Yawkey, a 13-year-old chocolate Labrador, accompanies Brooklyn Stevens, 7, on an autumn walk. The family plans to submit a photo of Yawkey to enter the Recreation Department’s Pet Mayor fundraiser contest. Courtesy / Nichole Stevens

Pet Mayor fundraiser

Your critter may become famous.

The Pet Mayor of New Gloucester is a fundraiser for the Recreation Scholarship Fund. Households can register as many of their family pets as they wish into the random drawing for the prestigious honor of becoming the 2021 Pet Mayor of New Gloucester. Note that there is a limitation of one registration per pet.

Registration closes on Dec. 15 and the drawing for the winner is Dec. 18. The duties of the Pet Mayor are simply to be available for public appearances at special events with the Recreation Department and not be camera shy.

Organizers request a minimum donation of $5 per pet registered. To register, go to ngrecreation.com/content/22257/Pet-Mayor-. Once registered, email each pet’s photo with their name to mrocheleau@newgloucester.com. Only New Gloucester residents are permitted to participate.

Curbside bean supper

A bean supper hosted by Amvets Post 6, 1095 Lewiston Road, will be by curbside service only from 5-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21. Patrons need not exit their vehicles. Each meal includes a red hot dog, two types of homemade beans, coleslaw, American chop suey, biscuit, brown bread and apple pie for $8 per person. Call 210-5630 to order in advance.

Butter making

Learn how the crew at Pineland Farms churns their dairy cows’ milk into butter from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24. This family education program visits barns at the Valley Farm where participants help out during the butter-making process.

The program is open to all ages and costs $6 per person. Ages 2 and under are free. Go to shop.pinelandfarms.org/collections/all-classes-events for tickets.

Note that educator-led activities require all participants to wear masks. Be prepared to be outside for the entirety of the program. Group sizes are limited.

This program meets at the Education Barn in the Family Farmyard, 110b Valley Farm Road. Call the Education Department at 650-3031 with any questions or email them at education@pinelandfarms.org.

Honoring Casco Bay CAN

Casco Bay CAN (Create Awareness Now), a coalition of members representing all 12 drug-free community sectors, has earned national recognition for their work to reduce substance use in young people. The coalition with an office on the Pineland Campus serves Cumberland, Falmouth, Freeport, Gray, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, Yarmouth and Pownal.

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America recognized Casco Bay CAN in October as one of the top 10 case studies nationwide for successful strategies to reduce substance use in young people.

“Casco Bay CAN has become a leading resource for community organizations and agencies that look to us for guidance, training and materials to support their youth substance use prevention efforts,” said Beth Blakeman-Pohl, Casco Bay CAN’s program director. “We work to educate and empower adults that influence youth and they have consistently stepped up to participate. Our coalition is so proud to receive this recognition.”

“We chose the best-of-the-best coalitions for our case studies,” said Chris Doarn, public policy manager for CADCA. “Members of Casco Bay CAN should feel a tremendous sense of honor and pride in their coalition’s selection as a case study. CADCA thanks them for their outstanding work.”

Patti Mikkelsen can be contacted at mikks@maine.rr.com.