Veterans Appreciation Day

Veterans Appreciation Day at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester will be held from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25. This free event is for all veterans and their families to participate in cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, skating, day-use of the YMCA, trolley bus tours of the barns and creamery, and a free cookout for lunch.

Group beginner classic ski instruction will be offered at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Equipment is available for a two-hour timeframe on a first-come, first-served basis. Because supplies are limited, participants are asked to bring their own equipment, if possible.

In case of extreme inclement weather, the event will be postponed to Sunday, Jan. 26. Veterans and their families must register on the day of the event at the VAST registration table located in the Pineland Farms Market. Visit pinelandfarms.org/vast, or call 310-8694, for more information.

How is Paper Made?

Learn about trees and the products made from them at a Pineland Farms’ family education program. Participants will handcraft paper with materials from the natural environment at Natural Paper Making, from 10-11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 28. The class is repeated on Wednesday, Feb. 5, from 10-11:30 a.m.

This program is open to those ages 3 and up. Buy tickets at The Market and Welcome Center, 15 Farm View Drive, New Gloucester, for $5 per person.

One Woman Band

Creative, powerful and talented Audrey Ryan is a “one-man band” multi-instrumentalist, using electric guitar, accordion, ukulele, banjo, vibraphone, glockenspiel, drums and a loop station. She brings her creative energy and wide ranging musical talents to the New Gloucester Village Coffee House on Saturday, Feb. 1, at 7:30 p.m.

The concert will take place at the Vestry Community Room of the First Congregational Church, 19 Gloucester Hill Road, New Gloucester. Tickets will be available at the door, $10 per person. For more information about the concert, call 926-3260 or 653-6151. For more information on the performer, see audreyryan.org.

Cabin Fever Book and Bake Sale

Get out of the house and to the Cabin Fever Book and Bake Sale at the New Gloucester Public Library, 379 Intervale Road, on Saturday, Feb. 8, from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. The snow date is Saturday, Feb. 15, from 8 a.m.-12 p.m.

In addition to a large assortment of adult and children’s books, there will be CDs, DVDs, puzzles, games and home-baked goods on sale, at affordable prices. The Cabin Fever Sale is a one-stop shopping event to stock up for February school vacation break, or to help you endure the remainder of winter. Call 926-4840 for more information.

Backpack Club Comes to SAD 15

An exciting, new charitable program has been created to help support students in our local schools who are in need of food assistance.

Donna Skilling, an educational technician at Memorial School, saw a need in our district and began planning for a food pantry last spring. With the help of a generous donation from the Patriot Parents, and with the support of Katie Paul, assistant principal at Russell and Memorial Schools, the Backpack Club is now up and running.

Each week, food is purchased by local volunteers at the Good Shepherd Food Bank and delivered to the high school, where Gray-New Gloucester Community Service Club members pack bags to be sent home with students. Those who would like to help support this program can send donations to the Patriot Parents, 12 Campbell Shore Road, Gray, Maine 04039.

From left, Kathleen Potter and Penny Hilton gather signatures on a recall ordinance petition at the New Gloucester transfer station on Jan. 18. At present, the town does not have a mechanism by which elected officials can be recalled. A group consisting of about a dozen New Gloucester residents, known as Citizens for a Caring Community, has drafted an ordinance for placement on an upcoming town meeting warrant. A spokesperson from CCC said that the group is well over halfway to its goal of obtaining 300 signatures.