Kennebunkport Conservation Trust announced the creation of Trust Talks, a new series designed to showcase voices within the community. According to a news release, each session will feature a different speaker, whether a trust board member, community leader, or representative from an organization, who will share their expertise and unique programs, fostering education and collaboration within a network of communities.

The first Trust Talk will focus on the Maine Big Night-Amphibian Migration Monitoring Project, hosted by Jenna Van Haren, the trust’s education coordinator, and led by Dr. Jeff Parmelee, professor of biology at the University of New England. Parmalee is a board member of the nonprofit group, Maine Big Night Amphibian Monitoring Project.

A discussion on native amphibians and the importance of monitoring and preventing road mortality during their annual migration will take place. The session is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. March 5 at Kennebunkport Conservation Trust headquarters, 57 Gravelly Brook Road, Kennebunkport.

All Trust Talks are free and open to the public. For more information, or for those interested in sharing their own topic with the trust community, contact Van Haren at Jenna@kporttrust.org or 207-967-3465, ext. 110.

 

Champlain College

fall trustee’s list

Nate Spielman, of Kennebunkport, was named to the Champlain College trustees’ list for the fall 2024 semester. Spielman is majoring in game design.

Champlain College is located in Burlington, Vermont.

 

Saturday matinee

at Graves Library

Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library invites the community to an afternoon of cinema on Saturday, Feb. 22, at 2 p.m. Patrons are invited to enjoy some February fun with family and friends. Light refreshments will be served.

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

 

Current Trends in

Archaeology forum

The Cape Porpoise Archaeological Alliance will present its third annual Winter Forum, titled Current Trends in Archaeology: Working in Southern Maine. The event is scheduled for 1 to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 1.

Cape Porpoise Archaeological Alliance Principal Investigator Tim Spahr will lead a series of speakers to explore current work in southern Maine and answer audience questions. The forum is intended for general audiences and those particularly interested in New England archaeology and archaeology education.

The half-day forum takes place at the Brick Store Museum Program Center in Kennebunk. It will include complimentary snacks and beverages.

The lineup of presenters includes  Professor Arthur Anderson, PhD, associate teaching professor of archaeology, University of New England; Gabriella Calabia, undergraduate at Columbia University and Cape Porpoise Archaeological Alliance intern; Benjamin Smith, Cape Porpoise Archaeological Alliance member and editor of the Maine Archaeological Society Newsletter; and Spahr, principal investigator of the Cape Porpoise Archaeological Alliance.

To register, visit brickstoremuseum.org and select Program Calendar. The cost is $20 per person, with funds supporting the work of the Cape Porpoise Archaeological Alliance.

 

Good news

films shown

The First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church Film Team announced that it will host a Good News Film Festival.  They’ve planned eight films in March and April from 4 to 6 p.m. Entrance is free, and all are welcome.

According to a news release, the film festival begins March 2 with “The Minimalists: Less Is Now.” In a world driven by consumerism, the movie challenges the notion that more is better. It explores the benefits of living with less and finding happiness beyond material possessions.

The following film is “2040” shown March 9. Practical, hopeful solutions to a wide range of environmental concerns are addressed with the focus on the filmmaker’s daughter, who will be 21 years old in the year 2040.

The third film of the series is “Kiss the Ground” on March 16. It shows how regenerating the world’s soils, can completely and rapidly stabilize earth’s climate, restore lost ecosystems and create abundant food supplies. Soil is the missing piece of the climate puzzle. More films will be announced.

First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church is located at 114 Main St., Kennebunk.

 

Photo prints benefit

fishermen’s association

Cape Porpoise portrait and conservation photographer Tess Johnson is offering prints of her photo, “God Bless the Fishermen,” for sale with 50% of the proceeds to benefit the New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association.

For more information or to order prints, visit tessjphoto.com.

 

Lego Club meets

at library

Kennebunk Free Library is offering a Lego Club for children ages 4 and older. Lego Club will meet on Thursday, Feb. 27, from 3:45 to 4:30 p.m. Participants are encouraged to build new and imaginative creations or ask the librarian for a challenge to complete. All Lego blocks will be supplied. Participants are asked to leave their own blocks at home. Registration is recommended, but not required.

