Melissa McCue-McGrath returns to Kennebunk Free Library to walk all ages through the many ways in which people can work alongside animals. The program is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8.

McCue-McGrath will introduce arson detection dogs used to solve criminal cases in the fire departments across the country, archeologist assistant dogs who have found 3,000-year-old remains in Croatia, library cats who calm patrons, humans who use aqua-therapy to help baby elephants heal from injuries, and more.

Those between ages 3 to 93 and still dreaming of working alongside animals, are encouraged to attend. As a professional dog trainer and behavior consultant of nearly 20 years, McCue-McGrath has a wealth of experience working with people who love animals and are looking to find their own way of working with them.

McCue-McGrath, when she’s not playing ukulele at Kennebunk Free Library or teaching dogs at the Animal Welfare Society, on her podcast, BewilderBeasts, at BewilderBeastsPod.com.

The program is free and wheelchair accessible. Kennebunk Free Library is located at 112 Main St. in Kennebunk. For more information, call 207-985-2173 or email kfl@kennebunklibrary.org.

Graves Library announces upcoming programs

Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library will celebrate National Bring Your Child to the Library Day on Saturday, Feb. 4 from 9:30 a.m.  to 12:30 p.m. The event will include doughnuts, a February scavenger hunt, and bookmarks for children.

For more information, call 207-967-2778 or visit www.graveslibrary.org.

Graves Library will host a presentation on saving money on home energy bills at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 4. The session will include information about the rebates available for Maine homeowners and what additional federal funding will come with the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act. The featured speaker is Colin McCullough, a BPI-certified home energy auditor.

The library will host Kennebunkport Emergency Services for a session on what to expect when a call for an ambulance is made, when a call should be made and what to expect when an ambulance arrives at a home, and more. The event is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 9.

Graves Library will present an afternoon of opera with chocolates and bubbles on Saturday, Feb 11 at 2 p.m.

Graves Library is located at 18 Maine St., Kennebunkport For more information, call 207-967-2778 or visit www.graveslibrary.org.

Blakeslee featured in Cash concert

Mid-Week Music continues Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. with “Hello, it’s the Music of Johnny Cash.” The monthly concert series is held at the Kennebunkport Historical Society’s Town House School at 135 North St.

Host Dana Pearson will be joined by fellow guitarist and singer-songwriter Dan Blakeslee of Kennebunkport, whose tour calendar (and more info) can be found at danblakeslee.com. The duo will perform a mess of Cash tunes spanning his half-century career, including the classics (“I Walk the Line,” “Flesh and Blood”) and lesser known gems (“Mean Eyed Cat,” “I Hardly Ever Sing Beer Drinking Songs”).

To guarantee a seat, order tickets at kporths.com/events, info@kporths.com, or 207-967-2751.

York County Audubon announces 2023 Hog Island Educator’s Scholarship

York County Audubon  is seeking an educator or community leader to participate in a one-week program on Hog Island off mid-coast Maine in July 2023. York County Audubon will sponsor one participant who can benefit from the Hog Island experience and use it to teach others.

Complete information is available at www.yorkcountyaudubon.org/scholarships and applications are due by March 15.

The program is titled “Sharing Nature: An Educator’s Week” and will run from July 16-21. Program details and descriptions are available at http://hogisland.audubon.org/sharing-nature-educator-s-week. The Audubon scholarship will pay 70 percent of the recipient’s cost for program tuition, room and board.

Since 1936, some of the world’s most well-known and highly-respected naturalists have come to Hog Island and inspired thousands to learn about and protect birds and the environment. Roger Tory Peterson was among the first teachers on the 335-acre island. Rachel Carson described her visit to Hog Island in her landmark book, “Silent Spring.” Kenn Kaufman, only 9 years old when he read Peterson’s account of Hog lsland, is now an international authority on birds and nature.

York County Audubon fosters understanding, appreciation, and conservation of the natural world through the education of present and future generations. The Hog Island scholarship is dedicated to June Ficker, bird bander extraordinaire, who shared her love for birds with thousands of York County residents and visitors. York County Audubon is a chapter of Maine Audubon.

