American Legion news

American Legion Post 86 Clean Up Day is at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 15, at 15 Lewiston Road. All members of the Post 86 family are encouraged to help the building and grounds shine. Post 86 will not be open that day until the work is done. There will be a barbeque and door prizes for volunteers. Bring rakes, brooms, leaf blowers and wheelbarrows; there will be work to do both inside and outside.

The 2021 elections will be held from 3-6 p.m. Thursday, May 20, for Post 86 American Legion and Sons of the American Legion members.

Nominate a volunteer

Reminder: This year’s nomination deadline for Gray’s 2020 Volunteer Awards has been extended to Monday, May 24, at noon. Nomination forms are also at graymaine.org/nominate or at the Town Office. The categories are: Committee of the Year, Organization of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, Evelyn Morrill Durgin Award.

Request for bids

The town of Gray is seeking bids to build a playground for ages 5-12 to be installed in a 50-by-40-foot, 2,000-square-foot area. Sealed bids marked “Community Playground Proposal” must be submitted to Gray Municipal Office by 10 a.m. June 3 when the bids will be opened and read aloud. See graymaine.org for specifics.

Maine Wildlife Park

The Maine Wildlife Park, 56 Game Farm Road, is open by reservation only. Reserve an arrival time by visiting mainewildlifepark.com or join a series of virtual field trips to the park. Each presentation is streamed live and recorded to view later.

• Bird Adaptations: 10:30 a.m. May 21. Learn what makes birds in Maine so special.

• Terrific Turtles of Maine: 10:30 a.m. May 28. Warm weather prompts turtles to come out of ponds to lay eggs. Learn about their shells and some species that live in Maine.

Blueberry Festival

“Made in Maine” crafters, artists and Gray-New Gloucester school and community groups are wanted for the annual Gray Blueberry Festival. Celebrating Gray community and culture, this year’s event will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 14, rain or shine at Henry Pennell Municipal Complex, 24 Main St.

Applications for vendor space are accessible by downloading the form from graymaine.org/blueberry-festival-committee, where more details are available.

To sponsor the annual event, email blueberryfestival@graymaine.org. Sponsor levels range from $100-$1,000.

Marilyn Keating-Porcaro can be reached at mkp657@aol.com.