Coastal Winds Community Band, under the direction of Brendan Krueger, is returning to regale the audience with Christmas songs and other popular standards on Tuesday, Dec. 13. Patti Mikkelsen / For Lakes Region Weekly

Benefit Christmas concert

The public is invited to a Christmas concert featuring Coastal Winds Community Band. Led by conductor and music director Brendan Krueger, the band’s repertoire spans a wide range that covers classical, pops, sacred and Christmas music. More than 30 dedicated and talented woodwind, brass and percussion instrumentalists comprise the ensemble.

The concert will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, in the sanctuary of the First Congregational Church, 19 Gloucester Hill Road. Donations for the local fuel assistance fund and non-perishable food items for the town’s food pantry will be collected at the door.

Food Pantry special requests

The New Gloucester Food Pantry is fortunate to have their freezer full and most of their shelves well-stocked thanks to generous community donations and the Good Shepherd Food Bank in Auburn.

Unfortunately, there are still some gaps in their inventory, so food pantry volunteers are asking for the community’s help in donating:  crackers; mixes for muffins, biscuits, quick breads and pancakes (and pancake syrup); boxes of instant potatoes, including scalloped and gratin; jam or jelly; baked beans; hot chocolate; coffee; toilet paper; and toothpaste.

Assistant librarian Emily Martin has graciously agreed to designate the New Gloucester Public Library at 379 Intervale Road as a drop-off location during the hours they are open.

For more information, email Erin Pendexter Stone at erinpstonern@gmail.com.

Patti Mikkelsen can be contacted at mikks@maine.rr.com.

Pineland’s holiday food drive

Pineland Farms Education Center invites you to the farm on Dec. 3 or 4 to augment their Holiday Wishing Tree and Food Drive’s trove of donated items. All 2-hour farm visit passes will be free this weekend with the donation of three non-perishable food items per ticket.

Reserve your ticket plus specify your desired arrival time online at shop.pinelandfarms.org/collections and bring your donations with you to the Smokehouse Visitors Center for your farm visit. A limited number of tickets are available, so place your reservation in advance.

All donations received will support local food pantries. The farm will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Direct any questions you may have to the Education Department at 650-3031 or education@pinelandfarms.org.

Public sand for residents

The public sand pile for New Gloucester residents only is located at 611 Lewiston Road. As you approach the fire station, go off to your left.

There is a limit of two 5-gallon buckets of sand per trip. This sand is not intended for commercial use or non-residents.