‘Telethon’ this weekend

Freeport Players returns to Freeport Performing Arts Center this weekend with a light-hearted spoof of telethons, pledge drives and disaster relief concerts, “WFCP Telethon.”

“Telethon” is a family friendly variety show that mixes music, dance and comedy acts in the spirit of Jerry Lewis telethons, MPBN pledge drives, and Live Aid and its descendants.

“Telethon” shares much of its entertain DNA with “The WFCP Home Time Radio Hour,” Sparkle Weekend’s hottest ticket for the last 10 years.

When the show opens, disaster has struck WFCP’s facilities and a neighboring TV station has come to save the day.

“Moving to television and the telethon theme opened the door to dance and other visual elements that didn’t make sense in our radio theme,” said Elizabeth Guffey, Freeport Players’ managing/artistic director. “We’re looking forward to entertaining our audience with this fresh look.”

The show is co-hosted by locally based standup comedians Zacariah Stearn (from the cast of “Almost, Maine”) and Karen Morgan, and features the Freeport Players ensemble. Also scheduled to appear are singer/songwriter Tom Acousti; dancers Katy McCann, Johannah DeGrandpre, and Nancy Salmon; musician/songwriter Jane Bradley of Not Too Shaap; singers Elizabeth Guffey, Betty Gravelle, Gar and Betsy Roper, Kathy Slack and Sarah Lano.

Performances are Friday and Saturday, Dec. 5 and 6, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., at the Performing Arts Center, 30 Holbrook St. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Tickets are also available at www.fcponline.org or in person at the Freeport Community Center Thrift Store on Depot Street.

USM singers

to perform

The University of Southern Maine Chamber Singers will present a concert of seasonal, sacred choral music Friday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m., at the at Sacred Heart Church, 256 Main St., Yarmouth. The event is sponsored by St. Jude’s Church in Freeport. Works by composers Tallis, Omiccioli, Lauridsen, Shafer and others will be performed. All proceeds will benefit Preble Street Teen Center and Florence House for homeless women. A free-will offering will be taken at the door. The chorus is directed by Dr. Robert Russell, professor of music.

‘Blue Christmas’ service Dec. 15

The First Parish Church Congregational, 40 Main St., is hosting a “Blue Christmas” service on Monday, Dec. 15, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., acknowledging the fact that during the Christmas season many people face a loss or other reason for discouragement, worry or sadness, for either personal or world events. Dr. Gar Roper will conduct this service of reflection, worship, sharing and music, which is open to people of all faiths or persuasions.

Holly Jolly Fair

First Parish Church in Freeport will hold a Holly Jolly Christmas Fair, Friday, Dec. 5, from 5-8 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Handmade crafts and knitted items, wreaths, cookies, baked goods, white elephant items, children’s corner and raffle will be featured. On Friday, fancy cakes, coffee, tea and punch will be served. On Saturday, a fish chowder and Italian sandwich luncheon will be served starting at 11:30 a.m.

Freeport chorus

to perform ‘Gloria!’

The Greater Freeport Community Chorus will perform “Gloria!” on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 7:30 p.m. at Merriconeag Waldorf School, 57 Desert Road, Freeport, and on Sunday, Dec. 14, at 2:30 p.m., at the Congregational Church in Cumberland, 282 Main St.

A highlight of the winter concert will be Robert Ray’s “Gospel Mass,” featuring guest vocalist Chas Lester. Director Virgil Bozeman leads the 70-member chorus, which is accompanied by pianist Kellie Moody.

Composer and conductor Ray has said “Gospel Mass” resulted from the Second Vatican Council’s decision to allow Masses in native languages, rather than just Latin. That opened the Mass to other changes, and in 1978 Ray set the ceremony’s traditional words to contemporary African-American rhythms and harmonies. Guest soloist Lester is a singer, percussionist, beat boxer and arranger who has performed professionally for nearly 15 years. Bassist Sean Finn and drummer Jacob Forbes will join the chorus on “Gospel Mass,” as well. “Gloria!” will also feature composer Franz Schubert’s three-movement “Magnificat” and three Christmas carols written by John Rutter.

Admission is $10 for adults, with a per-family maximum of $25. Tickets can be purchased at the door. For more information, visit the chorus on Facebook or at www.gfccweb.org.

