LETTER CARRIERS across Maine on May 8 will conduct the annual Stamp Out Hunger drive. Last year, letter carriers nationally collected more than 73.4 million pounds of food.

People who wish to donate should leave a sturdy bag with nonperishable foods, such as canned soup or vegetables, pasta or cereal, next to a mailbox before regular mail delivery May 8. Letter carriers will collect donations as they deliver mail.

Additional Photos

Westbrook High School jazz band members celebrate a win. Courtesy photo

A Flip Flop Challenge to collect and donate 300 pairs of flip-flop sandals for people in the Dominican Republic was held at Thornton Academy Middle School. Grade 7 student Meghan Goebe of Arundel, left, accepts an award on behalf of the student body. The award was presented by TA sophomore Elizabeth Gilboy, second from right, and Cheverus High School students Alison Saunders, second from left, and Katie Saunders, right. The girls delivered the flip-flops to Dominican Republic residents during a mission trip to that country hosted by Saco’s United Baptist Church. Courtesy photo

PORTLAND

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS of Southern Maine’s boat donation program is a way to help fund its mentoring programs.

A donated boat will be picked up at its current site by organization volunteers. Donors may be eligible for a tax deduction for the boat. Big Brothers Big Sisters relies totally on private donations, and over 700 kids were provided services last year. For more information about the boat donation program, call George Brockman, the volunteer coordinator for this program, at 776-4642 or e-mail dodbroc@aol.com.

SACO

THE ROTARY CLUB of Saco Bay honored Tom LaChance and Jerry LaPierre as Paul Harris Fellows. LaChance, a postal worker from Old Orchard Beach, was acknowledged for his organizational efforts to restore the Old Orchard Beach Ballpark. LaPierre, building manager for the J. Richard Martin Center of Biddeford, was cited for his family’s continuous support of the Westbrook Skating Rink, the Community Bicycle Center in Biddeford and for his fundraising and support of the Biddeford LAX program.

OLD ORCHARD BEACH

GILLIAN FOSS AND SHELBY BOURGAULT have won an essay contest sponsored by the National Society of The Colonial Dames of America awarding them a weeklong workshop in Washington, D.C., in June to learn about the U.S. Government. The two Old Orchard Beach High School juniors were selected after each submitting a 500 word essay detailing a major Supreme Court decision they believed to be pivotal in American history. Bourgault and Foss will attend the congressional seminar with more than 50 other students from across the country.

SCARBOROUGH

THE FIRST BLANKET and quilt show hosted by Project Linus of Cumberland County had 171 blankets and raised $1,200.25 through donations, voting on the show quilts, raffles and “yard sale.” The chapter has donated a total of 761 blankets to date.

A “Blanket Day” for the organization is scheduled for May 13 in Old Orchard Beach. For more information on Project Linus or to join a “Blanket Day,” call Melodie Provost, Cumberland County coordinator, at 284-5606.

WESTBROOK

MRS. BEESLEY’S computer class at Canal School took part in Kick Butts Day, a nationwide initiative that encourages kids to make an effort to stop youth tobacco use. The classes make posters with anti-tobacco use messages. Two Westbrook High School students, Felicia Allen and Victoria Pabst, judged the posters.

JAZZ ENSEMBLE ONE from Westbrook High School placed first out of 11 bands in Division 1 at the Maine State Jazz Festival and now holds the title of 2010 Maine State Champion. The school’s Jazz Ensemble Two placed first in the Multiple Jazz Band division, and in the combo divisions, Westbrook’s “Kinda Blue” and “Blue Note” bands placed first and third, respectively. Molly Ridley, Ron Ho, Nate Gowen, Adam King, Andrew Lamson, Eric Little, Trevor Driscoll and Matt McCarthy received Outstanding Musicianship Awards.

FREEPORT

FREEPORT HIGH SCHOOL’S annual Senior Projects will be displayed beginning the final week of May. Projects this year range from the study of Arabic to building a kiln and firing pottery on the school’s campus. For more information about the upcoming project presentations, visit the high school’s Web site at fhs.freeportpublicschools.org.

WELLS

SANDANCE FILM FESTIVAL on March 26 debuted Wells High School student films: “Twilight Spoof,” directed by Molly Donlan; “Acid Trip,” directed by Ben LaFlamme; “Sex, Drugs and Ping Pong,” directed by Michael Desveaux; “Evolution,” directed by Jenna Weinstein; “Death and Dying,” directed by a collaborative group of students; “Where the Wild Banana Is,” directed by Duston Hodgkins; “Where is Jackson,” directed by David Littlefield; and “Follansbees Run From Nothing,” also directed by Littlefield and Molly Donlan. Littlefield won the “Best Director Award,” Deveaux, Darling and Chase won the “Most Original Film Award” and Hodgkins won the “Best Cast Award.”

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