Writing and publishing award

Rhiannon Pelletier has received the SJC Writing and Publishing Award. At age 20, Rhiannon will be graduating from Saint Joseph’s College this year with a degree in writing and publishing with a minor in business administration. She will be doing an internship at Idexx this summer in the public relations/communications department. She also is a principal dancer for Maine State Ballet as well as an instructor at CenterStage Performing Arts.

Raymond Library News

• Lego Club

Students ages 6 and up are invited to join the monthly LEGO club, which meets the first Wednesday of each month from 3:30-4:30 pm. We supply the space and Legos. Kids just need to bring their ideas and imaginations.

• Story Acting Program for Children

Paddy Lynn has traveled to six cities, including Mexico City, presenting story acting to more than 3,500 children. On Wednesday, May 18, she will be in Raymond at the Public Safety Building from 3-4 p.m. Paddy uses story acting to tell her tales. Children serve as actors and provide sound effects. She provides the costumes and acts as director. The program, especially for children in preschool through third grade, includes: Follow the Wind, Stone Soup and Two Bear Cubs. This free program is sponsored by the Raymond Village Library and funded by Engineered Construction Services.

• Make and Take Craft

Make and Take Craft time for children is held on the third Wednesday of each month, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Children will create an easy-to- do craft to take home wih them. The program is geared for ages 5 through 8.

•Lawyer at the Library

Attorney Miklos Pongratz will be at the library from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 19, to meet with people on a drop-in basis to answer legal questions and provide pro-bono advice.

• Maine Author Series – Lily King

New England Book Award winner Lily King of Yarmouth will be the first speaker in the library’s Maine Author Series this year. She is the author of the best-selling “Euphoria,” a novel set between two World Wars and inspired by events in the life of revolutionary anthropologist Margaret Mead. It is an enthralling story of passion, possession, exploration and sacrifice. Books will be available for purchase and signing, and light refreshments will be served. Please pre-register for the program, which will be held at 6:30 p.m Wednesday, May 25, by calling the library at 655-4283 or email sally.holt@raymondvillagelibrary.org. The program is funded by Innovative Distribution Services.

The second program of the Maine Author Series features John Ford, former Maine game warden and author of “Suddenly, the Cider Didn’t Taste So Good,” “This Cider Still Tastes Funny” and his newest book, “Deer Tales,” and Mark Nickerson, former state trooper and author of “Blue Lights in the Night” and his latest, “Behind the Blue Lights,” a look at the emotional side of police work. The program will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 1. Please call or email to reserve a space.

Kevin Hancock will discuss “Not For Sale: Finding Center in the Land of Crazy Horse” at the third Maine Author Series program. The memoir traces one businessman’s journey deep into Indian country and even deeper into his own soul. In a corporate world hallmarked by the never-ending quest for bigger, better, and more, this CEO of one of America’s oldest family businesses contemplates an organizational structure where the goal is to do less, not more. This discussion will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 15. Call or email for reservations.

• Book Group

Bill Bryson’s “The Lost Continent: Travels in Small Town America” was chosen for May. As soon as the author was old enough, he left Des Moines. The city couldn’t hold him, but it did call him back. After many years living in England, he returns to America and embarks on a trip of almost 14,000 miles in search of a mythical small town called Amalgam, the kind of place where the films of his youth were set. Instead, his search leads him to Anywhere, U.S.A.: a lookalike strip of gas stations, motels and hamburger outlets populated by lookalike people in polyester. Traveling around 38 of the lower states, Bryson discovers he has become a stranger in his own land, a land seemingly lost to itself blighted by greed, pollution, mobile homes and television. All readers are invited to join in the discussion of the book at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 26.

Raymond brochure coming soon

The 2016 Welcome to Raymond Brochure has again been well received by many Raymond businesses who have already renewed ads. The Raymond Revitalization Committee and project coordinator Ellie Stengel of Custom Designed Graphics appreciate the continued support and involvement. The project is expected to be finalized and move into final production this month.

Expanded distribution this year will include some Maine Tourism Association Information Centers. Text updates will include information about Raymond waterways and will further promote Raymond as a year-round community. An overall format change is anticipated depending on final ad sales.

Ad sales, business and children’s camps listings will be wrapping up soon. If you have not been contacted and would like to participate, contact Ellie Stengel no later than May 13 at 892-5994 or by email, cdg1@fairpoint.net. If you do not have a storefront business or are simply a resident but would like to support the project, sponsors are welcome.

Fundraising for nationals

Project Dance, the repertory team at Raymond’s CenterStage Dance studio, is holding several fundraisers to pay for lodging at the Dancers Inc. Nationals in Cape Cod this summer. To meet their goal of $5,000, the following events have been planned:

Lobster Bake Raffle – Includes: 20 pound-and-a-quarter lobsters, 15 pounds of steamers (cooked or live to go), baked potato, cole slaw, dinner rolls/butter, drawn butter, lobster bibs, picks and wetnaps. Prepared by The Naples Lobster Pound, 171 Roosevelt Trail, Naples, 693-6580. Drawing held at the June 4th recital. You do not need to be present to win.

Zumbathon – May 15 at the Casco Community Center (next to town hall) 10 a.m.-noon. Cost is $10. There will be several different instructors teaching. Come for a few numbers or the full two hours.

Psychic Medium – Come have dinner and spend some time with psychic medium Sonny Robinson at Spire 29 in Gorham May 21. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with dinner served at 7 p.m. Ticket prices include light appetizers and dinner catered by Lake Region Caterers. There will be a cash bar. Contact Beth Gaudet ategaudet@maine.rr.com for tickets or call 807-7405. Dinner will include baked stuffed chicken with spinach, artichoke and roasted tomato in a pesto cream sauce; chef-carved prime rib with horseradish cream; roasted spring vegetables; garlic chive twice-baked potatoes; Lake Region Caterers House Salad with mixed greens, shredded carrots, cucumbers, grape tomatoes tossed with House Maple Dijon Balsamic Vinaigrette; artisan breads and butter; pecan pie bread pudding with fresh vanilla whipped cream and coffee. Robinson will begin his readings at 8 p.m. and end at 9:30 p.m. You also may book private readings. View his work on youtu.be/ONA_hL__ALw.

Electronic recycling

Do you have old and outdated electronics that need disposal? Bring them to theWindham Mall on Saturday, May 7, starting at 9 a.m. Items to be recycled includeTVs of all sizes, computers and monitors, hard drives, laptops, printers, cordless phones, cell phones, VCRs, stereos and speakers. No household appliances will be accepted.

Tag Line: Rhiannon Pelletier received the Saint Joseph’s College Writing and Publishing Award for the graduating class of 2016.