Writers, poets

to meet again

The monthly meeting of writers and poets will be held on Friday, Dec 12, at 8 p.m., at “Upstairs at Azure Cafe?.” Selections of writing by local authors will be shared. There is space available in the group for two new writer members. Call Gar Roper at 272-3641 to reserve a place. There is no fee required but a donation of $5 or more is requested to defray cost of wine and refreshments.

Holiday Helpline

Freeport Community Service’s Holiday Helpline program has joined forces with the Bruce Roberts Toy Fund for the winter holiday gift-giving season. The Bruce Roberts Toy Fund has been supporting families by providing toys for children since 1949. Partnership with the fund supports the Freeport Community Service’ mission of helping families in Freeport and Pownal by expanding services, avoiding duplications, and giving local families a “one-stop” destination for assistance.

Freeport and Pownal families can apply at FCS. The Bruce Roberts Fund will provide four new, pre-selected, age-appropriate toys for each child up to his/her 19th birthday. All toys through the FCS Holiday Helpline Program will now be provided through Bruce Roberts.

Community volunteers are essential to the success of the Holiday Helpline program. Here is how to help:

• Adopt a family: While the toys come from Bruce Roberts, Freeport Community Services still hopes to supply two articles of warm clothing per child and one gift for each adult in the family.

• Adopt an adult: Freeport Community Services provides one gift per adult. Dor some elderly, disabled, ill or unemployed adults, this may be the only gift they receive this holiday season.

• Provide cash donations to the Holiday Helpline: The organization can use these donations for items such as Bow Street Market gift cards and gas cards. Each family or adult, in addition to the gifts provided by donors, will receive a “Fund-a-Feast” box from Hannaford and a Bow Street Market gift card. Donors may also choose to make a contribution to the Bruce Roberts fund.

• Donate time: Help with gift wrapping, sorting, and delivering gifts and food boxes.

To volunteer, contact Volunteer Coordinator Debbie Daggett, at 865-3985, ext. 206. To adopt a family, make a contribution or apply for help, contact Family Service Coordinator Sue Mack, at 865-3985, ext. 205, as soon as possible.

FebFest seeks

cultural arts events

Freeport Players and FreeportUSA are creating a FebFest calendar of events for February 2015.

Area groups and individuals who are planning a cultural or arts event for February are invited to list their events in the FebFest calendar. Music, visual arts and performing arts are all welcome to be included. For more information, contact Gar Roper at all4omni@aol.com or Elizabeth Guffey at info@fcponline.org. Those who do not have an event planned but would like to be part of FebFest, can also contact Roper.

Woman’s Club

has grant

The Freeport Woman’s Club is looking for a candidate for its 2014/15 Step Up Grant, a $1,000 gift for a woman over the age of 21 from Freeport or Pownal who is seeking occupational training but is experiencing financial need. Criteria for selection of the applicant are based upon financial need, clarity of goals, educational program and references. For questions and further information, call Virginia Boyles at 865-3973.

Two artists

featured at library

Freeport Community Library will feature the artwork of two Maine artists, France Shea of Auburn and Wren Pearson of Pownal, during December. Shea’s images are about the beauty of simple things. As a student originally focused on producing black-and-white prints, it was instruction in the techniques of hand-coloring images with photo oils that ultimately changed the course of her artistic path in photography. She utilizes digital technology to give her images dreamy or abstract effect. France Shea Images are on Facebook or she can be reached at mediagirl1950@msn.com.

Pearson’s new collection of artwork, titled “Sparrow Dreams of Summer,” is inspired by the cyclical departures and returns within the seasons. Working with acrylics on canvas and wood, Pearson has a style that embraces her roots in folk art and decorative painting, and a love of outsider art. Along with the library show, Pearson’s work will be featured at Fuego Diablo in Pownal during their holiday sale Nov. 28-Dec. 6. Located at 52 Loring Lane, Fuego Diablo is the home and creative space of Pearson and her husband, composer and musician Jaime Pearson. Paintings, photography and poetry by Wren Pearson can be found at www.facebook.com/fuegodiablopownal or contact her at signofthewren@gmail.com.

