Earth Day happenings

Loon Echo Land Trust is sponsoring a cleanup along Bridgton’s roads on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, starting at 8:30 a.m. at the Community Center on Depot Street. Trash bags, maps and gloves will be provided and, for safety, participants are encouraged to wear bright colors such as blaze orange. Register at link.lelt.org/earthday or email maggie@lelt.org.

The Rotary Club is also coordinating with the Bridgton Recycling Team for cleanup work along Kansas Road. Volunteers should meet at the Community Center at 9 a.m. for coffee, supplies and cleanup assignments. Grippers, safety vests, trash bags and safety flags for hazardous waste will be supplied. Wear work gloves and clothes. For more information, contact John Eliassen at LakeRegionRotary@gmail.com.

A free showing of “The Letter,” a 2022 documentary on changing climate and ecology, will take place at the Magic Lantern on Earth Day from noon to  2 p.m., followed by an interactive panel session. A $5 donation will benefit local environmental efforts. In addition, the Magic Lantern will hold a free screening of  “Big Miracle,” a 2012 drama about saving gray whales in Alaska, at 2:30 p.m.

Magic Lantern events

From 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 29, participate in “Take Action to Foster Better Futures,” a free event aimed at educating the community about foster care. It includes a screening of the documentary “Foster” along with a panel discussion and Q&A session. Visit the Magic Lantern website at magiclanternmovies.com to register and find more details.

Free family-friendly movies are now being screened at the Magic Lantern Innovation Center, usually at 1 p.m. on Saturdays, sponsored by the Maine Masonic Charitable Foundation and the Chalmers Insurance Group.

Free classic movies for seniors are also shown on Wednesdays at 2 p.m. and Trivia Night is held at Web’s Tavern on Thursdays at 7 p.m.

Shred-a-thon

A third annual Shred-a-thon to benefit local community libraries will be held May 6, from 8 a.m. to noon at the First Congregational Church, 33 North High St. Bring documents in bags or boxes (no need to remove clips or file hangers) and have them shredded on site to ensure the safety and security of your valuable information. Certificates of destruction will be available. Donations for the service will go to local libraries. For more information call 647-2472 or go to bridgtonlibrary.org.

Camp Invention for kids

Scholarships are available for eligible Bridgton-area children in grades K-6 to attend Camp Invention, a nationally recognized program run by the National Inventors Hall of Fame, thanks to a grant awarded to the Rufus Porter Museum of Art and Ingenuity. This is the sixth year the museum has received the grant, which is funded by the Agnes M. Lindsey Trust. Camp Invention will take place this summer at Stevens Brook Elementary School, July 10-14, with a focus on hands-on STEM activities and encouraging ingenuity and entrepreneurship. To learn more and to register go to invent.org/camp or call 800-968-4332.