Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library will host a Virtual Lunch Conversation with New York Times bestselling author John Grisham on Thursday, Oct. 21 from noon to 1 p.m.

John Grisham Courtesy image

Grisham has authored more than 40 books, making him a master of the modern legal thriller. Nine of his novels have been turned into films, including “The Firm,” “The Pelican Brief,” “The Client,” and “A Time to Kill.”

His latest book, “The Judge’s List,” will be released Oct. 19. The Graves Library session will be among a limited number of virtual launches nationwide. The $50 ticket includes the event link and a copy of the book with a bookplate signed by Grisham.

For tickets or more information, visit the Graves Library website, www.graveslibrary.org.

“We are honored and thrilled that Mr. Grisham is graciously donating his time so that 100 percent of funds raised will benefit the library’s ongoing operations,” said Graves Library Director Mary-Lou Boucouvalas in an Oct. 4 news release.

Part-time Kennebunkport resident Billy Shore will interview Grisham, followed by questions submitted by attendees. Shore is the founder and executive chair of Share Our Strength, the parent organization for the No Kid Hungry campaign.

“John and his wife Renee have been generous supporters of our nonprofit’s mission,” said Shore in an email. “His willingness to make himself available to help our favorite library shows he is not only a great storyteller, but a philanthropic one as well.”

Event sponsors include Spinnaker Trust, Kennebunk Savings Bank, Partners Bank, Kennebunk Beach Realty, Fine Print Booksellers, Pack Maynard Realty, Mutasia, Inc., Cider Mill Press, The Climate Initiative, Rosemary and Billy Shore and John and Mary Mills. In-kind sponsors include Tourist & Town, Volk Packaging and Doubleday Books.

Kennebunk Free Library wreath fundraiser returns

Kennebunk Free Library is accepting orders from individuals and businesses for wreaths that will be delivered to the library for pick-up on Saturday, Nov. 20.

Made at Wreaths of Maine in Waldoboro, the handmade, double-sided 23-inch balsam wreaths, centerpieces and sprays, are featured as front-door ornaments and gifts.

There are multiple options to choose from ranging from $30 to $42, as well as a 33-inch wreath suitable for larger windows and doors for $60. Every wreath is handmade by a wreath-maker and decorated. All proceeds benefit the library. Orders are accepted through Nov. 10 at noon.

To place an order online, visit kennebunkfreelibrary.square.site, pick up a form in the library, or print a form from the library’s website. Kennebunk Free Library is located at 112 Main St. in Kennebunk. For more information, call 207-985-2173 or visit kennebunklibrary.org.

York County GOP schedules Oct. 13 meeting

The York County Republican Committee monthly meeting will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 13 in the auditorium on the second floor of Alfred Town Hall. The town hall is located at 16 Saco Road, Alfred.

Doors open at 6:30 pm, followed by business meeting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Guest speaker will be Ken Quinn of U.S. Term Limits. He will discuss why it is important to put term limits on both U.S. Senate and House members as is done with senators and representatives in Maine.

Maps showing the new Maine House and Senate districts recently approved by the legislature will be available and representatives who worked on the redistricting will be on hand to answer questions.

For more information or to be added to the York County Republican Committee email list, email communications@yorkgop.org or call 207-468-2395.

Golf tournament raises $130,000 for bariatrics SMHC program

From left, Justin Thomas, Matt Skillin, Matt Dieterich and Heather Hayes participated in the Southern Maine Health Care golf tournament to benefit the bariatrics program. Courtesy photo

A community of golfers and businesses, both small and large, came together this year to support the da Vinci surgical robot and its use in the Southern Maine Health Care bariatrics program. Title sponsor Spectrum Healthcare, sponsors and teams raised a record breaking $130,000.

For the first time, Southern Maine Health Care held two days of events to meet the high demand of teams. Dunegrass Golf Club and Cape Arundel Golf Club each hosted one day featuring strict adherence to safety protocols. Highlights included an air cannon and silent auction. Congratulations to the first-place gross winning teams who earned the honor of the coveted SMHC white lab coats among other prizes:

· Dunegrass: Salem Advisory Group & Post Road Title Co. – Peter Bishop, Scott Gillespie, Mike Labonte and Bruce Gammons.