Lego Club is free and wheelchair accessible. Kennebunk Free Library is located at 112 Main St., Kennebunk. For more information or to register, call 985-2173, ext. 108 or register online.

 

Dot painting

class scheduled

Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library will host Dot Painting on Glass on Thursday, Feb. 20, at 5:30 p.m. The class will be led by resident artist Rayanne Coombs.

Participants will discover the art of dotting as Coombs showcases how to “paint the glass red” using specially designed dotting tools. The interactive session is for both beginners and seasoned artists looking to explore a new medium.

Class size is limited and organizers encourage those interested to call 207-967-2778 to secure a spot. All supplies will be provided, and light refreshments will be offered.

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

 

Virtual balance

and strength class

The Southern Maine Agency on Aging will offer its falls prevention class, A Matter of Balance, virtually via Zoom. Participants can now exercise to increase strength and balance in the comfort and convenience of their own home. The evidence-based class has proven successful in reducing the incidence of falls in older adults, according to a news release from the agency.

The nine-session class will meet from March 11 to April 8 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 3 p.m. via Zoom. The first class, Session 0, will be held on Tuesday, March 11. It will provide an opportunity to introduce everyone, review safety procedures and platform skills needed for the virtual class, and practice setting up a physical space. Organizers encourage participants to attend Session 0 even if already comfortable with the technology.

To register, visit www.smaaa.org/events or call the Agewell team at 207-396-6578.

 

Family Fun

Play at library

Kennebunk Free Library is hosting Thursday Family Fun Play throughout February. On Thursday mornings in February, the library will bring out some special toys for a library play date. The toys are best enjoyed when the whole family plays together. Before each session ends, Miss Maria will read a story.

All programs will run from 10 a.m. to approximately 11:15 a.m.; however, friends are welcome to come and go as they please. Thursday Family Fun Play is for children ages 0-5 and their grown-ups. No registration is required. Upcoming Thursday Family Fun Play dates: Feb. 20 and 27.

Thursday Family Fun Play is free and wheelchair accessible. Kennebunk Free Library is located at 112 Main St., Kennebunk. For more information, call 985-2173, ext. 108 or email ys@kennebunklibrary.org.

 

Alumni association

updating database

For the past year, the Kennebunk-Kennebunkport Alumni Association has been consolidating membership data into a new database system. To reach as many alumni as possible, the association requests that Kennebunk High School alumni reach out to the alumni association at kkaainc1905@gmail.com to ensure updated membership and contact information. Contact information is also sought for those who may not use email to ensure all interested classmates receive communications.

The association’s annual alumni banquet is scheduled for Friday, June 20, at the Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport. A social social hour begins at 5 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:15 p.m. Invitations should arrive via email or the postal service  beginning in March.

For more information, contact the Kennebunk-Kennebunkport Alumni Association, PO Box 272, Kennebunk, ME 04043 or email kkaainc1905@gmail.com.

 

Sea Road art

show at museum

The Brick Store Museum will host the Sea Road Elementary Art Show, on view through Feb. 23. More than 350 artworks by the community’s youngest artists, in third, fourth and fifth grades, are on display in the museum’s ground-floor galleries.

Sea Road School art teacher, Adrienne Munger curated the show. Sea Road students all participated in the exhibition, and submitted a piece illustrating different forms of artwork from still life to triptychs to ceramics.

Admission to the museum is free for the entire community during the Elementary Art Show. The museum offers free admission all month long for its Free February promotion.

The Brick Store Museum, founded in 1936 by American artist Edith Barry, works year-round to illustrate local history, art and cultures through exhibitions and programming for children and adults. Part of the museum’s mission is to encourage young people to engage with the worlds of history and art.

For more information about the exhibition and related events, visit www.brickstoremuseum.org. The website also offers information about half-day art classes for young learners and program opportunities year-round.

 

Artists invited

to submit work

The Art Guild of the Kennebunks welcomes artists to submit their work to be juried into the guild established in 1980.

