Carmichael awarded degree

Justin Ellery Carmichael received a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering in commencement exercises in May at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Mass.

Carmichael is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John E. Carmichael.

Conant graduates

Allen Conant received an associate degree in May from the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University in providence, R.I.

Conant was also named to the dean’s list for the spring term.

Zieba summa cum laude grad

Dorene Zieba received a bachelor of science degree in May, graduating summa cum laude from the College of Culinary Arts at John & Wales University in Providence, R.I.

Labbe on dean’s list

Pamela Labbe has been named to the dean’s list for the spring semester at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I.

Labbe is pursuing a degree in fashion merchandising from the College of Business.

Cote excels

Heather Cote has been named to the dean’s list for the spring semester at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn.

LaChance honor society inductee

Nicholas LaChance has been inducted into the Golden Quill Honor Society at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I., for outstanding academic achievement.

LaChance is the son of Darrell and Judy LaChance.

Nicholas was also invited by his professor to participate in the Textron study abroad program where he spent a week in Dublin, Ireland, and another week in London, England. While there, he and fellow students participated in many workshops to come up with ideas on how to save the company money in labor and other areas. Textron will be implementing their ideas in the company.

In Ireland, LaChance took a tour of the Kilmainham Gaol Prison where many political leaders are held. He also toured the Guinness Storehouse and the Dublin Castle. He attended a show that is similar to Riverdance.

In London, he saw Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the Eye of England, which is a ferris wheel with each car holding about 25 people. LaChance also dined at a restaurant in Liverpool, England, which is where the Beatles are from.

His mom said he enjoyed Dublin much more than London. She said the people were more friendly and the city was very historic. He had a wonderful experience touring the cities and the business side of the trip, she said.

Cutline: Gretchen Carroll

Carroll awarded scholarship

The Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund of Salem, Mass., recently awarded a $4,000 college scholarship to Gretchen Carroll.

A graduate of Westbrook High School, Carroll will attend the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Conn., in the fall. She was one of 178 new students who received an award this year and she was recognized for academic achievement as well as notable community, school and work activities.

Loring URI senior

Billy Loring, son of Bill and Donna Loring of Hardy Road, has finished his third year at the University of Rhode Island.

His mom said he ranks first in his class in both his double majors, accounting and finance. She said he was hired for part time accounting office work last fall during the school year and for fulltime this summer at Textron in Providence, R.I. She said Textron is a Fortune 500 company that manufactures helicopter parts.

Loring is a member of the Beta Alpha Psi accounting fraternity. Next year, he will serve as president of the fraternity.

He attended a regional convention of the fraternity in May in Philadelphia, Pa. Loring will take part in a national meeting in August in San Francisco, Calif.

Loring, who will be a senior this fall, plans a fifth year at the university to earn a master’s degree in accounting.

Cote on dean’s list

Joseph P. Cote has been named to the dean’s list for the spring semester at Keene State College in Kneene, N.H.

Free summer concert series

Music lovers are invited to a free summer music series at Warren Memorial Library, 479 Main St.

Big band jazz and swing will be featured at 9 a.m. every Wednesday in July and August with “Cool Shade of Blue.”

Other events include a call to all kids for the wild and crazy songs of Rick Charette at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 14, featuring colorful tunes “Chickens on Vacation” and “Alligator in the Elevator” along with “Where Do My Sneakers Go at Night?”

Westbrook’s own “The Saccarappa Boys” will play old-time bluegrass and country music at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 12.

Then the Tony Gaboury Quartet, playing cool jazz guitar for a warm evening, ends the free summer series at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 19.

The concert series is sponsored by the Cornelia Warren Community Foundation. For more information, call Warren Memorial Library at 854-5891.

Cutline: Westbrook Girl Scout Troops 2026, 190, 1187, 1867 and 1705 and Gorham Girl Scout Troop 1182 learned about self-defense recently at Champion Karate and Fitness. Junior Troop 2026 organized the event to earn their Bronze Award. Rich Lowell and Darren Stevenson were the instructors. A courtesy photo

Cutline: Mr. and Mrs. Philip Mailhot

Mailhots honored on 55th

Mr. and Mrs. Philip Mailhot of 67 Lyman St. were honored for their 55th wedding anniversary at a family dinner on June 18 at Port West in Portland. They were married on June 17, 1950, in Batavia, N.Y.

Attending the dinner were their son, Marc, and his wife, Kathleen, and their children, Christopher of Westbrook, Shannon of Windham and Allison and her companion, Josh Larriviere, of Biddeford; and their daughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Norman (Renee) Best of Westbrook.

After dinner, the family went back to their Lyman Street home for a champaign and cake dessert. Mrs. Mailhot received 55 green carnations and a 55th anniversary cake from her husband as gifts.

They will be taking a cruise to the Mediterranean in October to celebrate their anniversary.

Legion post asks citizens to help children of fallen military

Local veterans are asking members of the community to join them in reaching out to children who have lost a parent during the war on terror.

American Legion Post 197 is inviting all citizens of Westbrook and the surrounding communities to help the environment while providing a tangible thank you to those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. Through the “Soldiers for Soldiers” initiative, Post 197 is collecting empty inkjet cartridges and used cell phones to raise money for “American legacy Scholarship” for the children of military personnel killed since Sept. 11, 2001.

‘Soldiers for Soldiers” was started by two active duty Air Force service members, Staff Sgt. Kenneth O’Brien and his wife, Airman 1st Class Fallon O’Brien, when they first started collecting empty inkjet cartridges and used cell phones both on and off their military base.

Each cartridge collected provides $1, and each cellular phone $3 for the American Legion charities, which also include the National Emergency Fund and Child Welfare Foundation. Over the next five years, 70 percent of Americans will have cell phones.

On average, cellular phones are replaced every 12 to 18 months. Today, there are more than 150 million cellular phones disposed of annually.

No purchase is required; only the collection of items that might otherwise be disposed of. “This is a win-win project for every American who wants to say ‘thank you’ in a tangible way to the veterans of our country and their families,” said David F. Martin, commander of Post 197. “It doesn’t cost a dime but has tremendous potential for raising funds to help those children who have lost a parent in the war on terror.”

“As an unfortunate consequence of Operation Iraqi Freedom and America’s war on terror, many children of our active-duty military personnel are now members of single-parent families,” said Martin. “In most cases, this also means their chances to attend college have greatly diminished.”

“Through this fundraising initiative with ‘Soldiers for Soldiers,’ we’re asking all Westbrook residents, and those from surrounding areas, to join us in helping these children of military personnel who died on active duty to receive the necessary funding for a college education,” Martin said.

Post 197 will serve as the central collection location. “Westbrook Memorial Post 197 will also work with businesses and civic organizations alike to serve as additional collection points in the community,” Martin added. “If everyone in our community collected one inkjet cartridge and one cell phone, there is potential to raise a significant sum of money to ensure that these kids will have a chance at the schooling their parents would have provided if they were here to do it,” Martin said. “And every $1 contributed goes directly into the fund.”

For more information, visit the American Legion Web site at www.legion.org and click on “Soldiers for Soldiers” or call Westbrook Memorial Post 197 at 854-5788. – This story courtesy of Memorial Post 197.