Big weekend coming for historical society

The Freeport Historical Society has two big events scheduled for the first weekend in October: the Historic Barns & Quilts Tour fundraiser, on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; and Pettengill Farm Day, on Sunday, Oct. 6, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Historic Barns & Quilts Tour will feature visits to four unique barns built during the early 19th through late 19th centuries. Select vintage and antique quilts, organized by theme (for example, children’s quilts,) and will be displayed and discussed at each barn.

Leading the tours are quilt expert Kathy Kenny and barn expert Don Perkins. Kenny is a quilt historian, fiber artist, educator and lecturer.

Through the displayed vintage quilts, those attending can will deepen their understanding of the economic role of women and how quilt patterns and styles reflect local, regional and national events.

Perkins is an educator, journalist and author of the just published book, “Our Barns: A History of Barns in Maine.” He will discuss the historic roles of barns in the evolution of farmsteads and how northern New England economics of mixed farming and home-industry created a unique architectural response.

The event begins with coffee and orientation at Cotton Weeds Quilt Shop on Route 1 South in Freeport. After touring the final barn, the group will conclude the afternoon with music by acoustic musician Dave Peloquin. There will be a contemporary quilt exhibit, cider and doughnuts, and a tour of the timber frame barn at the Houses and Barns by John Libby barn on Route 136, True Road in Freeport. Lunch is brown bag.

Tickets are $35 and must be purchased in advance. These can be purchased online at www.freeporthistoricalsociety.org or by check (mail to 45 Main St., Freeport, ME 04032).

Visitors to the 38th annual Pettengill Farm Day will find juggling, docent-led tours of the historic saltbox house, apple cider and butter-making, sack races, oxen teams and much more. Robert Olsen will perform 19th-century magic in three half- hour shows at 11 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Will Silvers, an award-winning juggler, performs at 1. The accordion trio from Maine Squeeze will be strolling the fields throughout the day sharing their musical take on classic Americana tunes.

Presentations include:

• At 10 a.m., learn how to “read” the forest with A Forest Forensics Walk with forester Rene Noel.

• At 11:30 a.m., learn to Build a Hemlock Post Fence with Freeport local Nathan DesJardins, who will share the basics of making your own hemlock fence using basic hand tools and some sweat equity. He will be teaching the fundamentals of tree selection, tool sharpening, debarking posts using an ax, and digging and preparing post holes.

• At 1 p.m., Bees and Beekeeping will be discussed by Phil Gaven, owner of The Honey Exchange.

New this year is the Maine Quilt Heritage project, a project of the Pine Tree Quilters Guild. Since 1987, the guild has been documenting quilts statewide for the purpose of preserving quilt heritage. Bring your family quilt(s) for physical analysis and have it/them documented. To date, the guild has documented more than 2,600 quilts in Maine.

Families will enjoy the Storytelling Tent for children with readings by Kathy Koerber and other local educators. Local apples will be pressed at the antique cider press, and there will be rides in the horse-drawn hay wagon from Topsham’s Hideaway Farm. Also on hand will be steer teams from Thunder Hill Farm in Waterford, alpacas from the Upper Farm in Freeport, and barnyard animals from at Wolfe’s Neck Farm.

The expanded Master Trades and Women’s Skills Area will include dry stone wall building, spinning, slate carving, rug hooking, bee keeping, iron forging, sawyering, and more.

In the Kids Active Area, children can make and fly kites, try some hula-hooping, give their best shot at a bean-bag toss, eo-cache with L.L. Bean, or enter the sack races. Kids also can learn the simple chemistry behind making butter and then make some on their own. Youngsters are invited to try their hand at graffiti-making at the Maine Arts Workshop table.

There also will be docent-guided introductions to hatchels, niddy-noddies, swifts, and other equipment (including the more familiar spinning wheel), drawn from Freeport Historical Society collections, which will illustrate pre-industrial textile production.

Lunch and snacks are available from 11a.m.- 2 p.m.

Pettengill Farm is located 1.3 miles from the L.L.Bean flagship store in Freeport. From Main Street, turn right onto Bow Street which becomes Flying Point Road. Watch for right-hand turn onto Pettengill Road and bear right to proceed onto the property. On-site parking is free. Event donation is $5 for adults, $2 children.

Sponsors are Bath Savings Trust/ Bath Savings Institution, Coffee by Design, Sherman’s Stationary & Books, Freeport True Value Hardware and Island Treasure Toys.

For more information on both events, call 865-3170 or see www.freeporthistoricalsociety.org.

