Dine and dance

On Saturday, Oct. 17, Windham Veterans Association will hold an evening of dining and dancing at the veterans center. A spaghetti dinner will be served from 5-6:30 p.m., followed by dancing to the music of Gloria Jean and her band from 7-11 p.m. This is a BYOB event. Mixers will be available at an extra cost. Additionally there will be a silent auction from 4:30-6 p.m. with a homemade pie auction at 6 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door. Dinner is $8, (under age 12, free), dinner and dance combo, $15; dance only, $10. For more information call Dick at 310-0390. This is a fundraiser to maintain the veterans center facility.

Halloween adventure

On Friday, Oct. 23, a Halloween Party will be held at Manchester School cafeteria, from 7-8 p.m. Call 892-1905 to register by Friday, Oct. 16. Candy hunts will be held at 7 p.m. for preschoolers and kindergarten; grades 1-3 will be held at 7:30 p.m. Bring a flashlight as the hunt will be outside; if it rains, it will be in the gym. There will be games, prizes, refreshment and music provided by DJ Kid Corey of DeepDJ.com. The party is free but children are asked to bring a non-perishable food item for the Food Pantry. The Halloween Party is hosted by the Friends of the Windham Public Library and the Parks & Recreation Department.

Hunter’s breakfast

All hunters are invited to start the season off with a bang by enjoying a fresh-cooked breakfast by the Windham Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10643, on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 4-8 a.m. at the Windham Veterans Center. Non-hunters are also welcome. The menu includes pancakes, sausage, eggs and coffee. Proceeds will go directly to help veterans and their families. All veterans will be admitted free of charge; others pay just $7. Veterans with DD214s who join the VFW will have their first year’s dues paid in full. Immediately following, there will be a drawing for two VFW prizes – a $200 gift certificate to DiMillo’s Floating Restaurant, and a second prize for a $100 gift certificate to any Hannaford Supermarket. $10 tickets for the drawing may be purchased at the breakfast.

Electronic recycling

On Saturday, Oct. 17, Windham Hill Church will hold an electronic waste recycling event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Windham Mall. Enter on Veterans’ Memorial Drive, off Route 302 next to Friendly’s. All towns are welcome. The following items can be recycled: television sets, all sizes; computers, monitors, hard drives, laptops, printers; cordless phones, cell phones, VCR, DVD, audio equipment, stereos, speakers. No household appliances (stoves, refrigerators, microwaves or vacuum cleaners). This event is sponsored by the church and EWaste Recycling Solutions. Questions? Contact Phyllis 232-8291 or Judy 653-5989. This is a fundraising event for Windham Hill United Church of Christ. All monetary donations are used to cover cost of organizing the event and to fund support of local missions for the community.

Tricky Britches

On Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m., Music with a Mission will present “Tricky Britches, a favorite bluegrass group from southern Maine. Tickets will be sold at the door and are $12 for adults and $10 for students, children, and seniors. Tickets are also available in advance online at www.mwamconcerts.com. The box office opens at 6 p.m. and the doors will open at 6:30. The North Windham Union Church is located at 723 Roosevelt Trail in Windham. For more information, call 892-7149 or email MWAMconcerts@gmail.com.

At the library

Celebrate Teen Read Week! See www.windham.lib.me.us/teens for more events.

Monday, Oct. 19, 10:30 a.m., Story Time

Tuesday, Oct. 20, 10:15 a.m., Books & Babies; 1 p.m., Afternoon Knitting Group; 2:15 p.m., Tweens & Teens Scavenger Hunt

Thursday, Oct. 22, 10:30 a.m., Story Time; 1 p.m., Movie Time for Adults (Spare Parts), 2 p.m., Tweens & Teens craft (Edible Books)

Friday, Oct. 23, off site – 7 p.m., Halloween Adventure

Saturday, Oct. 24, 10:30 a.m., Family Story Time (Old Fashioned Fun theme)

For more information about any of these or other events at the library, contact the library (892-1908) or go to http://www.windham.lib.me.us/calendar.

Cabaret Fall Feast & Fun

On Saturday, Oct. 24, Faith Lutheran Church’s sixth annual Cabaret Fall Feast & Fun will be held at 5 p.m., at the church, 988 Roosevelt Trail. Dinner and music will follow. Eighty tickets are available – adults $15, children $10. Reservations are required. Call 648-4329 or 829-9158.

