‘Radio Hour’ in rehearsal

“The WFCP Home Time Radio Hour” will be on stage at the Freeport Performing Arts Center, Holbrook Street, Dec. 6-8. Shows are Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and a Sunday matinee at 2.

This special 10th edition of “Radio” will include great music of the 1940s, ’50s and early ‘60s, from smooth crooning and torch singing to blues and rock ‘n’ roll.

Homegrown comedy keeps the laughs going with the return of Joe Tanner, Marshall Barnett, Rocket Space Quest and other sketches that will appeal to all ages.

The Swingtones return with commercial jingles, and the legendary sound effects ladies are ready with even more clever “found sounds” from the Foley table.

Discount tickets are available in advance at the Freeport Community ServicesThrift store or online at www.fcponline.org.

Holiday crafts at Bessie’s

Bessie’s Farm Goods is having its annual Holiday Craft Sale Saturday, Nov. 30 and Sunday, Dec. 1, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The owners say the store will be “bursting at the seams with beautiful handmade items,” pottery, weaving, knitting, greens, books, children’s items, and more.

Bottle drive for boosters

The Freeport High School Basketball Boosters will be holding a bottle drive on Saturday, Nov. 30, from 9 a.m.-noon. If you are not going to be home, you can still donate your bottles and cans. Leave the bags at the end of your driveway and someone will pick them up. Residents can also drop them at the Redemption Center on Route 136. Be sure to mention that they are for FHS Basketball Boosters.

Wolfe’s Neck Farm hosts kids’ programs

Families with preschool-aged children are invited to Wolfe’s Neck Farm for the Morning program, Thursdays from 8:30-9:30 a.m., at the farm, 184 Burnett Road in Freeport. Participants can meet the farm’s educators in the barn to learn about and interact with the animals. The group will venture out into the pastures and visit the Discovery Garden, where children will have an opportunity to learn, play, touch, smell and taste. Cost for the drop-in program is $5.

The farm is also hosting a holiday tradition for children, the Night Tree event, Saturday, Dec. 7, inspired by Eve Bunting’s book, “Night Tree.” Her story is about a family that feeds the forest animals by making decorations for a special tree. Each hour during the day, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., the story will be read and then participants can decorate pinecones with birdseed and string popcorn, dried fruit and cranberries. The group then takes a short hike on the trails to leave the treats for the animals. This event costs $5 per person ages 2 and older.

For more information, see www.wolfesneckfarm.org.

Shopping bag sales benefit food pantry

Freeport USA and Freeport businesses have teamed together to offer a reusable tote bag for sale. The tote is available for $5 and all proceeds benefit the Freeport Community Services Food Pantry. Twenty-four participating businesses are listed on the bag. Those who bring the bag in to the merchants can save 10 percent from Nov. 30-Dec. 31. For more information and to purchase a bag, visit http://www.freeportusa.com/latest-news/freeport-10-bag/.

Club seeks grant recipient

The Freeport Woman’s Club is looking for a candidate for its 2013 Step Up Grant, a $1,000 gift for a woman 21 or older from Freeport or Pownal who is seeking occupational training and has financial need. Criteria for selection of the applicant are based upon financial need, clarity of goals, educational program and references.

For questions and further information, call Virginia Boyles at 865-3973.

Volunteers needed for reading program

Freeport Community Services is seeking volunteers to read to children in day care programs. Volunteers will need to be able to drive to a nearby day care location and spend 45 minutes once a week reading to young children who will benefit from and enjoy the experience, as do the readers. For more information, call Virginia Boyles at 865-3973 or Deb Dagget at 865-3985, ext. 206.

Birds of prey topic of program

Freeport Community Library will host a program on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m., presented by Wind Over Wings, a nonprofit education service featuring birds unable to survive in the wild. Each bird is an individual and each has a story. The program will feature the golden eagle, the saw-whet, the red-tailed hawk, and a little falcon, the American kestrel.

Library to host Alzheimer’s workshop

“Know the 10 Signs: Early Detection Matters,” a workshop presented by the Alzheimer’s Association, has been scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 3, from noon-1 p.m. at the Freeport Community Library, 10 Library Drive. The interactive workshop featuring video clips of people with Alzheimer’s is meant to give a better understanding of the difference between age-related memory loss and dementia, and what to do if you or someone you know is experiencing signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Early detection of Alzheimer’s gives people a chance to begin drug therapy, enroll in clinical studies and plan for the future.

For more information, see www.freeportlibrary.com or call 865-3307.

Mystery writer to speak

Maine mystery writer Kieran Shields will talk and sign books on Monday, Dec. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the Freeport Community Library.

Shields grew up in Portland. His first novel, “The Truth of All Things,” was published by Crown in 2012. This was followed by the sequel, “A Study in Revenge” in January 2013. His crime series is set in Portland during the late 1800s. Copies of both books will be available for purchase and signing, and light refreshments will be served.

For more details see www.freeportlibrary.com or call 865-3307.

Public hearing Dec. 3

A reminder: A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 6:30 p.m., in the Council Chambers at the Freeport Town Hall to discuss the Regional School Unit 5 withdrawal article on the Dec. 17 ballot.

Absentee ballots are now available at the Town Clerk’s Office, for the Dec. 17 special election. The polls will be open that day from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. in the Town Hall Council Chambers. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Thursday, Dec. 12, at 6 p.m. For more information on absentee voting, contact the Town Clerk at 865-4743, ext.123.

FHS silent auction ends Dec. 6

The Freeport High School senior class is holding an online silent auction through Dec. 6 to raise funds for their Project Graduation in June 2014. Families, local businesses and individual students have contributed items such as a week at a vacation home in Nicaragua, an afternoon of sailing on the Harraseeket River, babysitting around the holidays, and four hours of yard work performed by members of the class.

All of the budget for Project Graduation is earned by senior class members, with assistance from their parents. Project Graduation is designed to help graduating seniors stay off the roads and stay safe after they receive their diplomas. To place bids, go to www.fhsprojectgraduation2014.com. For more information call Leigh Fisher at 207-838-2070.

Nominate the Citizen of the Year

Each year Freeport presents a Citizen of the Year Award to honor those who have contributed substantively to the quality of the town, the well-being of the residents and the reputation of Freeport.

The Freeport Town Council Special Projects Committee collects nominations yearly for the award. Deadline for nominations for the 2013 Citizen of the Year is Dec. 5, 2013. Nomination forms are available at the town office and are available at www.freeportmaine.com.

Upcoming meetings

Board of Appeals, Dec. 2, 7 p.m., Town Council Chambers

Library Board of Trustees, Dec. 2, 7 p.m., Freeport Community Library

Municipal Facilities, Dec. 3, 5:30 p.m., Town Hall

Town Council, Dec. 3, 6:30 p.m., Town Council Chambers

Planning Board, Dec. 4, 6:00 p.m., Town Council Chambers

Train Safety Committee, Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m., Town Hall

Technicians from Davey Tree are shown at work installing the L.L. Bean Northern Lights Christmas Tree lights last season – a scene that was recently repeated just before the tree-lighting ceremony last Friday launched the retailer’s seasonal free events. The celebration includes horse-drawn wagon rides, live performances, light displays, sled dogs and more. The celebration culminates in a New Year’s Eve fireworks display. For more information, visit llbean.com/northernlights.The Freeport High School Interact Service club students are working hard on the Moonlight Madness walk-run benefit event on Thanksgiving night. Dede Bennell, service learning coordinator at Freeport High, reports that local sponsors include Gritty’s, Olympia Sports, Lindt Chocolate, The Wishful Moon, Buck’s Naked BBQ, Dairy Queen and Cool As a Moose.