Joseph Amend was among eight students who received diplomas from Gray-New Gloucester Adult and Community Education this spring. With Amend is his mother, Diana Pecoraro. Contributed / Nathan Tsukroff

GNG adult education students lauded at graduation ceremony

Gray-New Gloucester Adult and Community Education awarded diplomas to the following students during a ceremony held June 7: Joseph Amend, Eunice Burns, Dayla Davis, Kassandra Mercer and Leila Nelson.

Director Stephanie Haskins, Program Coordinator Theresa Boynton and faculty members Maureen Mitchell, Sheila Myhaver and Laurie Wells recognized each graduate in five individual ceremonies. Graduates invited special guests to the ceremony and each received a personalized cake to continue their celebration at home. In all, eight students received diplomas.

Mercer was recognized as an outstanding adult education graduate and received the Courage to Grow award from Central Maine Community College. The award provides a scholarship to the recipient for three credit hours of tuition for the upcoming fall semester.

The following students also earned diplomas during the 2020-2021 school year and were awarded diplomas in prior ceremonies: Lucas Rogers, Makayla Smart, Zachary St. Clair and Adam Tarsetti. Students who earned their diplomas during the 2019-2020 school year and were recognized in individual events were Crystal Jordan, Devin Julian, Aric Lutz, Jessica Roberts and Hunter Russell.

Blueberry Festival coming up

This year’s Gray Blueberry Festival is fast approaching. From 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, enjoy music, food trucks, arts and crafts, community groups, a kids’ tent, a fire truck display and a master beekeeper. There will be a guest appearance by Wyman’s Bee Wild Mobile from 9:30-11 a.m. and a caricature artist will be onsite from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The rest of the day’s events include blueberry pie-eating contests, a wild blueberry pie bake-off, a spelling bee, fun run, diaper derby, horse-drawn wagon rides and a corn hole tournament. Social distancing measures will be in place. Fore more, see facebook.com/GrayBlueberryFestival or contact the planning committee at blueberryfestival@graymaine.org.

Pantry bag benefit

Gray Hannaford on Shaker Road has chosen Gray Community Food Pantry to receive $1 for every Fight Hunger cloth bag purchased for $2.50 during August and October.

Items needed at the Gray Community Food Pantry include any size empty dish detergent bottles; clean egg cartons; newborn and size 2 and 3 diapers; paper bags with handles, plastic newspaper bags and plastic grocery bags. Leave items in the donation bin on the side of the first pantry shed at First Congregational Church parish house parking lot behind McDonald’s. Call or text Donna at 671-4458 after leaving items or to make an appointment to leave perishables. Clothing is not accepted.

It’s showtime!

The following movies will be presented on the big screen at the Gray Public Library: 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, “The Sandlot” (1993, rated R); 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 10, “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952, rated G); 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, “News of the World” (2020, rated PG-13); 11: a.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, “Mulan” (2020, rated PG-13).

Amusement park passes

Gray Recreation has discount tickets for sale for Funtown/Splashtown combination passes, Aquaboggan general passes and York Wild Kingdom zoo passes. Contact Anthony at 657-2323 or adahms@graymaine.org.

Grab a slice at wildlife park

Enjoy a slice of pizza from “Cruzin Slice,” a local food truck that will be on site at Maine Wildlife Park, 56 Game Farm Road, from 3:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 13, when the park will close late at 8 p.m.

Meal program ending soon

The SAD 15 Nutrition Department’s free breakfast and lunch program ends Friday, Aug. 13. Meals will still be available next week to children 18 and younger from 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Monday through Friday at GNG High School, 10 Libby Hill Road, and Russell School, 8 Gray Park Road in Gray, and Memorial School, 86 Intervale Road, New Gloucester.

Curbside pick up will be outside the kitchen door at each school; ring the bell or call the posted number and meals will be brought out.

Marilyn Keating-Porcaro can be contacted at mkp657@aol.com.