Founders festival moves dates

The annual Gorham Founders Festival this year will not coincide with Memorial Day weekend.

The two-day festival will be held on Friday and Saturday, July 26 and 27, adjacent to Narragansett School on Main Street. Westbrook/Gorham Community Chamber is sponsoring the festival this year.

The event will feature fair food, amusement rides and entertainment.

The festival commemorates the founding of the town in 1736. For more information, visit gorhamfoundersfestival.com.

Taste walk set

Town Councilor Suzie Phillips has announced that YoungLife Gorham presents the Gorham Taste Walk on Sunday, June 2, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Chefs at several area eateries provide their signature dishes and the public votes for its favorite. The winning restaurant receives the Golden Spoon award.

Maps costing $5 are available at Hannaford and Thatcher’s and on the day of the event outside Baxter Memorial Library, 71 South St. Phillips said local businessman Matt Mattingly founded the event.

This year’s participating venues include University of Southern Maine, Thatcher’s, Sebago Brewing Co., Hannaford, Amato’s, Gorham Grind, Gorham House of Pizza, PineCrest Inn, and two new additions: The Sweet Shoppe and 3 Sisters Cookies from the Greater Gorham Farmers Market.

YoungLife is a nonprofit, non-denominational Christian outreach to high school students and Taste Walk proceeds will go towards providing summer camp for local students.

Kati Benson King, a Gorham native, is the area director of Younglife and Phillips is one of 14 board members on the Younglife Gorham committee.

Taste Walk includes a free concert from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Spire 29 on the Square, 29 School St. Gorham Taste Walk has a Facebook page.

Absentee ballots ready

for June 11 election

Absentee ballots for the municipal election on Tuesday, June 11, can be requested by contacting the office of Town Clerk Connie Loughran.

Voters will elect one school committee member and decide on referendums including a $6.3 million public safety complex and validation of the $32.9 million school budget. Kathy Garrard, who was appointed to fill a vacancy, is running unopposed for a three-term on the school committee.

The school budget validation ballots cannot be returned until after Tuesday, June 4, when the Town Council votes on the budget.

To receive an absentee ballot, call Loughran’s office at 222-1670 and request the ballot be sent to you or visit Loughran’s office at 75 South St. Absentee voters can also cast their ballots in person at the office.

First Parish

buys an ark

After nine months of fund-raising, First Parish Church of Gorham surpassed its financial goal and will purchase an ark for Heifer International, an organization providing animals to needy families in more than 40 countries.

The church’s efforts raised $5,377.

“The Heifer program is a popular cause with our church and generated enthusiasm and support from everyone,” the Rev. David Butler, church pastor, said in a church statement.

An ark consists of more than 30 animals, ranging from water buffalo and sheep to llamas and donkeys. In addition, each ark includes beehives, as well as flocks of chicks and geese. Heifer International provides the animals and livestock training to struggling families in developing countries.

First Parish members hosted a series of events including church suppers, a brunch, a “moo-bar” (milk shakes), and alternative gift-giving (purchase and donate a share of an animal in lieu of a traditional Christmas gift). Sunday School students collected pennies in a “heifer” bank, and Critter Camp attendees donated more than $200 in seed money at the end of last summer’s camp session.

The most popular fundraiser was done by the church’s youth group. The Happy Heifer program allowed Gorham residents to “cow” each other. For $20, a brightly colored plywood cow could be rented and placed on a friend or relative’s lawn for several days. This idea caught on quickly and plywood cows appeared throughout Gorham during the spring.

Cherry Finck, chairwoman of the church’s Board of Missions said, “It was so exciting to realize that we were within reach of our goal. Each month we inched closer!” Anonymous gifts pushed the fund-raiser over its $5,000 goal.”

First Parish was able to donate a full ark to Heifer International. This is the largest donation First Parish has ever made to Heifer International, Finck said.

The church previously raised more than $7,000 for Church World Service’s Water For Life campaign to fund a well for a village in an African nation.

First Parish Church was founded in 1750 and is Gorham’s oldest church. The church has more than 500 members.

Heifer International is a nonprofit organizastion with the goal of ending poverty and hunger in a sustainable fashion. Established in 1944, Heifer International gives out gifts of livestock, seeds and trees and extensive training to those in need.

U.S. taxpayer debt

The Bureau of Public Debt reported on May 16 that the U.S. public debt was $16,734,808,644,648.07.