Guide dog program at Woman’s Club

The Freeport Woman’s Club will meet at 1 p.m., Friday, Jan. 17, in the meeting room of the Freeport Community Library. Guest speaker Kathleen Hayward will present a program about training puppies to become guide dogs for the blind. She will be accompanied by a puppy or two. Those attending are asked to bring a donation of dog or cat food for this event.

On Dec. 13, members of the Woman’s Club visited Portland’s Victoria Mansion. The mansion is described as “the finest example of pre-Civil War in America, extravagantly decorated for the holidays by local designers.” After the tour, the group enjoyed a buffet lunch at Ricetta’s in Falmouth.

Freeport Players annual meeting

Freeport Players is now launching its 25th year. All are invited to its annual meeting, Thursday, Jan. 16, at the Freeport Community Center, Depot Street. Arrive at 6:30 p.m. to enjoy a pot-uck meal (bring something to share) and meet others who enjoy theater and community. New board members and officers will be elected, and some highlights and plans for the Players’ 25th year celebrations will be introduced. A short “theatrical entertainment” follows. All are invited.

High-schoolers enter poetry competition

Freeport Community Library will co-sponsor Freeport High School’s participation in Poetry Out Loud, on Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m., at the Freeport library. Poetry Out Loud is a national poetry recitation competition where a winner is selected through an evaluation process that begins in the classroom and moves to the state level. One state champion is selected to compete in Washington, D.C., for scholarship prizes. Students prepare poems to recite from memory, performing them and utilizing mainly their voices to convey meaning and mood, but also gestures and gazes. Simon Skold is the faculty leader of this event.

Thanks for tree sales

The Freeport Rotary Club and Freeport Fire Co. extend their thanks all who purchased a Christmas tree or wreath this holiday season. The support directly benefits the communities of Freeport, Pownal and Durham.

Author reading at library

Freeport Community Library will present a book reading by Freeport author Gar Roper, Monday, Jan. 13, at 6:30 p.m. The evening will include a dramatic reading of several excerpts from his recent novel, “Tales of the Traveler, The Journal of Dr. Wilfred Farquhar From the Year 1888.” Roper, who also works with his wife Betsy on the Freeport town column for the Tri-Town Weekly, will present a brief retrospective reading of several of his poems from the last 50 years. He will also give a sneak preview of his soon-to-be-released detective novel, “Deadly Hypocrisy: Brenda Should Have Died.”

New members are always welcome. For information, call Anne Treadwell at 647-8313.

Grant to fund school recycling efforts

Freeport High School has received $700 from ecomaine, the recycling and waste-to-energy operation based in Portland, to buy recycling bins, a composter and to create signage for the school encouraging participation in sustainability programs.

“Congratulations to the Freeport High School students and their advisers,” Rodney Regier, ecomaine board member who represents Freeport on the agency’s governing body, said in a press release. “Recycling is a substantial financial and ethical benefit for our community.”

Freeport High School represents one of 12 schools that will receive the grant money from ecomaine, which processes Freeport’s municipal solid waste and recycling materials.

“This is a way for us to help teach students about recycling and why it’s important,” ecomaine Recycling Committee Chairwoman Susan McGinty, who also chaired the committee that evaluated the grant applications and awarded the funding, said in the release. “These grants represent a means of encouraging recycling and sustainability within our communities. All of the students who benefit from these grant dollars will carry what they have learned with them out into their communities. This isn’t just about being green, this is about the bottom line; every resource we can reduce, reuse or recycle is a resource we don’t have to buy. That’s just common sense.”

Seminar at Seventh-day Adventist Church

A conflict resolution seminar will be presented on two Saturdays, Jan. 4 and 18, from 10 a.m,-4 p.m., at the Freeport Seventh-day Adventist Church, 63 Pownal Road. Charles Brown, president of Adventist Reconciliation Ministries and nationally recognized professional conflict mediator and seminar facilitator, will present. The topics would be applicable to anyone experiencing relational conflict in their family, workplace or social network. Lunch will be provided. Pre-registration is required by calling Collette Pekar at 729-2607. A free-will offering will be taken to cover materials.

Busy month at library

Toddlers through pre-schoolers will enjoy Sammie Haynes at the Freeport Community Library on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 10:30 a.m. She will have children swaying, clapping and singing. Children’s yoga will take place on Jan. 2 and Feb. 6 at 10:15 a.m. Freeport Yoga Co. will hold classes for preschoolers and moms.

A free family movie, “Teen Beach Movie,” rated PG, will be shown on Friday, Jan. 3 at 1 p.m. A free after-school movie for grades 6-8 will be shown on Thursday, Jan. 9, at 2:20 p.m. “Sea of Monsters” is rated PG. Free popcorn is included. On Feb. 13, “Pitch Perfect,” rated PG-13, will be shown. Students need a signed permission slip for PG-13 movies. Slips are available at the children’s desk.

Armchair travel series returns

Last year eager “armchair travelers” enjoyed biking through Puglia, barging through France, and coasting off Newfoundland in the warmth and comfort of the Freeport Community Library meeting room.

This winter, several community members have again agreed to share photos and travelogues of their adventures abroad.

The itinerary for the 2014 Winter Armchair Travel season, starting at 6:30 p.m., includes:

Wednesday, Jan. 8, visit James Herriot’s Yorkshire Dales with British transplant Jamie Pearson.

Wednesday, Jan. 22 visit ancient and vibrant Croatia with Sally Walsh.

Wednesday, Feb. 5 visit the Great Wall, old Beijing and the Forbidden City with Andrew Finnegan.

Wednesday, Feb. 19, visit Yellowstone National Park, with professional photographer Jonathan Strout.

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

Holiday recycling at transfer station

The Freeport Transfer Station will be open regular hours on all days other than Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. Recyclables include gift wrap (not foil), gift bags, tissue paper, greeting cards, corrugated cardboard, strings of lights, 1-7 plastic, glass.

Materials not for recycling include foil gift wrap, ribbon, bow, tinsel, packing peanuts, ceramic dishes, Styrofoam.

Old computers or can be brought to the transfer station. These items are not permissible in the Swap Shop, however, even if they still function. Fees are: TV (any size) and computer monitors, $6; computer tower, laptop, $5; keyboard, $1. After the holidays, unwanted items can be donated to a charity such as Freeport Community Services, Salvation Army, Goodwill or they can be dropped off at the Transfer Station Swap Shop.

Parking ban reminder

Parking is prohibited on all town streets from 11 p.m.-7 a.m. through April 15.

Upcoming meetings

Freeport Board of Appeals, Monday, Jan. 6, 7 p.m., Town Council Chambers.

Library Board of Trustees, Monday, Jan. 6, 7 p.m., Freeport Community Library.

Freeport Town Council, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 6:30 p.m., Town Council Chambers.

Freeport Project Review Board, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 6 p.m., Town Council Chambers.

Freeport Coastal Waters Commission, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 6 p.m., Freeport Community Center.

Members of Freeport Woman’s Club at Victoria Mansion in Portland.