· Cape Arundel: Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution – Dave Goyet, Eric Doyon, Dick Buffum and Zac Golojuch.

Southern Maine Health Care offers primary care and multi-specialty physician services, diagnostic and therapy services and Walk-In Care centers in York County communities including Biddeford, Kennebunk, Saco, Sanford and Waterboro. For more information, visit www.smhc.org.

Hannaford dietitian to lead session on immune supporting foods

Megan Patten Courtesy photo

Kennebunk Free Library will host Megan Patten, Hannaford dietitian, for a nutrition talk focusing on immune supporting foods. The presentation, scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19, will focus on how the immune system works and lifestyle steps that can assist the defense system. Participants will learn specifically about certain nutrients in foods that can help prepare the body’s immune response, as well as dietary recommendations to support the body.

Depending on conditions at the time, the program may be in-person at the library or offered on Zoom. Check the library website the week of the program for information.

For more information, call 207-985-2173 or email us at kfl@kennebunklibrary.org.

An evening of Sinatra at Town House School

Musicians Dana Pearson and Mark Gunter, with guest saxophonist and flautist Mary Kennedy, will perform an evening of Frank Sinatra songs on Wednesday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. The set list includes such tunes as “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning,” “That’s Life,” and “Fly Me to the Moon.”

Songs Sinatra Sang is part of Mid-Week Music, a new concert series presented by the Kennebunkport Historical Society and staged at the Town House School at 135 North St. in Kennebunkport.

The concerts are held one Wednesday every month. Tickets are $15 in advance and at the door for the general public, and $12 for Kennebunkport Historical Society members. The BYOB event is for people 21 and older. Masks are mandatory for all. For more information and tickets, visit www.kporths.com/buy-tickets, email info@kporths.com, or call 207-967-2751.

Upcoming shows include Original Compositions with guest vocalist Janet Wentworth (Nov. 17) and A Mid-Week Music Christmas (Dec. 8).

Former intelligence officers schedule meeting

The Maine Chapter of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers will host Louis Sell, of the Foreign Service (Ret.), who will present “The Balkans two Decades Later: Are Bosnia and Kosovo Examples of Successful International Intervention?”

Sell has had foreign assignments with six years in Moscow and eight years in parts of Yugoslavia. He will provide background information on the Balkans and Bosnia, including the war that ended in 1985 without resolving the conflict. He will examine Kosovo where the Serbs and Albanians claim the same territory.

The public meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16 at the Brick Store Museum Program Center, 4 Dane St. in Kennebunk. A question period will follow the presentation.

Sell will also speak about the post-conflict Balkans and his conclusion offers available alternatives such as: Russia and China, radical Islam, illiberal democracy, and stagnation and despair.

Kennebunk farmers’ market to host apple tasting

The Kennebunk farmers’ market will host its annual fall apple tasting on Saturday, Oct. 9. Twenty-plus varieties of apples will be provided by Kelly Orchards of Acton. Tasters will get to vote on their favorite apples.

The annual fall event has been held at the market for more than a dozen years. This year, special activities for children include a craft table for girls and boys to make pinecone apple trees, an apple-themed scavenger hunt with a delicious prize, and music by Katherine Rhoda. Plus, all the fresh produce and products local shoppers come to the market for every week.

The farmers’ market, located behind Garden Street Bowl on Main Street in Kennebunk, is open to the public on Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and will run through Nov. 20. Two more special events are planned for this season: Halloween (Oct. 30) and Harvest Festival (Nov. 20).

The farmers’ market accepts Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cards. SNAP helps low-income individuals and families have access to a healthy, nutritious diet through the purchase of eligible foods.

For market news, photos, and updates, visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/KennebunkFarmersMarket/.

Rosary Rally at Franciscan Monastery

The public is invited to a public Rosary Rally on the grounds of St. Anthony Franciscan Monastery at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 16. The monastery is located at 26 Beach Ave. in Kennebunk.

Sponsored by the America Needs Fatima campaign, local organizer Peter McNelis said Father John Bacivicius will speak in the chapel and those gathered will walk across the grounds to the statue of Mary, where the rosary will be said. The event is part of a national campaign with a target of 20,000 rallies that day.