Hacker’s Hill Climb

Summer is full of 5K races all held for great reasons, and it is fabulous to see so many of you out there participating in these events. Here’s your opportunity to run in another race to support a meaningful cause. Loon Echo Land Trust is hosting the second annual Hacker’s Hill Climb on Thursday, Aug. 8, at 6:30 p.m. This nearly 4-mile race offers the most spectacular finish line around. Not your everyday 5K, the course starts at the Cry of the Loon gift shop and will have participants striding up Quaker Ridge Road and ending atop Hacker’s Hill just in time for a stunning sunset with views of the mountains and lakes. Pull together a few friends and come out and run or walk to support Loon Echo. The cost is $20 for adults and $15 for youth. As always, the businesses in our community have generously donated many prizes and everyone has a chance to win. All proceeds from this event will go to the protection and stewardship of Hacker’s Hill. For more information or to register, visit loonecholandtrust.org.

Car Wash for Volleyball

The Windham High School girls volleyball team has been working feverishly to raise the funds needed to support their team, and they are very close to making their goal for the year. They will be holding a car wash on Saturday, Aug. 3, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at NAPA Auto Parts in North Windham. Please help support our high school volleyball team. The girls are excited to start the season and funds raised from this car wash will make that possible. For more information, contact Lisa Potvin at miranda98639@roadrunner.com or 233-5487.

Summer Reading at the Library

As part of the summer reading program, Sarah Sparks will be holding another science activity, Soil Presentation, on Monday, Aug. 5, at 10:30 a.m. This hands-on activity for all age groups will be held outside at the Raymond Village Library. If it is raining, it will be held at the Raymond Public Safety Building. This promises to be a fun activity and all youngsters, including summer guests, are invited to attend. On the following Monday, Aug. 12, at 10:30 a.m., they will be making straw rockets with Lisa Davison, which will also be held outside at the Raymond Village Library. And finally, the Summer Reading Program will end on Monday, Aug. 19, with an awards picnic complete with prizes held at 11 a.m. at the library. All of these programs are free. Please call the library at 655-4283 for more information or check their Facebook page. Great job to all the youngsters who continued reading throughout the summer.

Celtics and SeaDogs

Boston Celtics’ forward Jared Sullinger is going to make a guest appearance at Hadlock Field on Wednesday, Aug. 7, when the Portland Sea Dogs host the Richmond Flying Squirrels (Giants) at 7 p.m. and you can get in on the action. Windham Youth Basketball has secured a special opportunity to purchase tickets and take part in a special question-and-answer session with Sullinger prior to the game. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Portland Sea Dogs online ticketing site at: www.ticketreturn.com/. From there, you can select one of the special Windham Youth Basketball price points, pay for your tickets online, and print them out right at home. As an added bonus, a portion of all tickets sold will be donated back to WYBA to support the program.

The gates for the game will open at 5:30 p.m. and the Q&A will take place in the left-field grandstand at 6:20 p.m. Everyone in the stadium will be able to hear the session over the PA system, but only invited groups allowed in the specific grandstand section will have the chance to ask a question. By purchasing tickets through the link, you will have the opportunity to sit in the specific section before the game. Please arrive early as seating in the grandstand section is limited. Sullinger will also be throwing out a ceremonial first pitch and then signing autographs in the concourse for fans from 7-8 p.m. For more information, contact the Sea Dogs’ group sales department at 874-9300.

Middle School Solutions

When Windham and Raymond schools consolidated a few years ago, efforts began to find a better solution to our middle school education. Several attempts have been made to make improvements. Here is your chance to become a committee member and help find solutions.

The RSU 14 School Board and Strategic Facilities/Building Planning Committee invites community members and staff members to apply to become a member of an advisory committee to the SFC for the purpose of creating a Strategic Master Plan for a Middle Level Educational Facility. Specifically, as a member of the Study Committee, you would be asked to identify what needs to be done to develop a Strategic Master Plan for a middle level education facility that assures that we have a school that supports high-performing middle level educational programming in an efficient and cost effective manner. The Study Committee will meet on a monthly basis for the 2013-2014 school year.

Interested individuals should send a letter to the RSU14 School Board, Attention Catriona Sangster, School Board Chair, 228 Windham Center Road, Windham, ME 04062 by 4 p.m. on Aug. 9. More detailed information can be found on the district’s website at www.windham.k12.me.us/ or you can contact Sandy Prince or Donn Davis at 892-1800 should you seek further clarification.

Legally Blonde

If you didn’t get down to Windham Center Stage last weekend, it is not too late. You can still see “Legally Blonde the Musical” this weekend. I saw the show and assure you it is excellent. Final performances will be held on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m., Aug. 3-5. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors and can be purchased by emailing wcsttickets@gmail.com. The cast is stacked with many of your local favorites and you won’t want to miss it.