York County Republican meeting set for Feb. 8

The York County Republican Committee monthly meeting will be held Wednesday, Feb. 8 at Alfred Town Hall. Prior to the main meeting, the Municipal Development Committee will meet from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Doors open 6:30 p.m. for the 7 to 8:30 p.m. business meeting.

State committee members will report on the recent election of Maine GOP officers. The election of the York County Republican Committee representative to the Platform Committee for the 2024 convention will also be conducted at this meeting. Alfred Town Hall is located at 16 Saco Road.

Fore more information and/or to join the Development Committee, email jbn.duprie@gmail.com. For more information on the Platform Committee election or to be added to York County Republican Committee email list, email communications@yorkgop.org or call 207-468-2395.

Planeteers to host Seed Swap and Sow party

The Planeteers of Southern Maine announced it will host a Seed Swap and Sow party on Saturday, Feb. 11. The event is scheduled for noon to 2 p.m. at the School Around Us in Arundel.

The School Around Us will have a bon fire and crock of hot cider on. Participants are encouraged to bring a mug. Planting containers, native plant seeds and potting soil will be on hand for those who need them. Participants may bring their own containers. The containers should be clear plastic to hold at least 3 inches of potting soil (gallon milk jugs work).

In addition to core members of the Planeteers and School Around Us, participants will have the chance to interact with three facilitators, and benefit from seed sharing courtesy of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge and Native Haunts and Consulting in Alfred. The facilitators:

Lisa Pagano – High school science teacher and environmentalist who became interested in native plants after attending a Winter Seed Sowing workshop in 2019 at Wells Reserve. She used her quarantine time during the pandemic to learn more about native plants. She will discuss the roles native plants play in mitigating the effects of climate change and how incorporating them into backyard gardens can support local wildlife.

Lee Sullivan – A lifelong gardener who got hooked on native plant gardening in 2021 after watching YouTube videos by entomologist Doug Tallamy. She created a Facebook group, Kennebunk Area Native Plants, to connect people in the area who want to transform their yards into habitats that promote biodiversity.

Colin McKevitt – Biological Technician at Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. McKevitt has been focusing on invasive plants, shrubland habitat management, and native plant propagation. He has held an array of natural resource positions working with everything from alligators and seabirds to pollinators and plants. He has “homegrown” seed varieties to share with workshop participants.

The event is free and open to all. Children younger than 12 need to attend with a guardian. For reservations, visit www.schoolaroundus.org/saushop. For more information, email someplaneteers@yahoo.com.

SMCC announces fall semester dean’s list

Southern Maine Community College announced that more than 1,200 students have made the 2022 fall semester dean’s list.

They include:

Arundel: Anthony Gendron, Elise Hebert, Ethan Jellison and Kelly Walker.

Kennebunk: Toby Dunne, Garrison Guay, Cheri Guertin, Gabriella Harrison, Cody Jewett, Mack Kawczynski, Kaitlyn Leavitt, Mark Porter, Ryan Silk, Olivia Tardiff and Kennedy Webber.

Kennebunkport: Sydney Brown, Molly Hutchins, Jamie Ramsey and Calen Williams.

Brick Store Museum welcomes volunteers

Volunteering at the Brick Store Museum in downtown Kennebunk helps to illustrate the history, art and cultures of the region for all ages. Current volunteer roles include (but are not limited to): welcoming visitors and admission processing; cataloging artifacts and data entry; leading tours or supporting educational programs; carpentry and handyman services; sewing costumes for museum programs; gardening in the Victory Garden; hanging exhibitions; and supporting outreach initiatives.

The museum also seeks members for its supporting committees, which include the Collections Committee, Facilities Committee, Events Committee, and its board of trustees. Volunteers are invited to work on a routine weekly schedule, or be “on call” for special events. Trainings and special gatherings and events are offered for the Museum Volunteer Team year-round.

Volunteer positions are open to students, adults and seniors. To volunteer, visit www.brickstoremuseum.org and fill out the museum’s online Volunteer Form; or stop in to the museum at 117 Main St. in Kennebunk.

