YARMOUTH

GARDENERS ARE WANTED for the 2010 season of the Yarmouth Community Garden. Plots are available for $25, or $35 for non-residents, and are 10 feet by 10 feet. The deer-free, organic garden on East Main Street features fertile soil, a sunny location, compost and a convenient water supply. If you’re new to gardening, this is an opportunity to meet and learn from fellow gardeners. Sign up at Yarmouth Community Services by calling 846-2406.

Additional Photos

Students Katie Savidge, Kate Dodge and Mary Foster install insulation in a Habitat for Humanity home in Freeport. Courtesy Habitat for Humanity

PORTLAND

SOME COLLEGE STUDENTS come to Portland for spring and summer breaks. The Collegiate Challenge allows student groups to spend their vacations volunteering with participating Habitat for Humanity sites. Throughout its 21-year history, the program has sent nearly 170,000 students in North America to build Habitat houses in more than 210 locations. In Maine, the program kicked off in February with students from Biddeford High School, followed by students from Brandeis University, St. Thomas high schoolers from Dover, N.H. working on projects. Teams from other schools are scheduled to work throughout March. Typical work days consist of hands-on construction, renovation and deconstruction labor. Executive director Steven Bolton said the work gives students basic construction skills and helps them realize the challenges of building a home.

OPERATION HOMEFRONT of New England has started its 2010 Easter program to provided military children with Easter baskets. The organization will collect baskets, colorful grass, candy, small toys, bubbles and plastic eggs to fill for baskets and egg hunts. Last year the organization collected 300 Easter baskets for military children and supplied party favors, bunny costumes and supplies for egg hunts throughout Maine, chapter president Donna Chapman said. Items are being collected through March 21 at select Dollar Tree Stores. For more information, visit www.operationhomefront.net/newengland.

STANDISH

ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE has announced a new online family nurse practitioner program that allows nurses to do advanced degree course work online and complete clinical experiences largely in their home area. The family nurse practitioner classes can be completed as part of the master’s degree in nursing or as a post-master’s certificate. With only a handful of online family nurse practitioner programs available and federal Nurse Education Loan Repayment money to help nurses further their education, Dr. Lois Halem, director of online nursing programs, said the timing for its creation is perfect. For more information, visit www.sjcme.edu.

WESTBROOK

WALKER MEMORIAL LIBRARY is hosting an exhibit of children’s books throughout the month. “Cream of the Crop” provides to review the best and latest books for children and young adults. The collection contains more than 100 picture, fiction and non-fiction books selected by librarians in southern Maine. Included in the collection are titles that have received either Maine or national awards. Further information about the exhibit at the library can be obtained by calling Corinne Henning-Sachs, youth services librarian, at 854-0630 ext. 255.

GRAY

LOST ARTS 4-H CLUB members won a national community atlas mapping award by ESRI for their work. Youth members were asked to define their community using GIS/GPS technology. Under the leadership of Tracy Ross, members used their skills to develop “The Crossroads of Gray.” They researched important aspects of their community and used spatial and analytical skills to develop the details of their findings. They created 10 different maps that focused on everything from topography to places of interest including available health care, tree farms and trails.

SOUTH PORTLAND

VNA Home Health & Hospice received an Automatic External Defibrillator device from South Portland Fire Department. The device will be installed at VNA’s offices, 50 Foden Road, often the site of community flu clinics. The device was donated to VNA by the department and EMS Coordinator Mike Carroll.

FALMOUTH

THE FALMOUTH AERONAUTICAL aviators team has won the right to represent Maine in the National Competition of the Real World Design Challenge. The team is made up of Falmouth High School grade 11 students Sarah Abrahamson, Zoe Kitchel, Jacob Merson, Jordan Stanhope, Eric Tierney and Sam Walker. They are coacted by John Kraljic, Chris Morin and Andrew Njaa, with mentoring from retired Lockheed Martin Vice President Kenneth Riddle of Falmouth. This year’s challenge addressed fuel efficiency in aviation. They will be travel to the national event March 26 in Washington D.C.

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