Red Claws dance team debut nears

The Q97.9-Maine Red Claws kids dance team, Crushers Dance Crew, will make its debut on Friday, Dec.13, at the Red Claws home game in Portland against Springfield.

Trish Moulton, owner of Dance Studio of Maine in Gorham, is the director and coach of the dance team.

Moulton reports that the boys and girls chosen for this team, ages 8-16, underwent a formal audition process in September to compete for their spot on the team.

The kids have been rehearsing at Moulton’s dance studio. “This team is now the second professional kids dance team in the state of Maine,” the studio said.

Moulton, along with the team’s other director, Kelly Ferrigan, also founded the Portland Sea Dogs Dance Team earlier this year. “We wanted to create new opportunities for kids in the state of Maine to perform and be involved in their community on a whole new level of professionalism,” Ferrigan said.

Thanksgiving ecumenical service

The Gorham Ecumenical Council is sponsoring a Thanksgiving eve service at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27, at First Parish Congregational Church, 1 Church St., in Gorham.

Local clergy will share their stories, expressing what they are thankful for. The service also includes scripture reading, prayers, lighting of candles, and hymn singing.

Human trafficking discussion

Scarborough businessman Darby Pierce will speak about human trafficking at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22, at South Gorham Baptist Church, 53 County Road.

The program is part of a continuing series, Potluck With a Purpose. Those attending may bring a dish to share.

Pierce is a senior partner with Envoy, a firm that connects businesses with the developing world. A frequent guest on broadcast outlets, Pierce has battled human trafficking in India.

He co-founded the nonprofit group EmancipAction that combats sexual trafficking of children.

Gorham dancers in ‘Nutcracker’

Several Gorham performers will appear in Maine State Ballet’s upcoming production of the holiday classic “Nutcracker” at Merrill Auditorium in Portland.

Gorham dancers are Estelle Ballard, Angela Mia Dellsalla, Annmarie Dellsalla, Arie Eiten, Charlotte Feinberg, Kate Larkin, Marissa Patten-Harris and Hailee Willey.

The show opens on Saturday, Nov. 30, and runs through Sunday, Dec. 8.

Maine State Ballet said in a statement that the family holiday tradition would feature live music from the Maine State Ballet Orchestra, costumes and stage scenery by Gail Csoboth, and dancing by more than 300 Maine dancers.

Performances will be held on Saturday, Nov. 30, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 1, 2 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 7, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 8, 2 p.m.

Tickets are on sale through PortTIX at 842-0800, online at www.mainestateballet.org or www.tickets.porttix.com, or at the Merrill Auditorium box office: 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Tickets are $20-$60, and discounts are available for groups, seniors and children. For more information, call Maine State Ballet at 781-7672, or visit www.mainestateballet.org.

Reaching seniors during the holidays

Home Instead Senior Care of Gorham is teaming up with nonprofit agencies and area retailers to sponsor “Be a Santa to a Senior” – a program that collects, wraps and delivers gifts to lonely and needy seniors in the Portland area.

A tree for the program went up on Monday at Sebago Brewing and another tree follows at Blue Seal in Windham on Sunday, Nov. 24. Then Gorham/Westbrook Triad will add gifts to the tree at the Festival of Trees Dec. 7-14 at Westbrook-Warren Congregational Church, 810 Main St., Westbrook.

For more information about the local program, visit www.beasantatoasenior.com.

U.S. taxpayer debt

The Bureau of Public Debt reported on Nov. 14 that the U.S. public debt was $17,183,316,943,225.52.

Darby Pierce