SANFORD

Grieving Children support volunteer facilitators sought

Sen. Amy Volk, R-Dist. 30, presents Boy Scouts Jacob Murphy, Joshua Passarelli and John Hinkle with Maine state flags that were flown over the State House. The presentation was made to honor their achievement in attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. All three scouts are from Scarborough and members of Troop 39. Krysta West photo

Photos courtesty Krysta West CAPTION: Scarborough Eagle Scouts Presented with Flags (from left) Sen. Amy Volk, District 30, presents Boy Scouts members Jacob Murphy, Joshua Passarelli and John Hinkle with Maine state flags, that were flown over the State House, to honor their achievement of attaining the high rank of Eagle Scout. All three scouts are from Scarborough and members of Troop 39.

The Center for Grieving Children is looking for volunteer facilitators to lead peer-support groups at its Sanford service site.

Center volunteers will be trained to work with children and families confronting loss, change and grief when someone close to them dies or is seriously ill, providing support in an atmosphere where they feel safe to talk about their feelings and experiences.

The Center’s age-specific peer support groups are available weekly in Portland and Sanford. In partnership with Portland Public Schools, the Center also offers peer support for children resettled locally from countries suffering violent conflict or natural disaster. Additional peer support groups are available for young adults, bereaved parents, and widows/widowers/partners.

Facilitators make a weekly commitment to working with children, teens and their adult family members. All facilitators must complete a background check and go through an intense 35-hour training before being placed in a support group.

Facilitators are currently needed for bereavement peer support groups in Sanford, which meet on Wednesday evenings. Training runs Jan. 31 through Feb. 11.

Interested volunteers should call Beth Quinlan at 775-5216 or beth@cgcmaine.org.

PORTLAND

Nominations being accepted for 2017 literary awards

The Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance is accepting nominations for the 2017 Maine Literary Awards. Entries will be accepted through Feb. 1. Winners will be announced May 25.

Book award nominations will be accepted for the categories of fiction, crime fiction, speculative fiction, nonfiction, memoir, poetry, young people’s literature, children’s literature, anthology, and the John N. Cole Award for Maine-Themed Nonfiction. The Cole Award, launched in 2012, is generously sponsored by the Cole family and Just Write Books.

Nomination forms and guidelines are available on the MWPA website: mainewriters.org. For questions or more information, call 207-228-8263 or info@mainewriters.org.

SACO

Police Department sets Citizen Police Academy

The Saco Police Department is accepting applications for its seventh annual Citizen Police Academy, a nine-week citizens training, set to begin Feb. 22.

Classes will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays at the Saco Police Department at 20 Storer St.

Everyone is welcome to apply, but preference will be given to Saco residents. Applications are available at the Saco Police Department or can be downloaded from the Saco police website at www.sacomaine.org/departments/police_department/index.php.

Deadline for submissions is Feb. 3. For more details, call Court Officer TammyJo Girard at 282-8214 or email tgirard@sacomaine.org.

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