Museum seeks 2023 artist-in-residence

The Brick Store Museum announced the Bauman Artist-in-Residency for 2023, an initiative funded through the Bauman Family Foundation. This fund allows the museum to sponsor a guest artist for the summer months to spend time with the museum’s collections and create new works.

The museum is seeking an artist to create a work of art that reflects the diverse history and cultures of Kennebunk through any art medium. The selected artist will earn a residency stipend for their contributions to forwarding the community’s arts and humanities learning.

Applicants can learn more about the opportunity and find the application at www.brickstoremuseum.org.

The artist-in-residence will hold the position for three months and is expected to produce a final project (work of art, play, piece of music, etc.) to be accepted into the museum’s collection and offer at least one public program (i.e. workshop or program based on specialty). During the residency, the artist will contribute to the Artist Blog on the museum’s website.

Artists in all media (painting, illustration, writing, poetry, sculpture, performance, music, etc.) are eligible to apply. Candidates are asked to apply to the residency program by April 30 by using the application form on the museum’s website at www.brickstoremuseum.org/education/artistinresidence.

For more information, contact Museum Educator Mary Delehanty at mdelehanty@brickstoremuseum.org or 207-985-4802.

Featured exhibit announced at Speers Gallery

The Speers Gallery at Kennebunk Free Library will present “Inspiring the Love of Art,” an exhibition of artwork created by students from The New School and School Around Us. It is the fifth year the library has hosted an exhibit by the young artists.

The exhibit will run through Feb. 27, and the public is invited to a reception on Wednesday, Feb. 8, from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

This year’s exhibit will include puppetry, digital art, pottery and drawing from The New School and drawings and paintings from the School Around Us. Students have created, collected and prepared work, and will see their voice and diligence celebrated on the wall of the Speers Gallery.

The public is invited to view the exhibit in the library’s Speers Gallery from Feb. 2- 27 during regular library hours when the gallery is not in use for library programs. For hours and gallery access, visit  www.kennebunklibrary.org.

Oldies Benefit Dance set for April 15

The next Rock n’ Roll Oldies Benefit Dance is scheduled for 7 p.m. to midnight, April 15 at the Biddeford Eagles Hall at 57 Birch St. Tickets are $10 and seating is limited.

For more information, purchase tickets or volunteer, call Bruce Martin at 207-284-4692.

Land trust releases Nature Walk schedule

Kennebunk Land Trust recently announced its 2023 Nature Walk schedule. The land trust invites participants to learn about nature and get outside. The first Saturday of each month, Kennebunk Land Trust will host a nature walk on a different preserve following a different theme. Patrons can visit a local preserve and enjoy nature in all seasons.

The walks are led by Maine Guide, Master Naturalist, and environmental educator at Wells Reserve at Laudholm, Linda Littlefield Grenfell.

Littlefield Grenfell will take participants on a walk while sharing her knowledge and asking questions about the flora, fauna, and general wonderment of nature.

The walks are held from 10 to 11:30 a.m., and are free of charge. Donations are accepted. The yearly walk schedule is subject to change with notice.

· Feb. 4 – Wonderbrook Preserve. Theme: Cold Survivors

· March 4 – For All Forever Preserve. Theme: Birds

· April 1 – Oxbow Preserve. Theme: Trees

· May 6 – Mousam River Wildlife Sanctuary. Theme: Vernal Pools

· June 3 – Butler Preserve. Theme: Water

· July 1 – For All Forever Preserve. Theme: Wildflowers

· Aug. 5 – Hope Cemetery and Woods. Theme: Trees in Summer

· Sept. 2 – Sea Road Preserve. Theme: Bugs/Ferns

· Oct. 7 – Mousam River Wildlife Sanctuary

· Nov. 4 – Butler Preserve. Theme: Geology

· Dec. 2 – For All Forever Preserve. Theme: Winter Weeds

For more information, email sandy@kennebunklandtrust.org or call 207-985-8734.

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