Holiday film

to be shown

The film, “A Child’s Christmas in Wales,” will be shown Thursday, Dec. 11, at 1 p.m., at the Freeport Community Library. It is based upon the well-known book by Welsh author Dylan Thomas. The award-winning film stars Denholm Elliott, who is probably best known as Dr. Marcus Brody in the “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

Author of Boon Island book to speak

Andrew Vietze will be at Freeport Community Library on Monday, Dec. 8, at 6:30 p.m. to discuss his book, “Boon Island: A True Story of Mutiny, Shipwreck and Cannibalism.” Boon Island is a barren piece of land located in the Gulf of Maine six miles off the town of York. Sold at auction this past summer for $78,000, the island is approximately 300-by-700 feet in size, and is the site of tallest lighthouse in New England.

Boon Island was made famous for the Dec. 11, 1710 shipwreck of the British merchant ship, Nottingham Galley, which stranded all 14 crewmen on the island. Two later died from their injuries while two drowned attempting to reach the mainland on an improvised raft. The remaining 10 crew members managed to stay alive despite winter conditions, resorting to cannibalism, until they were finally rescued 21 days later. Kenneth Roberts fictionalized the harrowing story in his 1956 novel, “Boon Island.”

Published in 2012, “Boon Island: A True Story of Mutiny, Shipwreck and Cannibalism” has won numerous awards including a Gold IPPY at the 2013 Independent Publisher Book Awards in New York. Vietze, a former editor at Down East magazine, spends six months of each year as a ranger in the wilds of the Katahdin region.

Elders Craft

Fair Saturday

The Freeport Elders will hold a craft fair on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m.- 2 p.m., at the Freeport Community Services building. Raffle tickets will also be available for the 18-inch American Girl doll named Isabelle, with 10 outfits and a wooden bed. The cost for tickets is $2 for one or $5 for three. Also being raffled off are two gift cards for $100 each to be used for Walmart and Hannaford shopping. Tickets are $1 each, or six for $5. The drawing for both raffles will be held on Dec. 10 at the Elders location at Freeport Community Services.

‘Night Tree’

event for kids

A holiday tradition for children, Wolfe’s Neck Farm’s “Night Tree” event, Saturday, Dec. 6, is inspired by Eve Bunting’s book, “Night Tree.” Her story is about a family that feeds the forest animals by making decorations for a special tree. Each hour during the day, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., the story will be read and then participants will decorate pine cones with bird seed and string popcorn, dried fruit and cranberries. A short hike is then taken on the trails to leave the pine cone treats in the woods for the animals.

The cost is $5 per person ages 2 and older (free for members of Wolfe’s Neck Farm). For more information, visit www.wolfesneckfarm.org.

Drop off toys

Caleb Stephens, the local Edward Jones financial adviser, is supporting the U.S. Marine Reserve Toys for Tots program by using his office as a drop-off location for this year’s toy drive. Local residents can help needy children in the area by bringing in a new, unwrapped toy to the local Edward Jones office, 5 Depot St., Suite 24, Freeport, during regular business hours, through Dec. 10.

Massage class offered through adult ed

RSU 5 Recreation and Community Education is offering self-improvement classes, including Head, Neck, and Shoulder Massage (Thursday, Dec. 4, 6-8 p.m.) with massage therapist and nurse Barbara Pearl Fudala. For more information on course offerings, visit www.rsu5-rce.org or call 865-6171.

Upcoming meetings

Planning Board, Wednesday, Dec. 3, 6 p.m., Town Council Chambers.

Winslow Park Committee, Monday, Dec. 8, 6 p.m., Town Council Chambers.

Project Review Board, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 6 p.m., Town Council Chambers.

Coastal Waters Commission December 10, 6 p.m., Freeport Community Center.

A full listing of upcoming town meetings and agendas is available on www.freeportmaine.com.

Citizen of the Year

Deadline in Thursday, Dec. 4, for nominations for Freeport’s Citizen of the Year Award, to honor those who have contributed substantively to the quality of the town. Nomination forms are available at the Town Office, the Freeport Community Library and can be found at www.freeportmaine.com.

Tricia Scott and Stella Smith of Freeport Players rehearse a scene for “WFCP Telethon.” The spoof of pledge drives and disaster relief concerts is on stage this weekend at the Freeport Performing Arts Center.