacks and socializing from 6:30-7 p.m., followed by a discussion of programs that support the community and help identify what is lacking. Moderator is Lesa Andreason. For more information, see www.fcsmaine.org.

Theater of Awesome presents comedy

The Freeport Theater of Awesome presents “The Early Evening Show,” a blend of wild improvisations, comic sketches, upbeat music and spectacular finales, at its theater at 5 Depot St., on April 19, 20, 26, 27 at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and information, go to www.awesometheater.com.

Beacon Hospice

needs volunteers

Beacon Hospice needs volunteers to visit patients and families in the Freeport, Brunswick and Bath areas. The organization is about to begin its spring hospice volunteer training, a seven-week free training course to prepare those interested in visiting terminally ill patients and their families living at home or in facilities. Time and location of training is flexible and built around the needs of the volunteer. References, a background check and medical screenings are required.

Contact Donna Teague, volunteer coordinator, at 772-0929 for more information and an application.

Town road

postings listed

The town has posted certain town roads to limit heavy loads until May 15 depending on the weather. All regular delivery route trucks are exempt. See www.freeportmaine.com for a list of posted roads and exempt vehicles. For information or questions, contact the public works department at 865-4461.

Shellfish license renewals due

Commercial shellfish license renewals must be submitted to the Town Clerk’s office no later than the last business day in April. The renewal license fees are: Resident Commercial $200, Non-Resident Commercial $400, Resident Student Commercial $25, and Non-Resident Student Commercial $50. There is a water testing surcharge of $30 per license. The application must be accompanied by payment of 50 percent of the required license fee. The remainder of the fee must be paid no later than the last business day in May. To be eligible to purchase a renewal license, a person must have been licensed the previous year and must have completed conservation work as determined by the Shellfish Conservation Commission. For more information, go to www.freeportmaine.com .

‘Lunch with Locals’

on April 16

The Freeport Historical Society is hosting a series of lunchtime meetings to assess the strengths and weaknesses of its collections with input from the community. The “Lunch with Locals” series will take place on Tuesday, April 16 from noon-1:30 p.m. The meetings will be at the historical society’s headquarters at the Harrington House, 45 Main St. The public is invited to bring a brown bag lunch for informal discussions about particular aspects of the collection, as well as a rare close-up view of the society’s collections. The project is funded by a grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services. For more information or to RSVP, contact the historical society at 865-3170 or info@freeporthistoricalsociety.org .

Parking ban lifting

The town parking ban, which prohibits parking on all town streets from 11 p.m.-7 a.m., is scheduled to end April 15.

Library news and notes

The GWC (Giving Children Warmth) program will be making blankets for children in Afghanistan by knitting squares and sewing them together. The group meets on Mondays from 2:45-4 p.m. to teach volunteers from age 11 through adult to knit.

Story time for toddlers and preschoolers takes place every Tuesday morning. There are two 15-minute story times at 9:30 and 9:45 a.m. for younger kids with shorter attention spans. At 10, there is a 30-minute story time for preschoolers. The morning features songs and a small snack.

The library is holding its annual book sale now through Thursday, April 11. A variety of books and videos will be available for purchase.

The library is celebrating Earth Day on Saturday, April 13, by asking visitors to design and decorate a bookmark with an Earth Day theme to display in the children’s room. Participants will receive a Bug Bite Chocolate donated by Royal River Natural Foods.

The April Vacation Movie on Tuesday, April 16, at 1 p.m. will be “Wreck it Ralph,” rated PG. The movie is 1 hour 50 minutes long. Admission is free and includes a bag of popcorn.

A “Grow Your Own Organic Garden” workshop with a MOFGA instructor will be held on Wednesday, April 17 from 6-8 p.m. Register by calling 865-3307. A $5 fee for handouts will be collected at the workshop.

The library will be celebrating National Library Week on Wednesday, April 17 from 2-7 p.m. with tours, refreshments and other goodies.

The Thursday midday movie on April 18 at 1 p.m. will be “Skyfall,” starring Daniel Craig as James Bond. The movie is rated PG-13.

Freeport Yoga Co. will present “Yoga for Kids” on Tuesday, April 23 at 10 a.m. Parents are encouraged to bring their toddler or preschooler for morning yoga that includes stretching, breathing and fun.

The library will present “Tech Talk: Protect Yourself from Financial Exploitation and Scams,” on Wednesday, April 24 from 3-4 p.m. During Money Smart Week, a Key Bank representative will join Lt. Susan Nourse of the Freeport Police Department to speak about common types of financial scams and how to protect yourself or a loved one from becoming a victim.

Miss Lisa’s Songs and Stories will be in the Children’s Room on Saturday, April 27, from 10-11 a.m.

The tour guides for the Armchair Travel Series on Monday, April 29, at 7 p.m., will be Burt Brewer and Chris Hastedt, who will present an encore of their sailing trip to Newfoundland, St. Pierre and Miquelon.

Upcoming Meetings

April 10 – Coastal Waters, 6 p.m., Freeport Community Center.

April 11 – Shellfish Commission, 6:30 p.m., Freeport Community Center.

April 16 – Conservation Commission, 7 p.m., Freeport Community Center.