Play reading to highlight woman’s club meeting

The Freeport Woman’s Club will hold its first meeting of the 2013 – 14 season Friday, Sept. 20, at 1 p.m., at the meeting room of the Freeport Community Library. The program is a funny one-act play reading of “The Committee Meeting.” This play was originally directed by the late Barbara Jacks, who was a member of the club and the founder of Freeport Community Players. The reading will be directed by Sheri Bunting and performed by members of the Freeport Woman’s Club All are welcome.

‘Band Together for Community’ concert Sept. 24

The Pine Tree Coastal Winds, in a partnership with the Harraseeket Inn, will provide a community concert event entitled “Band Together for Community” to benefit Freeport Community Services, on Sept. 24, from 6-p.m., at the Harraseeket Inn, Main Street in Freeport. Light h’ors d’oeuvres will be provided by the inn. A cash bar is also available. Admission is free. All proceeds will benefit Freeport Community Services.

Pine Tree Coastal Winds, Freeport’s Community Band, has been delighting audiences for more than 10 years. It is made up of about 35 instrumentalists of all ages and abilities. Members of the band like to give back to the community, and Freeport Community Services, with its many programs to help neighbors in need, is a great organization to work with. Harraseeket Inn is providing the space and food for the event.

The band has partnered with the Harraseeket Inn before, most notably last Christmas, playing a holiday concert, also a Freeport Community Services benefit.

For more information about the concert, contact Sue Spalding, Jean Marie Currie or Melanie Sachs, executive director at Freeport Community Service, at msachs@fcsmaine.org or call 865-3985.

Community Services looking for volunteers

Freeport Community Services is seeking volunteers, particularly at the thrift shop. Those interested should call Debbie at 865-3985, ext. 206.

FCS offered these top five reasons to volunteer:

1. It makes you happy and healthier

2. It’s great for the community

3. It gives you the gift of many new friends

4. It saves resources

5. Volunteering is the best commitment you’ll ever love.

Comedy about a cat on stage in Freeport

There are two more weekends to catch the Freeport Players’ production of the comedy, “Indoor/Outdoor.” It runs through Sept. 29 at the Freeport Performing Arts Center, 30 Holbrook St. Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. The play, by Kenny Finkle, is about an indoor cat who longs for the wild outdoors.

Tickets are $15 at the door, or $10 in advance, available online at www.fcponline.org/tix.htm or at the Thrift Store at Freeport Community Center, 43 Depot St. For more information, see www.fcponline.org or call 865-2220.

Lioness-Lions Club making plans

The Freeport Lioness-Lions Club officers for the upcoming year, 2013-2014, are president, Holly Simard; vice president, Tina Snow; secretary, Cindi LaHaye; treasurer, Martha Daly; and membership, Dawn Connolly. The club meets the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at Oak Leaf Terrance.

The major fundraisers of the year are the Holiday Craft Fair, Nov. 23, at the Harraseeket Grange, and the annual variety show, to be held on March 29, 2014, at the Freeport Performing Arts Center. Funds earned from these projects are donated back to the community and sometimes surrounding communities through scholarships and to those that need help.

Club members also collect used eyeglasses, hearing aids and cell phones to be used for those who need them. There are collection boxes at several businesses around the area. Those with questions can contact any Lioness-Lion member or email fllclub@comcast.net.

Coastal Studies for Girls open house

Coastal Studies for Girls, 308 Wolfe’s Neck Road, will host an open house Friday, Oct. 4, from 3-5 p.m.

Coastal Studies for Girls is a science and leadership semester school dedicated to those with a love for learning and discovery, an adventurous spirit, and a desire for challenge. CSG’s Semester School offers a 16-week semester for 10th grade girls to live and learn in Maine. Summer programs extend the CSG experience to middle school girls, women and educators. For more information, see www.coastalstudiesforgirls.org.

Safety, fun at Fire Prevention Open House

A Fire Prevention Open House has been scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 9, from 5-7 p.m., at the Public Safety Building. Participating agencies include Parkview and MidCoast hospitals, the Poison Control Center, railroad police, Maine Gas, Freeport Rotary, Maine Public Safety Pipe & Drums, Freeport Hardware, Freeport Masonic Lodge and the Freeport Fire Auxiliary. Taylor Made Smoke will be offering a barbecue to participants, with proceeds going toward the Explorer program.

The Freeport police will be present with their new K-9 officer and child car seat safety display. There will also be a food drive to support the Community Center Food Pantry, as well as interactive activities for all ages.