Library holiday open house

Walker Memorial Library, 800 Main St., will hold its annual open house from 3-6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 12.

Holiday features include music, poetry and treats provided by Friends of Walker Memorial Library and library staff. Julie Peterson, local history curator at the library, has decorated the Victorian tree.

The Chopin Club, featuring Louise Leighton, Elba Parr, Janice Beattie and others, will entertain from 3-4 p.m.; the Amell Sisters, Jane Elwell and Nancy Renton, will play holiday fiddle and flute music from 4-4:45 p.m.; D. Harvey will read poetry from 4:45-5 p.m.; and the Chopin Club, with Junie Dugas, Kathy Mariano, Mary Levesque, Paul Phalen, Ruth Stokes, Marian Rich, Jan Usher and others, will perform from 5-6 p.m.

“Many thanks go to our wonderful library patron, Kathleen Thornton, who has graciously donated 100 ornaments for the Walker Memorial Library fundraising efforts,” Kelly Day, vice president of the friends’ group, said. “Come in and see her ornaments, hanging on a tree in our front lobby, and support your local library by buying an ornament for $3 each.”

With the city of Westbrook’s bicentennial next year, the friends group also has a limited number of black-and-white tote bags available for $15 each. Day said the tote has a picture of Walker Memorial Library on the front of the bag, and sturdy handles for carrying.

“Either one of these items would made a great holiday gift for yourself or others,” Day said, asking residents to “to shop local at the library and support Westbrook at the same time.”

Archangel exhibit at Westbrook High School

An exhibit with art and photography associated with Archangel, Russia, a sister city of several local communities, is on display through Thursday, Dec. 19, at Westbrook High School on Stroudwater Street.

Organizer Dennis Marrotte, vice chairman of the Greater Portland Archangel Committee, said this week that the exhibit would be available on school days after 2:30 p.m., following school dismissal. Marrotte said Walker Memorial Library will also have a display.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the local connection to Archangel. A delegation from Russia visited Westbrook last month to commemorate the occasion.

A new sign, paid for entirely by donations, is unveiled Tuesday at the Fred C. Wescott Community Center on Bridge Street. From left are Annette Wescott, widow of Mayor Fred C. Wescott; daughters Sandra Wescott and Susan Wescott Blais; and Mayor Colleen Hilton. Also present were City Administrator Jerry Bryant, city councilors Mike Foley and Mike Sanphy, Community Center Director Maria Dorn and Assistant Director Greg Post.Ornaments donated by library patron Kathleen Thornton decorate a tree in the lobby at Walker Memorial Library. Thornton has donated 100 ornaments for the library’s fundraising. The ornaments are available for $3 each.