“Joining the Art Guild of the Kennebunks gives artists a way to enjoy the company of other artists in our creative community” said Judith Kinsman Arneson, membership chairperson, in a news release. “It is also a way to present and sell your artwork in exhibits sponsored by the guild and find inspiration in the many opportunities the guild presents to its members.”

The jurying process: Go to the AGK website, www.artguildofthekennebunks.com, and fill out an application form. Send biographical information and a non-refundable check for $35 to Art Guild of the Kennebunks, P.O. Box 2658, Kennebunkport, ME 04046, by Monday, April 14.

Artists should submit five pieces in one medium that best represents them as an artist. Jurying date is Saturday, April 19. Drop off artwork on Saturday, April 19 at noon at the Brick Store Museum Program Center, 4 Dane St., Kennebunk. The building is located behind the museum. Art should be picked up at 3 p.m. the same day. Artists selected to become members of the guild will be notified by mail in seven to 10 days.

All media is acceptable, including oil, watercolor, pastel, pen and ink, pencil, sculpture and mixed media. Paintings must be professionally framed for hanging.

For more information, about contact Judith Kinsman Arneson, membership chairperson, at 207-229-9659.

 

Historic painting on view

at Brick Store Museum

Nearly a year ago, the Brick Store Museum hosted a “March Madness” competition, during which museum visitors voted for their favorite piece of art from the museum’s list of conservation projects. In April 2024, the museum announced the winner of the vote: a painting of the Kennebunk-built ship, Neva, painted in watercolor on paper nearly 200 years ago.

The Neva was the first vessel to be launched by William Lord, of Kennebunk, in 1832. The contract for building the ship went to George W. Bourne and his partner of Henry Kingsbury, at the shipyard located behind what is now known as the Wedding Cake House. The vessel was 80 feet long at the keel, 18 feet deep, and about 25 feet wide. In the painting, the Neva is seen leaving the port at Le Havre, France, in 1833. Details include several people waving at the ship from a dock, with another ship in port in the distance.

A Maine-based conservator worked on the Neva portrait for nearly seven months due to the lengthy repairs and conservation to its paper backing and paint loss. The work was made possible by donations from interested community members through the museum’s Barry-Bodman Fund. In December 2024, the painting was returned to the museum completely conserved and ready to be viewed by the public. The work will be on special exhibit for the public to view starting Feb. 1.

To learn more about the Neva and the artwork conservation process, visit the Brick Store Museum’s “Museum Telegram” blog at www.brickstoremuseum.org.

The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday year-round, and celebrates Free February by offering free admission to all during the entire month of February.

 

Vets group offers

Wednesday coffee

Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1044 has launched free-coffee Wednesdays to all veterans. Chapter 1044 is located at 508 Elm St. in Biddeford (basement of American Legion Post 26). Chapter meetings are held on the first Sunday of each month and begin at 1:30 p.m.

Those who served in the past, or are currently serving, are welcomed to the Wednesday coffee from 9 to 11 a.m. Veterans need simply to show military ID or wear an item that identifies their service, and the coffee is on Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1044. Tables will be set up with board games and a veteran service officer will be available to answer questions on veterans’ benefits or to help file a claim for disability through the VA system. The service is also available to spouses of veterans.

For more information, contact Joseph Armstrong, chapter president, at 207-494-9287 or visit www.vva1004maine.org.

 

Seaglass Chorale

rehearsals at St. David’s

Seaglass Chorale invites interested singers to its rehearsals that are scheduled for 6 to 7 p.m. every Thursday at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Kennebunk. No audition is required.

Founded in 1993 by Artistic Director Jean Strazdes, Seaglass Chorale is a non-auditioned adult choral group of 60 voices. The chorale represents about 20 southern Maine communities and regularly performs throughout the area, with concerts in Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Wells, Sanford, Saco and other regional venues.

St. David’s is located at 138 York St., Kennebunk. For more information on Seaglass Chorale, joining the chorale or making a donation, visit gwww.seaglasschorale.org.

