SANFORD

Waban group home gets Painting Week makeover

Additional Photos

The first day of summer was a perfect day for painting, and Waban’s group home on Riverview Street in Sanford was the lucky beneficiary of the Sherwin-Williams National Painting Week donation of supplies, labor and expertise. Volunteer employees from Sherwin-Williams included, from left, Tiffany Poirier from the Yarmouth store; Jason Johnson from the Biddeford store; district manager Tom Pitts; regional manager Bob Decolfmacker; and Springvale store manager Aimee Mattingly painting the Waban group home on Riverview Street. Selena Brock photo

Waban’s group home on Riverview Street was the beneficiary of a recent Sherwin-Williams National Painting Week donation of supplies, labor and expertise needed to paint the home.

Waban provides services to children and adults with developmental disabilities

Each year, the national paint retailer sends thousands of employees and products into the community during National Painting Week to freshen up nonprofits, churches and schools in their local communities.

More than 130 local community projects were tackled from Seattle to Tampa this year including painting baseball fields, YMCAs, churches, schools, Ronald McDonald Houses, Boys & Girls Clubs and Waban’s group home.

Aimee Mattingly, manager of the Sherwin-Williams store in Springvale, oversaw the project with employees from several Maine Sherwin-Williams stores participating.

OGUNQUIT

Resident will represent national garden program

The Garden Conservancy of Cold Spring, N.Y., has announced that its Open Days Program, America’s premier private garden-visiting program, has named resident Thomas Lynch as the area’s new regional representative.

Each year, hundreds of America’s best private gardens open to the public through the program.

In 2013, more than 300 private gardens representing 19 states are featured in the 2013 Open Days Directory; a soft-cover book that includes detailed driving directions and vivid descriptions written by their owners.

Lynch will be seeking private gardens to open to the public as part of the 2014 Open Days Program.

The Garden Conservancy introduced the Open Days program in 1995 as a means of introducing the public to gardening, providing easy access to outstanding examples of design and horticultural practice, and proving that exceptional American gardens are still being created.

For more details, go to www.gardenconservancy.org.

WELLS

School district barbecue honors classroom volunteers

The Wells-Ogunquit Community School District held a Volunteer Appreciation Barbecue on June 6 to thank the district volunteers for their many hours of service benefiting students and staff throughout the school year.

Among those honored was Kathleen Sprout, who was recognized as the district’s Exemplary Volunteer for 2012-13.

Sprout, a retired grade school teacher, has volunteered for several years at Wells Elementary School.

Sprout’s name will be added to the school’s Exemplary Volunteer plaque that hangs in the lobby.

Wells art students raise $658 for Sandy victims

In December of 2012, students of Wells Elementary School art teacher Sandy Brennan began their participation in a national art project to raise money for New Jersey victims of Hurricane Sandy.

As of mid-June, the pupils’ efforts had raised $658, which was donated to “Shells for the New Jersey Shore,” a charitable organization created to help with recovery from this disaster.

For the first three weeks in December, Brennan’s students created hundreds of pieces of visual art with a seaside theme, using traditional art media and found objects such as sea shells, driftwood, horseshoe crabs and seaweed.

The artwork was then sold at a few school-sponsored events including the annual Wells Elementary School Holiday Concert, which raised $400.

Charities that “Shells for the New Jersey Shore” supports include St. Rose High School Hurricane Recovery Effort, Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund and the American Red Cross.

ROCKLAND

Agnes M. Lindsay Trust gives $2,000 to camp program

The trustees of the Agnes M. Lindsay Trust have awarded a grant of $2,000 to the Broadreach Family & Community Service’s Youthlinks Program to help send students, ages 11 to 17, to summer camp.

Youthlinks serves youth with after-school programs during the academic calendar in Knox County, and farm and sailing camps in the summer for midcoast youth.

The day camps are free of charge and registration space fills quickly each year.

In 2012, 43 youths participated in a free week-long day camp experience.

Broadreach Family & Community Services also recently was awarded a National Aeronautics and Space Administration grant of $2,500 benefitting the Youthlinks Program’s offering of science, technology, engineering and math activities.

The NASA grant will benefit both the summer Youth links’ Farm Camp Program and create an Astronaut After School Program for grades 5 through 7.

For more details, call Amie Hutchison at 594-2221 Ext. 402 or go to ahutchison@brmaine.org.

CUMBERLAND

Foundation 51 gives $20,596 to upgrade Greely photo lab

Foundation 51, the educational foundation in Cumberland/North Yarmouth, recently awarded $20,596 to Greely High School to upgrade its digital photography lab.

The funds will be used to purchase 10 iMac 21 computers equipped with digital imaging and publishing software and 10 Wacom Drawing Tablets. The lab is used throughout the day for digital photography, painting, 2D /3D studio art, IB studio art, and Advanced Placement studio art and collaboratively with the Photo Club, the Inkwell Literary Magazine and the Drama Club.

WATERVILLE

American Legion Boys State graduates 219 students

On June 20, 219 high school students who will be seniors this fall graduated from American Legion Boys State before a standing room only crowd at Thomas College Gymnasium.

The 66th Boys State event was a five-day program where student delegates were given a crash course in all forms of government at the local, county and state levels and were taught about campaigning for office before going on to elect a mock governor, House and Senate members, district attorneys, county commissioners and sheriffs.

The delegates heard from state and elected officials during the week. Included in that group were U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, Secretary of State Matt Dunlap, IF&W Commissioner Chandler Woodcock, former District Attorney Michael Povich, Augusta Mayor William Stokes and County Manager Peter Crichton of Cumberland County.

It was not all work and no play as the towns participated in a variety of sports and knowledge game competition.

The program is supported by 176 American Legion posts, high school guidance staff, volunteer staff and small businesses throughout the state that sponsor attendees.

Two delegates were selected to represent Maine at the national program later this summer. They are Kyle Hietala of West Bath, who was also elected as Dirigo Boys State governor for 2013, and Jared Dumas of Lewiston.

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