Clothes Closet update

The leaves are changing and so is the selection of gently used clothes at your local clothes closet located at the Human Services building on Route 202 next to the public safety building. It’s time to think about getting clothes for fall and winter and now is the time to come in and see what is available. There are items of clothing from infants to adults, including shoes. Need warmer clothing for those students? Drop in on Monday or Tuesday from 10 a.m. to noon, or call to arrange a time 892-1931. You do not have to be a resident of Windham to avail yourself of the benefits of visiting the closet. And everything is free!

Help for veterans

On Wednesday, Oct. 28, Veterans Service Officer, Matt Haley, will be at the Windham Veterans Center to answer questions and assist veterans and their dependents. You do not need an appointment. Hours are from 9 a.m. until noon. He can also be reached at his new office location near the Portland Airport, 151 Jetport Blvd., Room 138W, or call 822-2391 or go to www.Portland.MaineBVS@ maine.gov.

Tips from Grandmother Extraordinaire

When you have adjustable waist pants for the kids and the elastic slides into the waistband well all you need is a small size crochet hook and voila, you can fish it out. Take my word, this works. Do you have Velcro that no longer holds because the Velcro is covered in hair, etc.? All you need is a cat brush with stainless steel pins (regular cat brush) and you just brush the Velcro and it will take all that debris off the Velcro and now it will hold!

Help for veterans

On Wednesday, Oct. 28, Veterans Service Officer, Matt Haley, will be at the Windham Veterans Center to answer questions and assist veterans and their dependents. You do not need an appointment. Hours are from 9 a.m. until noon. He can also be reached at his new office location near the Portland Airport, 151 Jetport Blvd., Room 138W, or call 822-2391 or go to www.Portland.MaineBVS@ maine.gov.

Senior trip

If you plan to go to the lunch and concert at Stone Mountain Arts Center in Brownfield on Wednesday, Nov. 4, the deadline for signup and payment is Wednesday, Oct. 21. Cost is $39 per person and includes transportation from Windham Park & Ride. For details, call Windham Parks & Rec at 892-1905.

Changing Medicare

On Tuesday, Oct 20, SMAA offers a “Welcome to Medicare” seminar at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church at 919 Roosevelt Trail, Windham, from 10 a.m. until noon. In addition to the Medicare seminar, there will be one-on-one counseling with volunteer Medicare advocates available from 9 a.m. to noon every Tuesday from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, the Medicare Open Enrollment Period. The enrollment period is your chance to find out about your lowest cost options for 2016 and perhaps change your Medicare Drug Plan or Medicare Advantage Plan. Call the Southern Maine Agency on Aging to register for the upcoming seminars or to make one-on-one appointments with Medicare Advocates at 396-6500 or 1-800-427-7411. Seminar walk-ins can usually be accommodated. Visit the website at www.smaaa.org to learn more about the many other services that are available.

Cancer Support Group

Windham Cancer Support Group meets on the last Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Windham Public Library, 217 Windham Center Road. On Oct. 28, the guest will be Chris Chapman, who explains and demonstrates Laughter Yoga. WCSG is primarily a support group but this technique may benefit others. All are welcome.

Save the date

On Wednesday, Oct. 28, Good Shepherd Food Mobile will be at Windham Food Pantry from 10-11:30 a.m. (while supplies last). For more information, call 892-1931.

Lakes Region Senior Center

Lakes Region Senior Center is a drop-in meeting place located at Little Falls Activity Center, 40 Acorn St., Gorham. It’s open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for coffee, tea, socializing, puzzle table, bocce ball or another activity. Mahjong is played on Monday, crafts, poker, card and table games on Tuesday; a memoir writing group meets on the second and fourth Wednesday each month (call David at 892-5604); Bingo starts at 10 a.m. on Thursdays. An art workshop begins at 10:30 a.m. on Friday (call Lisette, 892-8014).

On Monday, Oct. 19, at 11:30 a.m., a chowder luncheon (chili, corn or fish chowder), beverage, cider and apple crisp will be served. Open to the public. Bring a friend and enjoy a homemade lunch. Suggested donation, $5.

On Monday, Oct. 26, from 10-11:30 a.m., a flu vaccine clinic will be held. Please bring your Medicare insurance card. If you have private insurance coverage, be sure to ask if they cover the flu vaccine. If you have no insurance, or the flu vaccine is not covered, the cost will be $31.99. The public is welcome. The clinic is provided by Walgreen Pharmacy. For more information, call Blanche at 892-5604.