 

Legion Post 159

meeting schedule

Monthly meetings of American Legion Post 159 are held on the first Thursday of the month. Meeting dates for 2025: March 6, April 3, May 1, June 5, July 3, Aug. 7, Sept. 4, Oct. 2, Nov. 6 and Dec. 4.

All veterans and Sons of the American Legion are welcomed to attend. Legion Post 169 is located at 102 Main St. (across from the police station) in Kennebunkport. For more information, call 207-967-2400.

 

Family storytime

at Graves Library

Graves Library will host Friday family storytime in the Community Room every Friday at 10 a.m. and invites patrons to Stay & Play at 10:45 a.m. The program includes stories, finger plays, and songs.

After story time, participants are invited to stop at the hands-on stations that are always open: Puzzle Cubes, View-Master, Coloring Crafts, Legos, I Spy Terrarium, and more. Participants can also try the themed Counting Scavenger Hunt for a chance to win a prize.

Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library is located at 18 Maine St., Kennebunkport. For more information, call 207-967-2778 and ask for the Junior Room or visit www.graveslibrary.org.

 

Amateur Radio Society
meets at The New School

The New England Radio Discussion Society meets biweekly on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. throughout the year at The New School in Kennebunk. The club informally gathers to support and promote amateur (ham) radio. Wide-ranging discussion topics include: early and contemporary equipment, digital technology, internet integration, and striving for international contacts. Most meetings include a tech talk by a society member.

Those interested in amateur radio are invited to join. The New School is located at 38 York St. in Kennebunk. For more information, contact Alex at 207-967-8812.

 

Astro Society
hosts star parties

The Astronomical Society of Northern New England has set its schedule for public Star Parties through August and invites the public to attend. The society operates its own observatory, the Talmage Observatory at Starfield, on Route 35, in West Kennebunk.

At the Star Parties, the public, as well as society members, are most invited to observe the heavens through club telescopes, as well as member telescopes. Stars, visible planets, and deep-sky objects can all be viewed. Experienced society members are on hand to guide the observing, explain what is being seen, and answer questions. There is no fee.

The Talmage Observatory at Starfield opens at 7:30 p.m. for the events. For directions, visit asnne.org/where-to-find-us.php.

The Astronomical Society of Northern New England is a local association of amateur astronomers that meets monthly at the New School in Kennebunk. Meetings are on the first Friday of each month. For more information, visit ASNNE.org.

 

Land trust nature

walk schedule

Kennebunk Land Trust released the dates for its Nature Walk series. The first Saturday of each month, the land trust hosts a nature walk on a different preserve following a different theme. Participants are invited to explore a new local preserve and enjoy nature in all seasons.

The walks are led by local Maine Guides and master naturalists, who take participants through the nature preserve and share knowledge and ask questions about the flora, fauna, and nature.

The walks are free of charge for all ages and held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Donations are accepted and well-behaved dogs are welcome. The 2025 walk schedule is subject to change with notice.

For more information and to register, visit kennebunklandtrust.org.

Kennebunk Savings and Southern Maine Health Care are sponsors of the events.

 

Legion Post 74
schedules meetings

American Legion Webber Lefebvre Post 74 in Kennebunk holds meetings on the first Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. Legion Post 74 is located at 15 Water St.

Legion Post 74 is looking for new members. Legion Post 74 participates in the May Day and Memorial Day parades, flag retirement ceremonies with the Boy Scouts, furnishes a scholarship to the high school and participates in many other local activities and charities.

 

Chess Club Tuesdays

at Graves Library

Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library hosts Chess Club meetings every Tuesday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. in the Dow Room. Whether a seasoned player or just starting out, the club welcomes all levels of players.

Players are invited to bring their own chess board or feel free to use one of library’s. The event provides an opportunity to engage in friendly matches, sharpen skills, and learn more about this timeless game from fellow chess lovers.

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

 

York County Amateur

Radio Club meetings

The York County Amateur Radio Club meets on the first Sunday of each month from September to June. The meetings begin at 2:45 p.m. at the Wells town offices at 208 Sanford Road.

All are welcome and membership is open to all. A ham radio license is not required. The club promotes amateur radio knowledge, offers educational programs, and organizes special events. For more information, visit w1yca.org.